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Story: Traditional Māori games – ngā tākaro

Hand game competitions, Whakatāne, 1966

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Hand game competitions, Whakatāne, 1966

This hand game competition was part of a special Māori games day at Whakatāne, organised by the Māori synod of the Presbyterian church as a fundraiser for Turakina Māori Girls' College. The woman in the photograph was the overall winner in the hand games. There were also competitions in ti rākau (stick games), teka (dart throwing), koruru (knucklebones) and mū tōrere (a game similar to draughts), as well as races on poututuru (stilts).

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Reference: Te Ao Hou, no. 58 (1967), p. 37

Courtesy of Te Puni Kokiri

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How to cite this page

Ross Calman, Traditional Māori games – ngā tākaro – Games of skill with words and hands, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/39353/hand-game-competitions-whakatane-1966 (accessed 25 June 2026).

Story by Ross Calman, published 30 November 2012.