The younger brother of the late Mita Hikairo Mohi, Dinny Ratema Mohi made an appearance at this year's National Māori Tennis competition at the Waikato Tennis Centre in Hamilton in commemoration of his older brother. Mita Mohi was a regular participant in the annual competition and was a former Māori Tennis Champion.
Ratema Dinny Mohi says “My tuakana Mita, he was a stalwart of Māori Tennis and we both travelled with Aotearoa Maori Tennis over to the Islands and we competed over there. We always come back every year”.
Sir Tamati Muturangi Reedy says “It is to commemorate the memories of old, but also look at the young coming through, those from Australia and from the USA coming back and raising the pride of māori tennis and that’s what we are here to celebrate."
In late November the well-respected Te Arawa leader passed away. The 77-year-old known for his skill in māori weaponry was an exceptional athlete. In 1972 he played for the Kiwis Rugby League Team he was also a professional wrestler and a Senior Māori Tennis Champion.
Like older broth Mita in sport, Dinny also made a name for himself in rugby, he is a former New Zealand Māori and Bay of Plenty player.
“It’s humbling to bring all my mokopuna here, they are all competing and they are all winning and other loosing. I’m overwhelmed all my grandchildren play tennis” says Mohi.
Long Standing māori tennis kaumatua, Sir Tamati Muturangi Reedy says the Mohi family have made a huge contribution to Māori Tennis.
“It’s through the work of some of the great leaders of ours who have carried the flag for māori tennis which started with Sir Apirana Ngata who established it with his Te Arawa relations and of course we had Pei Te Hurinui Jones who came and carried it on and the great Lady, Te Ataairangi Kaahu," says Sir Reedy.
Next year Māori Tennis will celebrate its 91st event with the tournament to be held again in Hamilton.