Inoi Poi Tukua Kia Rere

Pere Wihongi led the charge calling ‘poi ka rere’ (flying poi) and ‘poi pakipaki’ (slapping (noise) poi) urging the crowd to show their support of our team through the twirling of the poi. A critical mass of twirling poi in the crowds was a rally for support for wāhine everywhere and, in this instance, on the rugby field. But it was also a metaphor for support in all avenues of life; women’s empowerment visibly and volubly enacted, lifting the occasion to new heights. New calls were heard. ‘Poi kia mau’! Be ready! ‘Poi kia rere’! Be prepared to let the poi fly!

This month, we are witnessing the beginning of our first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament and the cry has gone up again, ‘Poi tukua’, present your poi at the ready!

Great composers Erenora Taratoa, Ngoingoi Pēwhairangi and Rev Kingi Ihaka weaved metaphor into song and brought us iconic poi songs "Poia Atu Taku Poi", “Poi e” and "Tau Ake Au I Taku Tau". The latter, a poi chant drew us in karakia on the journey of the Anglican faith throughout the land and aptly ‘the poi lands where it lands’.

‘Poi Tukua’ is a rallying cry from Sir Timoti Karetu “to send poi beyond Te Ao Māori (the Māori World). Poi Tukua encourages people from all walks of life to engage in Te Ao Māori during the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023TM.”Poi Tukua is set “to be an international symbol of empowerment for wāhine and is a way of showing our support for athletes”. Poi Tukua, the waiata has been written by Makayla Purcell-Mainini, in collaboration with Dame Hinewehi Mohi and Sir Tīmoti Kāretu, and produced by Ji Fraser and Dan Martin. Poi Tukua is all about celebrating wāhine at the tournament, and beyond, through poi and waiata poi.

We have the world stage, our women athletes have already surpassed expectations in their first game, let us all get behind them, “poi ka rere, poi pakipaki, poi tukua, ā karawhuia!” Let us take Te Ao Māori to the world!

The Poi Tukua movement encourages us to value, enjoy and respect our hard-working women athletes. It symbolises what women can do and encourages women everywhere to be unafraid of the challenges we face, and to face them with all the supports at our disposal. In Aotearoa, we can use the knowledges of the Māori world to supplement what we already have.

Should you be attending a match in the FIFA competition, kaua e wareware ki tō poi – don’t forget your poi and be ready to ‘karawhiua!’ and give poi a go!

As we approach our first Hui on Liturgy, our Aotearoa context and the corpus of indigenous knowledge is very important. Poi Tukua is one such movement that we need to embrace, as a symbol of value to all New Zealanders shared with the world.

Inoi Poi Tukua Kia Rere

E Te Ariki Pai

Tiakina mai tēnei taonga Poi Tukua kia rere!.

Whakahouhia ō mātou ngākau

Kia kitea te ātaahua o ngā mahi e ō mātou tūpuna.

Nā ā rātou tauira, ā rātou tohutohu,

Mā mātou e whai tikanga hōu, e whai tikanga oranga tangata.

Ko te karanga ‘Poi tukua’

Hei oranga wāhine,

Hei oranga whānau,

Hei oranga mō ngā whakatupuranga ōnaianei, ā tōna wā hoki.

Mauri Ora!