Maori participation in sport and leisure

In the twenty-first century, erosion of traditional physical activities and the revival of some of these by often have limited resources and little recognition from sporting bodies.
Reasons are because of "Pakeha control of things Maori have had their bodies controlled in sport contexts by Pakeha administrators" , and their need to participate in traditional forms of sport is not available to present day Maori, as it is not seen as sport.
Therefore the Hillary Commission established the Sport, Fitness and Leisure Act in 1987, which requires them to have regard for promoting indigenous and ethnic forms of sport, fitness and leisure, which in turn is to encourage Maori to play sport at all levels.
Maori have tended to stay within local, regional, and national levels. Low self-esteem, poor Maori image and lack of Whanau (family) support are seen as some of the cyclical disadvantages faced by Maori .
Maori and Pacific people are competing successfully in national and international levels. Player participation made up 19 of 28 players in the Rugby World Cup team, 17 of the 23 players in the Women’s World champion rugby team, and 22 out of the 27 Warriors, and the entire kiwi rugby league team which beat Australia were all of Maori or pacific island decent.
Women’s basketball and Rugby has done a lot to promote the sporting image of Maori, but rugby has done the most to enhance this image.
Maori sportspeople are seen to exhibit natural skills such as speed, strength, stamina and aggression to excel not only in rugby but all throughout team and solo sports.
Within the major professional sports, New Zealand is increasingly represented on the world stage by brown faces. The Maori and Pacific population numbers are increasing, but not at the same level as the top level sports.
Sparc Research
Participation rates
In the Report administered by the nationwide sport and physical activity survey commissioned by the Hillary Commission stated that in 1997/98 participation rates in sport and leisure were equally high for both Maori and non-maori adults. 88% of maori were likely to participate in activities then non-maori 82%.
Maori after the erosion of their traditional sports and games have adapted to these Pakeha sports with varying levels of involvement. "Maori preference for interdependent team and body contact sports, rather then the more independent or individual sports"
In a Hillary Commission survey completed in 1992 also showed that they were most interested in taking part in team activities, since they enjoy belonging to a kinship group or competing physically with other Maori.
Enjoyment is also seen as the main reason for taking part in physical activity, then fitness, excitement, relaxation, and to learn new skills. There are the top five reasons for taking part in physical activity.
For participants the two most significant motivating factors are a desire to maintain a physical element in their lifestyle, and as Maori to be involved with whanau and hapu in activities organized by Maori were found within a recent report filed by Te Puni Kokiri
Changing attitudes towards non active Maori was the programmes project commissioned by Te Puni Kokiri for their physical leisure to demonstrate that people can be motivated to attend and participate in organized physical activity activities.
The Life in New Zealand Survey (LINZ) Maori compared to all New Zealander’s (48%) significantly more Maori 63% participate in physical activity.
Research conducted among homes in the Waikato found that from the total sample of 400 approximately 12% were not involved in any physical activity, 86% were participants, 12.5% were coaches, 8.5% were involved in administration and 4% were supporters.
The future of Maori participants, over half of the Maori respondents stated that they would like to be more active in the future.
64% of women and 51% of Maori men desire to be more active, although this decreases with age.
The programme from Te Puni Kokiri suggested that the desire of sedentary people’s physical leisure can be strengthened when they are linked with their whanau and hapu (subtribe).
The programmes have provided ideas inspiration and skills for further programme development within a strong maori context and organizational framework.
Solo competitors like Ruia Morrison (1950’s) tennis and more recently Michael Campbell and Michael Tataurangi have become for Maori role models, inspiring young players to succeed in their sports so this helps with the motivation for involvement.
Barriers to Physical Activity
There are many reasons given for discontinuing participation in leisure activities which are no time, home or work commitments, starting another activity and no company, Maori women also identified factors such as cost, transport and lack of energy.
In the Tainui Survey 74% of respondents felt that Maori face barriers to participation in physical activity, and these were sought to be cost, and shyness.
Most people involved socially are found to be not involved through a organized club. This is perhaps and indicator of the costs of an institution, however there are still a lot of people involved through clubs.
Future of Maori involvement
Maori participation could be encouraged as there is more support of sports development, and sponsorship to facilitate a reduction of any costs barriers.
Maori participation in home related, job related and recreational physical activity is greater.
The "browning factor has done wonders for New Zealand" to the point of branding Aotearoa as a pacific nation.
To foster this, Te Puni Kokiri project has a variety of programmes that work in within Maori communities that will and has attracted greater participation, rather just one single programme.

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