As politicians congratulated the Black Ferns on their victory in the House today, a key focus of two MPs was the use of the poi throughout the Rugby World Cup tournament and how this brought Māori culture center stage.
Green Party Co-Leader Marama Davidson even brought a poi into the chamber to swing while speaking, one of the 30,000 that were made for the World Cup.
Davidson acknowledged Dame Hinewehi Mohi who came up with the idea.
“For the superb way of uniting us in te ao Māori culture that those girls so fiercely upheld, their haka had them coursing their pride through their veins as they demonstrated that te ao Māori is to be cherished, shared and supported and mostly enjoyed for everyone.”
“We saw Ruby Tui get everybody singing Tutira Mai in a way that we have never seen that stadium agree to sing before. We saw people all over the stadium swinging poi Mr Speaker.”
Co-Leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer speaking on behalf of the Māori Party echoed this sentiment.
“What we need to think about is how they included and took us all with them. Wā poi. How we saw mātauranga Māori used. How we saw our culture actually brings pride, it uplifts, and it was an influence that brought about … the togetherness of Aotearoa.”
“They showed the world, but most importantly they showed us here in Aotearoa that wāhine are equal on and off the field, that te ao Māori is equal on and off the field.”
She acknowledged the team as mana wāhine, “claiming their space on the field.”
Davidson stated too that mana wāhine has no description.
“It shows itself clearly in front of us when it comes, we know. And it has been here for quite some time, but my goodness through this entire tournament has that team, the community right in behind them, continued to uphold their leadership.”
Ngarewa-Packer made light of not being able to afford a box seat, instead standing with the Pātea Māori Club from Taranaki to get her ticket in.
The Patea Māori Club performed ahead of kick-off at Eden Park on Saturday.
Ngarewa-Packer told social media on the night that the Black Ferns were “already winners” who had “taken us and lifted us so far.”
When asked today how it felt to perform on the night, Ngarewa-Packer told 1News “it was fabulous, it was amazing, it was the best stand ever. And I was really pleased that I didn't drop the poi.”
She highlighted the use of the poi during the tournament as indicative of the strength she says we’ve seen from the Black Ferns as “wāhine toa”.
“Our wahine who should be treated equally, who should have had parades, who should have had bonuses waiting for them.”
Ngarewa-Packer said the poi were a sign of “what it is for us as wahine to hold our own … I think we saw lots of little girls, lots of w’aea, lots of kuia there turning up, recognising the significance of the fight and the battle that they won.”
SHARE ME