2025 NZ Secondary School Kī o Rahi National Manarahi Wrap Up

Champions

The NZ Seconday School Kī o Rahi National Manarahi Tournament has been won by Te Kura Matua o Wainuiomata.

It is an awesome story of a Kura who took an opportunity to play at the 2021 National Tournament in Waitangi, and seeing the level they were able to put in work to get to where they are today.

The top of kī o rahi in the country - not only are they the Senior National Kī o Rahi Champs but they are the current Junior National Kī o Rahi Champs, a feat no other Kura has achieved at the same time.

Congratulations to the team and to Mātauranga, Carolyn and the crew. No other Kura travels the country like you have done since 2021, I've also not seen anyone do modules the way you do and all the other mahi with your rohe and now with the motu.

I mean check out their school grounds from Google maps, this tells you how hard they work and how much Wainuiomata love Kī o Rahi.

You are the best in the world at Kī o Rahi and only the 8th Kura to be Senior National Champions since 2010 - joining UAWA, Gisborne Boys and Girls, Rakaumanga, Ritana, Hamilton Boys & Girls, Ngā Tapuwae and Westlake as champions.

You’re the first team from Wellington to do so and you won’t be the last because of the work your rohe puts in.

Whakanuia!

The finals

Congratulations must go to Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Waiū o Ngāti Porou too, not since the days of UAWA - Tologa Bay Area School has a Kura from the coast been in the final of the National Secondary School Kī o Rahi Tournament.

First time making this final and to go down to a strong Wainuiomata team by a few points speaks volumes of the mahi being done by Whaea Marama and the team.

Congratulations to Te Waiū.

Taking a look at the top 8 placings gives us a good insight into the current state of Kī o Rahi in Aotearoa.

Gisborne/Tairāwhiti are no doubt our strongest rohe at this current time - with Te Waiū finishing 2nd, last year’s runner up and champs Manutūkē and Tūranga Wahine Tūranga Tāne in 3rd and 4th respectively, but also the emergence of TKKM o Hawaiki Hou in the 8.

Wainuiomata, Te Kuiti and Te Koutu are also our top schools being consistent in making Top 8 for a few years now.

Ruataniwha made the leap into the Top 8 this year which was awesome to see and just like Wainuiomata it shows that when you put in the work you can make huge strides.

Enjoyed the tournament, shoutout to the hosts, the organizers and the kaiwawao for all their mahi, to all the coaches and managers for their commitment!