The Ōtautahi Sports Association has been serving as community hub for Māori and Pasifika whānau for up to four generations. Its members share a love for sports such as rugby, netball, softball but celebrating culture is also something they hold dearly.
Kaiden Jackson Brown, a young aspiring rugby player, says his whānau has been a part of the club long before hew came along.
“My Mum played softball, and she’s also the president of Rugby Ōtautahi, and my Dad played rugby and softball. And then my Koro, who is my mum’s dad, played rugby and softball as well. And then my oldest brother plays for the Mana senior team and my youngest brother plays rippa for the under 6′s.”
Eleven-year old Kaiden (Rongowhakaata) has been brought up in this Christchurch sports club and is a third generation rugby player for Ōtautahi Sports Association. He considers it as a second home, which is what drives him to pursue his aspirations.
“I do wanna be an All Black, and my favourite player is Rieko Ioane,” he says.
The club was established in 1969 in central Christchurch, and its current chairperson is a woman whose whānau have called home since it started.
Hauora and culture
But sports are not the only purpose of this club. Club Chairman Aromia Merito of Ngāti Awa says culture is another habit of the club they like to foster.
“Outside of mainstream sports that we’re involved with, other cultural activites and community kaupapa that we’re involved with, we have a hauora programme that we run, that includes mahi toi, māori arts and crafts, and we do waiata practice with our whānau and wider community,” she says.
Division two rugby coach Corey Te Rupe says he grew up around Ōtautahi Sports, as his father was an early member of the club.
“I’m a second generation here in Ōtautahi. My Father was one of the early members in the club. He brought us in. Fom five-years old we were running around getting amongst it with everybody here, and grew up with a lot of the people that are still involved with the club today,” he says.
“Our kaupapa is heavily fostered on whanaungatanga and manaakitanga and what that means for our whānau who have come from the North Island,” Aromia says.
The Christchurch-based Rātā Foundation supports Ōtautahi Sports’ important kaupapa, and chief executive Leighton Evans says the club’s impact will be felt for generations to come.
Removing barriers
“Involvement in sport, active recreation, and cultural activities has many benefits for communities but we know some people face barriers that make participation more challenging,” Leighton says.
“Ōtautahi Sports is working to actively remove barriers, ensuring more people have access to sport and opportunities for cultural connection. The mahi they are doing today will have a lasting impact on the future of Christchurch communities.”
For Kaiden building relationships and bonds is the thing about the club that invigorates him
“Playing with my friends and my cousins, but also just having fun,” he says.