The 28th Aotearoa Māori Sports Awards Hosted at Vodafone Events Centre Manukau Saturday 24 November 2018 1 HM Kiingi Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII Patron, Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust Ka ranga te hau ki te muri. Ka ranga te hau ki te tonga. Ka ranga te hau ki te matahau o te kotahitanga e. In ancient times our people became experts in a number of traditional sports. Right through the ages, we have been keen sportspeople. Our traditions have held us in good stead to face the modern world of sport and rise to the challenge of competition. Together we celebrate the wonderful achievements of our people in almost every sport. We commend their sharpness of body and mind. Their dedication and committment to their sport. They have become tauira - role models, our young ones look to them as an example they can aspire to. We celebrate those dedicated men and women who have risen to the heights of their sport. We know their whanau, their team mates, their coaches and their supporters share in their success. My ancestor, King Taawhiao said in his time ‘Tupu te toi! Ora te toi! Whanake te toi! Te toi i ahu mai i Hawaiki!’ Grow, prosper and develop to the highest degrees for it is truly a treasure of our heritage. I would like to thank the sponsors for their dedication and the organisers for highlighting the best and brightest of Maaoridom as stars that shine over every community in Aotearoa. Ngaa mihi me ngaa manaakitanga ki a koutou katoa. Paimaarire. 2 Rt Hon Winston Peters Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs Kia ora, On behalf of the government I extend my best wishes to the organisers of the Māori Sports Awards. This event is an important night for the recognition of your achievements, and for the showcasing of Māori sporting talent. New Zealand is a great sporting nation and Māori sporting talent is a big part of that history. Our athletes are examples of talent, dedication, and passion. They are also positive role models for our communities. I also wish to acknowledge the late, great Māori sportsman and personality, Alby Pryor, who 28 years ago started these awards. And, just in case you’ve all forgotten, I was the new Minister of Maori Affairs in 1991 who helped support the first event. So I welcome the continuation of this event. I also extend my congratulations to all the finalists in tonight’s awards, and thank you for your hard work in your chosen sport. I also pay tribute to all the administrators, coaches, managers, and supporting whanau for the role you have played in creating Māori sporting excellence. Nga mihi, 3 Sir Tamati Muturangi Reedy KNZM Kaumatua, Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust E Nga Mana Tiketike! Nau mai ra tatou ki te whakanui i Nga Toa o Te Ao Hakinakina o Aotearoa, 2018. Ko ratou tenei e hiki nei i te mana, te ihi, te wehi o te Ao Maori ki te Ao Whanui. Ka puta te Tihei Mauriora ki te Ao Marama! Ta Tamati Reedy Greetings to this esteemed assembly! Welcome to the celebration of the Maori sports champions of Aotearoa, 2018. They uphold the prestige, the power and mana of Māori here in New Zealand and the World. We breathe the gift of life into this World of Light! 4 Hon Nanaia Mahuta Minister for Māori Development Kia rere arorangi ngā whakamānawa ki te tītoki o terangi, te whakaaio o te whenua, kia māturuturu tetomairangai o āna manaakitanga ki runga i a tātou katoa, otirā tātou kua whakarērea iho nei e rātou mā ngā mate tāruru nui o te wā. Ko rātou te ope pōkaitara, rātou ki a rātou, tātou te pito ora, tātou ki a tātou. Kei aku manu tāiko, aku manu taupua, aku manu pīrere, koutou kua whakatōpū mai i te pō nei, tēnā koutou katoa. Pai Mārire. Tonight we celebrate Māori achievement. We recognise our whānau and friends who are thriving in the sporting domain, and we acknowledge the years of hard work dedicated towards reaching the pinnacles of sporting success in Aotearoa. For the past 28 years, we have been reminded of the immense sporting talent in te ao Māori. This year is particularly significant because it is the 125th year of women’s suffrage in New Zealand. Those past pioneers like Meri Mangakahia from 1893 would undoubtedly be amazed at the success wāhine have experienced in all arenas, especially sport. Countless wāhine Māori have contributed to sporting success in Aotearoa - Ruia Morrison, Farah Palmer, Leilani Rorani and Lisa Carrington, all of whom have helped paved the way for generations of Māori athletes to come.While sportspeople in New Zealand are known for punching above their weight – our wāhine Māori are more than contributing to our international sporting success. Last year I mentioned that the legacy starts at grass roots - the committed people who inspire your ‘love of the game’, encourage you to go a little further, seed the idea that with a bit more effort you can go all the way, believe in you when your belief is still out on the sports field. Administrators, managers, coaches, whānau and then you - our Sportspeople! This is an enduring legacy of committment, excellence and