‘Kei ngā rangatira o te āpōpō, nau mai ki te papa tū waewae. He ahurei ā tau whakanui ai i te whai oranga o te iwi Māori o Tāmaki Makaurau.’

To the leaders of tomorrow, welcome to your place. To our celebration of wellbeing for Māori.

The spirit of tākaro, connection, and whakapapa was alive and thriving at Iwi of Origin 2025, the annual Tāmaki Makaurau inter-iwi festival that celebrates hauora Māori through movement and manaakitanga. Whether hailing from within Tāmaki or returning home from afar, whānau Māori gathered once again to honour identity, rekindle iwi ties, and share in the joy of tākaro by Māori as Māori, with Māori, for Māori.

As a proud partner of this kaupapa, Toi Tangata brought the wairua of taonga tākaro to life, hosting an interactive tent across both the Rangatahi and Whānau days. The space buzzed with laughter and energy as tamariki, rangatahi and pakeke alike immersed themselves in traditional Māori games such as Pātiki, Hopu Ariki, Mahi Whai, and Piunga Rākau. Each game carried the heartbeat of mātauranga tuku iho, teaching balance, agility, and teamwork while reconnecting kaitākaro to ancestral knowledge and the playful wisdom of our tīpuna.

Every throw, jump, and laugh reminded us that tākaro is not just play, it is whakapapa in motion. These games breathe life into our stories, strengthen the bonds between generations, and ground our people in the values of whanaungatanga and hauora.

Adding to the energy of the weekend, Toi Tangata also captured some behind-the-scenes magic, mic’ing up competitors as they went head-to-head in Ki o Rahi, hosted by the incredible crew at Kī o Rahi Tāmaki Makaurau, and in Urutomo, led by the powerhouse team from Mātātoa – Time 2 Train. The resulting footage was full of harikoa and humour, offering a raw glimpse into the pride, competitiveness, and camaraderie that define the Iwi of Origin experience. From playful banter to fierce determination, these moments captured what makes this kaupapa so uniquely ours Māori pride, joy, and connection expressed through korikori..

Iwi of Origin continues to stand as a powerful celebration of whakapapa and wellbeing, creating an inclusive space where all Māori can participate through adaptive sports and accessible design. It is a living expression of our collective strength, where the essence of hauora Māori takes form through tākaro, ahurea, and kotahitanga.

For Toi Tangata, being part of Iwi of Origin is about more than participation, it’s about embodiment. It’s about standing proudly in our purpose: Tangata tū, tangata ora. When our people stand, move, and connect through tākaro, our wellbeing flourishes.

He mihi nunui ki te rōpū o AKTIVE me Iwi of Origin me ngā kaitautoko katoa who continue to bring this kaupapa to life, and to every whānau member who joined us in the Taonga Tākaro tent, mihi kau ana! You reminded us that the wairua of play lives in all of us, and that when we move together, we thrive together.

Kia hoki anō te wairua o te tākaro ki ngā marae, ki ngā hapori, ki ngā whānau o te motu.