about winning school hockey team's use of te reo Māori
Complaints made in a Christchurch hockey tournament crowd about a Māori secondary school’s use of te reo on the turf were drowned out with waiata and haka when supporters arrived en masse.
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori (TKKM) o Ruamata’s boys team’s haka to start the Johnson Cup final at Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub in Ōtautahi last week was described as a “refreshing” and rare event for the sport by commentators.
But a local kura kaupapa caught wind of disapproval among the crowd during the tournament, so the wharekura rallied to support the Rotorua kura from the sideline with singing, haka, and whakatauākī (Māori proverbs).
Hockey NZ has rebuked the prejudiced crowd comments and thrown its support behind the team, which went on to win the final 5-2 against Ashburton College, saying it encourages the use of te reo Māori – and all languages – in the sport.
Link to article: Waiata and haka drown out complaints about winning school hockey team's use of te reo Māori | Stuff.co.nz
