About | Mataatua Sports Trust NZ

Mai ngā Kurī -ā- Whārei, ki Tihirau -

Mai i Te Rae ō Kohi, ki Te Mānuka Tūtahi

Mataatua Sports Trust was registered under the Charitable Trust Act on the 9th of December 1998. Recognised kaumatua across the rohe were approached to provide the mandate to operate under the Mataatua Waka they included, Te Hau Tutua, Wharekaihua Coates, Mark Harawira, Henare Pryor, Jerry and Waina Araroa, and Tom Kingi.

The formation of the trust was an aspiration of Matiu Te Pou, who had identified a need for an organisation to engage with rangatahi using sports activities as a medium. A core focus was to encourage rangatahi to stay in education, with sporting goals and wellbeing being key aspects to facilitating this. The transition from a voluntary organisation to a registered trust came through the opportunity to secure funding from the Hillary Commission for the delivery of Healthy Eating/ Healthy Activity (HEHA) and further funding for delivery of smoking cessation programmes.

Following the review of the Hillary Commissions’ activities the organisation was re-branded as Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC). This provided a new opportunity to deliver more sports based activites as opposed to nutritional. Mataatua Sports Trust was successful in achieving funding for delivery of taonga takaaro which was further developed into He Oranga Poutama.

A Ministry review of SPARC led to the establishment of Sport New Zealand (Sport NZ) and further development of He Oranga Poutama to have in depth recognition of delivery by Maori for Maori traditional sporting and cultural activities.
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Mataatua Sports Trust, following Te Papa Takaro o Te Arawa, was the second Iwi provider nationwide to secure funding through Hillary Commisssion HEHA. The first kaimahi was Noel Horlock. The founding Chairperson, James McLean, remains with the trust in a governance role.

Historical activities

Our Sports

Our sports activities are based on historical cultural activities and learning. They include Waka Ama, Mau Rākau, Ngā Tāonga Tākaro and hikoi raising awareness of our environment and wāhi tapu within our rohe.

Ngā Tāonga Tākaro

Ngā Tāonga Tākaro are partof Māori Whakapapa and served an important function in traditional society. Activities such as Ki-ō-Rahi, Tapu Wae, Tī uru, Mū Tōrere, Poi Toa were activities designed to build agility, stamina, co-ordination, supple wrist movement, evasion skills and strategy. In recent years there has been a resurgence of tāonga tākaro and increasing recognition of the need to proceed and revitalise these practices.

Waka Ama

Traditionally Māori were amongst the greatest of navigators and seafaring people, successfully traversing the world’s largest ocean, Te-Moananui-a-Kiwa (Pacific Ocean) well in advance of their European counterparts. Modern day waka ama descends from our ancient practice and links practitioners with the taiao and tikanga Māori. Waka Ama facilitates cultural identity, builds cohesion and wellbeing.

Mau Rākau

Mau Rākau plays a fundamental role in our traditions, history and identity, not only for us as Māori but as uri whakeheke ō te waka ō Mataatua. As Pouako of Mau Rākau, we have a duty to continue the teachings and safeguard the mana of our ancient form of combat. We teach Mau Rākau not only to engage our people in our traditions as Māori, but to practice and preserve the autonomy of Mau Rākau for us as uri of Mataatua Waka.

