Māori Movement, a health and fitness programme inspired by atua Māori, was launched on 28 March in Tauranga after being delivered to local schools in conjunction with a Ngāti Ranginui hauora programme last year.

The original programme, delivered by Ngāti Ranginui Iwi Society Inc. was supported by Matika – Moving the Māori Nation, a contestable fund administered by Te Puni Kōkiri that supports whānau, communities and individuals at ‘grassroots level’ to improve their lives through activity and healthy lifestyles.

Mauri Ora Project Manager, Charlie Rahiri says their hauora programme initially targeted tāne, but that quickly grew to include other whānau members including rangatahi. “One of our Ngāti Ranginui whānau, Beez Ngarino Te Waati, is a physical trainer in Auckland and is involved in theatre production and hauora. They came down and did their production and ran workshops with the schools. Their fitness programme, Māori Movement, fit with our kaupapa because it reinforced the kinds of messages we wanted our rangatahi to get about identity and physical activity.”

Te Waati and his wife Kura Te Ua (both members of Auckland kapa haka Te Waka Huia) are co-founders of the ‘haka theatre’ company Hawaiki Tū. Māori Movement is an integral part of their work. “It’s a training style we use in our productions,” says Beez. “The fitness programme has developed over time and it fits well with the workshops we do as part of our school’s production programme.”

Hawaiki Tū spent two days working with schools in Tauranga doing workshops which included the Māori Movement fitness programme. “One of the things I ask the kids is what they are passionate about. I want them to take that passion in to their movement. That’s how they will get results.”

Beez describes Māori Movement as a unique training style that has developed out of his passion for kapa haka and fitness. “There wasn’t really anything out there that  incorporated fitness, te reo, tikanga and whakapapa. Māori Movement is a fitness programme but it is about people being connected as well.”

The launch of Māori Movement attracted over 150 people, many of whom had been participants in the Ngāti Ranginui hauora programme. “It was a great evening. We had about 80 people joining in the fitness session at the launch – from tamariki to kaumātua. Our promo video pretty much went viral, and we’ve had lots of enquiries from overseas as well, but our focus is getting Māori on board first.” Beez explains.

The Māori Movement website includes a series of on-line training videos based on movement inspired by atua Māori. The first level training series is free, and Māori Movement offers training for those who want to become licenced practitioners to run their own classes anywhere in the country.

To date, Matika - Moving the Māori Nation fund has supported 60 hauora initiatives ranging from healthy lifestyle education plans to whakapakari tinana and mau rākau wānanga. For more information about the fund contact your Te Puni Kōkiri regional office or visit www.tpk.govt.nz