Hawks Fly For Matariki

Friday, 11 June 2010, 9:50 am
Press Release: Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc

MEDIA RELEASE - 10 June 2010

‘Kahungunu Celebrates Matariki’

Hawks Fly For Matariki

The Maori song made famous by the Patea Maori Club in the 1980s is likely to feature as part of the Matariki flavour being injected into tonight’s National Basketball League match in Napier.

Poi E has been in the New Zealand top 10 charts for nine weeks, made famous again by the movie, Boy. It will be played tonight at the Pettigrew Green Arena when the Bay Hawks take on the Taranaki Mountainairs as part of Matariki celebrations which begin this weekend.

The Hawks is the only NBL team to mark Matariki and it will be the fourth year the club has celebrated the occasion also known as the Maori New Year.

There will be over 200 Ngati Kahungunu Iwi members at tonight’s game, from around the nine marae in the Napier district.

There will be performances by Dance Express at the beginning and during the Matariki themed evening.

Ngati Kahungunu Iwi promotions manager Te Rangi Huata said the Bay Hawks had been supportive of Matariki and it was timely to celebrate the success of the Kahungunu basketball players in all teams around the league.

“We also want to recognise the young up and coming players in all of the age groups, really we just want to put the Matariki spotlight on the basketball fraternity, shine the light on 11th June game,” he said.

A Matariki concert is also being held in Pahiatua at the Bush Multisorts Complex, which will culminate in a fireworks display on the 11th June evening.
ends

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