In the News

Articles

Waka ama programme turns fear into confidence

Whakatane Beacon

Wednesday 20th August 2025

Sitting in a waka while it’s being flipped can be daunting, but for Whakatāne High School’s year 11 outdoor education students, it’s an integral part of learning waka skills and water safety. The programme, run in conjunction with Mataatua Sports, began as a pilot in 2024 with 100 participants. Its popularity has seen it become a core component of the school’s outdoor education curriculum, now attracting 140 students, with plans to expand into other Eastern Bay secondary schools. Mataatua Sports co-ordinator Hemi Wahapango takes pride in watching students grow in confidence and ability. “I see students come in nervous and freaking out. We start them on non-flip canoes, then progress to waka,” he said. “They learn paddling dynamics and quickly realise they can do it and it’s not so bad. Then they advance to being tipped out to practise recovery, and by the time we get them on the river, they’re really going for it.” The waka ama programme is part of a wider outdoor education curriculum led by physical education teacher Mark Hanlen. “Whakatāne High’s outdoor education programme is focused on embracing our local environment – incorporating our rivers, ocean, bush, and more into our sporting endeavours,” Mr Hanlen said. “It’s about connecting with our amazing natural resources in a meaningful way, including learning valuable mātauranga Māori relevant to the land and water.” Students can gain 15 level 2 credits while enjoying hands-on experiences such as surfing, paddleboarding, mountain biking, waka ama, and snow adventures. Along the way, they develop practical skills in tramping, navigation, bush survival, and river and ocean safety, even gaining experience in planning and leading expeditions in high-risk situations. By default, students also build life skills in resilience, teamwork, and problem-solving. Mr Hanlen said the benefits extended far beyond school. “Our students are exploring not just themselves, but also ways of leading active, fulfilling lives long after they’ve left the classroom.”

New waka for Mataatua Sports Trust

New Zealand Community Trust has awarded a grant of $20,521 to Mataatua Sports Trust for the purchase one six-person waka, aimed at increasing water safety and ensuring the expansion and sustainability of their waka ama programme. More and more Whakatane students and community groups are getting involved in our waka programme,” said Kaiwhakahaere Hemi Wahapango. “We needed additional equipment to meet this growing demand. With these two new wakas, we’ll be able to provide a high-quality experience for all participants and encourage more local involvement. This growing cultural awareness, together with learning about the power of working together as a team (kotahitanga and whanaungatanga), has a hugely positive impact on social well-being and cohesion in our community.’’ The waka programme offers school groups and community organisations the chance to learn vital skills such as paddling, flipping, and water safety practices. It also educates participants about the natural environment and historical Māori sites. “Mataatua Sports Trust promotes active and healthy lifestyles through traditional Māori sports. Our programmes have seen significant growth, with fifteen kura currently registered,” said chairperson Chris Marjoribanks. Paddling together in a waka develops teamwork and communication skills, fostering unity within the group,” said Wahapango. “This unique experience promotes physical fitness and appreciation for Māori culture, contributing positively to social well-being.” Mataatua Sports Trust has been delivering traditional Māori recreational activities and promoting wellbeing in the Mataatua Rohe for over 30 years. They are an advocate for culturally based sports. The trust was an aspiration of Matiu Te Pou, who identified a need for an organisation to engage with rangatahi using sports activities as a medium. A core focus was to encourage rangatahi to stay in education, with sporting goals and wellbeing being key aspects to facilitating this. Established as an incoporated society in 1998 Mataatua Sports Trust is funded by SportNZ to deliver the He Oranga Poutama programme which incorporates traditional Māori sports and activities. These include waka ama, Ki o Rahi, Mau Rakau, and physical and cultural activities based in the natural environment. The trust has extensive relationships with local kura, clubs, and iwi within the Eastern Bay of Plenty region, with a shared of philosophy of promoting active and healthy lifestyles. Local participant Te Mauri Spencer is enthusiastic, sharing that “the Kaiako make it a fun learning environment.” “Being on the waka is fun, but the tikanga and history are what I find most fascinating,” said fellow participant Annikka Schäfer. “Waka ama serves as a powerful means of connecting and uniting whanau,” said NZCT’s Grants, Marketing, and Communications GM Ben Hodges. “We're grateful for the responsible gaming fundraising partnership we share with Cobb & Co Whakatane which made this grant possible.” NZCT is one of the largest gaming societies in New Zealand. In 23/24, NZCT awarded over $40 million in grants for a wide range of community services, including sports, rescue services, youth development, the Arts, and cultural activities.