The first national Māori women’s cricket competition ever is under way at Cornwall Park, Hastings.
“It’s been a long time coming to get efforts like this off the ground,” says New Zealand cricket diversity and inclusion lead Andrew Tara.
Tara tells RNZ that this tournament will “raise the profiles of Māori women’s cricket”, portrayed in the “strength of the squads that [have] been named”.
Five teams will play against each other throughout the weekend for the Rona McKenzie Taonga Cup, which is a tribute to the former Māori White Ferns captain who led the team in seven test matches for New Zealand.
McKenzie was recognised for her service to women’s cricket, being named on the 1975 New Year’s Honours list as a Member of the Order of the British Empire.
Central Districts captain Georgia Atkinson says it was “pretty surreal to get the call-up” to lead the team.
The Ngāti Kahungunu cricketer says “playing the guitar and finding out about my own cultural roots is what I have been working on”.
Despite the team being spread out geographically (Manawatū, Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa) and not being able to train together like other teams, Atkinson is confident.
“I’m sure if we can do the basics right, we can get some good results from the park.”
Tāmaki Makaurau Māori captain Skye Bowden says the tournament is an opportunity for Māori wāhine to get involved with the sport.
“It’s amazing to play against young talented women of Māori whakapapa.”
The Ngāti Hine and Ngāpuhi player says, “Personally, for myself, it has allowed me to connect with my culture, which I haven’t been able to [in] any other sport I have played.”
Tara says New Zealand Cricket has acknowledged the importance of the players’ “connection to their whakapapa and who they are as Māori”.
“We certainly put a lot of emphasis on the cultural side of things.”
Like having the girls stay in the marae during the tournament, an important experience Tara wants to highlight as part of the tikanga, referencing “delving into cultural things like being a part of a pōwhiri, waiata, eating and sleeping together”.
“It’s nice to interact with other people and make connections outside of cricket,” Atkinson says.
New Zealand Cricket is looking to open doorways for the Pasifika community so they can be involved in the sport as well.
This was actioned earlier this year when Māori and Pasifika secondary school cricketers played in the Rangatahi Cricket Festival.
“It was the first initiative that we got off the ground to engage with the Pasifika community,” Tara says.
Tara comments that the continuation of Māori and Pasifika growth in cricket has a “long way to go”.
“It’s something that doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a generational thing. But we are certainly committed to the long-term.”
