Awa Games 2024

Awa Games 2024 Information Booklet

On November 30th and December 1st 2024, we hosted the inaugural Awa Games. While our iwi has previously organized various tournaments, such as Iwi Touch, Basketball, and Waka Ama, this was the first multi-sport event held at our Marae.

The event was a great success, with around 700 whānau members coming together over the two days to either compete or support their Marae teams. Held at Springvale Park, we chose a single location so our whānau could easily move between the two stadiums and fields. Participants ranged in age from 4 to 85 years old.

There were plenty of laughs and meaningful moments, particularly during the Euchre and Indoor Bowls games for our kaumātua. Many of our older whānau members also took part in Softball, Basketball, Ki-o-Rahi, and Volleyball. The core purpose of the event was whakawhanaungatanga—strengthening our Marae whānau connections, from the mountain to the sea.  The games offered a chance for whānau to reunite, some even travelling back to the river to compete for their Marae for the first time. For some, it was an opportunity to try a new sport, sparking excitement, and for others it meant dusting off the cobwebs to get back on the court of field.

A special thanks to our Ngāti Rangi whānau at Ngā Waihua o Paerangi Trust for sharing the documents and formats for the Kahui Maunga games. These were invaluable in helping us organise the event. The Whanganui Awa Games will become a bi-annual tradition, scheduled to take place every other year, alternating with the Kahui Maunga games. The first weekend in December will be dedicated to this event, with the next edition set for December 5th and 6th, 2026.

All the post feedback suggests our Marae will be back bigger and brighter, hopefully gathering more of our marae each year its held.

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of the event—the coordinators and volunteers, the organizations and agencies that supported us with their skills and resources, and the stallholders. There are too many to name, but we look forward to working alongside you all again in 2026.