achievement. You are our heroes in sport, we acknowledge your journey and celebrate your success. As Minister of Māori Development, it is my pleasure to join your whānau, hapū, iwi, and colleagues in congratulating your achievements tonight. Tonight is your night; stand tall in your success, tangata tū, tangata ora - tihei mauri ora! 5 Eden Park celebrates Sufferage 125 with Kiwi sportswomen by showcasing some of the leaders in our country’s female sporting history - included in the tribute of seven selected women are four wāhine māori; Those four that are immortalized in one of the greatest sporting and globally-iconic arenas of the world – Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand, are: RUIA MORRISON MBE (Tennis) Te Arawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa Dr FARAH PALMER ONZM (Rugby) Tainui, Maniapoto SUZIE BATES (Basketball & Cricket) Ngāi Tahu LISA CARRINGTON MNZM (Canoe Racing) Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga ā Māhaki 6 Pine Harrison Chair, Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust Piki mai, kake mai, homai te waiora ki a ahau. E tutehu ana koa taku moe i te po. Ka po, ka ao, ka awatea. Tihei mauri ora! On behalf of the Trust I welcome you all here tonight to the 28th annual national Māori Sports Awards. I acknowledge and thank all of our sponsors for their loyalty and commitment to making this event possible, my fellow Trustees, and our CEO Dick Garratt and his team for their on-going efforts in making the Māori Sports Awards one of Aotearoa’s premier events. Kati ka nui taku hari me te koa ki te kaupapa o te po. Tena ra koutou katoa. 7 Trustees Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust PATRON HM Kiingi Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII KAUMATUA Ta Tamati Reedy KNZM Mrs Margaret Hiha KZOM Mr Waka Nathan Ngāti Porou Ngāti Rangitihi Ngāpuhi TRUSTEES Mr Pine Harrison (Chair) Mr Kevin Pryor Mr Rangi Whakaruru Ngāti Porou Ngāti Awa, Te Arawa Waikato Tainui Mr Hone Hauraki Mrs Hineamaru Ropati Ngāpuhi, Ngāti porou Te Rawawa OPERATIONS Mr Dick Garratt Mrs Desrae Garratt Mrs Michelle McGrath CEO P/T Administration P/T Projects Ngāi Tuhoe Ngai Te Rangi, Te Atiawa Ngāti Whātua Te Arahi Maipi Rahia Timutimu PRESENTER CO-PRESENTER Ma¯ori Sports Awards Rātapu 6.00pm Ma¯ori Television will screen an hour and a half highlights of the Ma¯ori Sports Awards 6:00pm to 7:30pm Sunday 25 November. We are also livestreaming on maoritelevision.com James McOnie BACKSTAGE & FLOOR INTERVIEWS 9 Broadcast live on Waatea 603AM and streamed online on waateanews.com. With the Waatea Team live from the venue, on air online and on location. Dale Husband, Eruera Morgan,Tumamao Harawira, Claudette Hauiti and Miriama Wilson. he mea tautoko na te mangai paho 10 Tonights Entertainment For almost a decade, the charismatic all-singing, all-dancing, all-harmonising The Koi Boys, have been crooning, dancing and entertaining as a collective, ranging from Motown classics through to current pop hits. The Koi Boys are made up of Danny Faifai, Kevin Keepa and Ngahere “Nuz” Ngatai, The Koi Boys made their charismatic first appearance on The Voice Australia. The first ever trio to perform on the show, their energy, character, enthusiasm and genre-spanning talent made them a hit among fans, both locally and most recently across the Tasman. Knocked out before the finals, the band’s eviction caused outrage on social media and had Jessie J fielding interviews surrounding her decision to send them home. Their passionate fans stayed with them, following their live shows and online recorded performances. One of their videos on YouTube, a cover of Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” has racked up over a million views. TONIGHT’S FINALISTS, WORLD CHAMPIONS & SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS REPRESENT X IWI X SPORTS The Four Winds Foundation supports a cross section of non profit community groups, charities, welfare agencies, educational organisations and amateur sporting organisations. Four Winds is proud to Support Te Tohu Taakaro o Aotearoa Charitable Trust’s vision: “That Maori provide a leading contribution to our healthy and proud sporting nation by participating and reaching their full potential in sporting activities” Our website – www.fourwindsfoundation.co.nz – provides detailed information on how to obtain and complete a form for consideration. Four Winds Foundation PO Box 74104 Greenlane, Auckland 1546 Phone: 09 631 5262 | Fax: 09 631 5267 Email: [email protected] 13 Four Winds Māori Umpire/Referee Presented by Ray Reardon Recipient Tonight’s recipient is selected from the following nominees; Glen JACKSON Ngāi Tahu RUGBY Amber CHURCH Te Aitanga ā Māhaki HOCKEY Desrae GARRATT Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Mutunga TENNIS NOMINEES Te Aratiatia Glen JACKSON (Rugby) Kaiwawao/Rewherī Tākaro Māori Desrae GARRATT (Tennis) Amber CHURCH (Hockey) Therefore Te Aratiatia denotes Ken METEKINGI (Netball) the extremely unique battles that Umpires and referees have to tolerate with players in a chosen sport.