Ki o Rahi

For information on our Matariki events, including Traditional Maori Games workshop and Ki-o-Rahi competition, click here

Ki-o-rahi is a ball sport played by Maori in New Zealand. It is played with a small round ball called a 'ki'. The game is not widely known but is played in Northland and in scattered locations throughout the country. The game resembles rugby, touch, netball, basketball and Australian rules football. It is a fast-paced sport incorporating skills similar to rugby union, netball and touch. Two teams of seven players play on a circular field divided into zones, and score points by touching the 'pou' (boundary markers) and hitting a central 'tupu' or target.

Click here to see a 5 minute youtube video about Ki o rahi

Ki o Rahi equipment can be purchased from their website

Sport Waitakere and Te Tauihu (Auckland based kaiwhakahaere) are excited at the opportunity of assisting the Auckland University of Technology with the Prefect Training Programme. Te Tauihu will be teaching the traditional Maori sport of ki-o-rahi to participating schools in order for the participants to promote and teach the sport within their own respective schools.

The game is based around a Māori ancestor named Rahi Tu Taka Hina and has a strong link to Matariki as seen in the seven pou (markers) which represent the seven stars of Matariki. The attached whakapapa (history) of this game will be explained to all participants with the understanding that each iwi and / or hapu have their own respective whakapapa and this is only one version. The attached is a shortened version and it will also be recommended that each team does its own research on the whakapapa. 

Attached are downloadable resources to assist anyone intested in learning promoting and teaching Ki o rahi

Ki o Rahi Legend

Ki o Rahi Rules

Ki o Rahi Powerpoint Presentation