MĀTAURANGA MĀORI AT THE OLYMPIC AND COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Mātauranga Māori has become commonplace in international sport events involving New Zealand athletes and teams to create a national identity. The heart of this article examines the journey and implementation of mātauranga Māori into the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth games teams at Athens 2004, Torino 2006, Vancouver 2010 and Delhi 2010. The experiences of one cultural advisor (referred to here as CA), who is also an ex-Olympian, are presented through an analysis that considers the principles of rangatiratanga and ōritetanga as advocated in Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Utilising a combination of Kaupapa Māori theory and narrative inquiry, a critique is provided of the challenges faced by CA. Although CA’s perspectives indicate that the integration of mātauranga Māori has been problematic and mistreated, there exists the potential for positive practice to be enhanced and realised within the Olympic and Commonwealth games environs.