MĀORI AND CRICKET
Growing engagement with Māori
Timatanga
Introduction
NZC are on a journey to better connect
with Māori that will contribute towards
creating an exciting, open and accessible
environment to grow the Māori
participation base as part of the overall
NZC strategy.
© New Zealand Cricket 2017
He kēmu mō Aotearoa; He
kēmu mataora
A game for all New Zealanders;
A game for life
Cricket is a forward-thinking, innovative global game
that is always evolving to bring people together.
Cricket has been an integral part of Aotearoa, helping
define our inclusive, competitive yet laid-back Kiwi
spirit, from the big stage to the backyard.
© New Zealand Cricket 2017
Ko te māpihi maurea
Objective
Create opportunities to grow
participation that is inclusive,
fun and relevant for Māori
today and tomorrow
© New Zealand Cricket 2017
Te hītori kirikiti Māori
History of Māori cricket
Māori have played cricket in New Zealand since the early 19th Century — as early as 1832, when colonial
missionary Henry Williams wrote about a game in Paihia in the Bay of Islands.
In 1835, famous naturalist Charles Darwin watched Māori cricket in Northland, on his visit to New Zealand. There
were formal Māori cricket clubs as early as the 1880s, and sepia-toned first XI photographs show that Māori in
colleges like Hawke’s Bay’s Te Aute College had cricket teams around the same time.
Higher profile Māori players included John 'Jack' Taiaroa, who represented Hawke’s Bay as a batsman through the
1890s; and John Hopere Wharewiti Uru, who played for Canterbury as a fast bowler in the 1890s.When
New Zealand’s national women’s team played its first international match in 1935, it also included New Zealand’s
first Māori Test players — the late Agnes Ell (whose brother, Jack Ell, played first-class cricket for Wellington
between 1933 and 1946); and Hilda Buck, of Ngati Mutunga descent. Other notable Māori players to represent N
w
e
Zealand include Shane Bond, Trent Boult, Adam Parore, Maia Lewis, Rebecca Rolls, Lea Tahuhu and Suzie Bates.
(Tourism New Zealand: It's a little known story for the most part but - along with rugby - Maori players have played an influential role in New Zealand cricket. Retrieved 25/10/2019).
© New Zealand Cricket 2017
Te Rōra Hōnore
Roll of honour
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Ko te whakapumau tūhononga mō te kemu kirikiti
me te iwi Māori
Establishing a connection between Māori and
cricket
TANGATA WHENUA CONNECTION CULTURE PARTICIPATION
Acknowledgement Connection and Embracement of Create participation
of the unique place re-connection culture and te reo opportunities to grow
Māori have as between players that increases cricket as a sport for
tangata whenua of and their understanding Māori
Aotearoa whakapapa / iwi and awareness
© New Zealand Cricket 2017
A mātou wawata
Our aspiration
AWARENESS PLAYING NZ MĀORI NZ MĀORI U19 &
LESSONS AND OPPORTUNITIES SECONDARY NZ MAORI
RESOURCES SCHOOLS SENIOR TEAMS
School awareness lessons Develop Māori national Playing opportunities for Annual / biennial
delivered in te reo Māori age-group national secondary matches for NZ Māori
that aim to promote the tournaments (boys and school teams that has a U19 (male or female) and
language and cricket girls) with a focus on strong emphasis on NZ Māori Senior teams
participation developing quality experiences, (male and female).
opportunities. Creation of participation pathways. connection to culture and Participation in ICC EAP
cricket delivery resources te reo. Developing nations
in te reo. tournaments.
© New Zealand Cricket 2017
A mātou wawata
Our aspiration
OFF-FIELD CHANGING STORYTELLING CONNECTION
OPPORTUNITIES PERCEPTIONS
There is an underlying Organisational
Develop and grow Engage with Māori andour
perception that connectedness to
Māori governance, wider audiences to tellour
cricket is a game for Maoridom and iwi.
coaches and stories and our work in this
administrators in Pakeha. Our aim isto space.
cricket. change this
perception to bemore
inclusive, open and
accessible forMāori.
© New Zealand Cricket 2017
© New Zealand Cricket 2017
NZ MĀORI SECONDARY SCHOOLBOYS
In 2019, the first ever NZ Māori Schoolboys teamwas
selected to play a match against a Governor Generals XI
in Wellington. The team spent a week at Tapu Te Ranga
marae engaged in tikanga and team-building activities.
For many members of the team, this was their first
connection with their Māori culture.
2020 will see a second Māori schoolboys team selectedto
play a match against a Governor Generals XI. A key
feature for the team will be to build on the momentum
and interest generated in 2019 but also deepen their
cultural understanding and cultural connection.
© New Zealand Cricket 2017
“It was an honour to present the caps to
the boys last season and it’s great to seea
girl's team will be formed also. I’m very
proud of my Māori heritage and hope to
see this initiative continue for years to
come” – Trent Boult (Ngāti Porou)
© New Zealand Cricket 2017
NZ MĀORI SECONDARY SCHOOLGIRLS
Much like the schoolboy's team in 2019, the first
ever NZ Māori Schoolgirls team will be selected
in 2020 to play a T20 match against a Governor
Generals XI in Wellington.
The team will spend a week together at Pipitea
marae alongside the boy's team engaged in
tikanga Māori activities throughout the week.
The team will be coached by former captainof
the WHITE FERNS Maia Lewis (Ngati Whatua/
Ngati Maniapoto).
© New Zealand Cricket 2017
NZ MĀORI UNDER 19 MEN
In March 2020, NZC will assemble the first ever Māori
Under 19 team to tour Australia. The team will play
three 50-over matches against an IndigenousAustralian
U19 in Sydney. The tour is about creating playing
opportunities for Māori but also connecting with
Indigenous Cricket in Australia and further profiling
cricket as a sport for Māori. Much like the secondary
school's initiative, the tour will be underpinned by
cultural connection and tikanga Māori.
In the recent NZ v Bangladesh U19 series, sixmembers of
the NZ squad were of Maori heritage.
© New Zealand Cricket 2017
© New Zealand Cricket 2017
