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Sport | Brazil

Māori to showcase traditional games at World Indigenous event

October 23 will mark the start of the very first World Indigenous Games in Brazil.

The 9-day competition will consist of more than 2000 indigenous sports from 30 different countries.

A Māori contingent named Ki-o-rahi Akotanga Iho will be guests of honour at the event and will take part in the first 3 days of showcasing traditional dance.

They will also demonstrate a variety of Māori games including ki-o-rahi, ti-uru, horohopu, hupara, pakaukau, maui-matau, te rere hokowhitu, kaipara-o-ka, wera-te-paatu and others.

Harko Brown, who is in charge of the Māori contingent and adviser for the event says "It is an amazing opportunity which we are gearing up for through the Maori grapevine. We are getting together rangatahi and leading facilitators and players of Ngā Taonga Tākaro from around the country,"

"One of our big pushes will be to get our kids involved with these international opportunities. A great promo for the games of our tupuna and an opportunity to make further networks on the kaupapa," Brown says.

He will fly over to Brazil next week for the final preparatory meeting called the Technical Congress.