K.O. for Kaumātua

Hundreds of enthusiastic spectators cheered on the competitors as corporate boxers were prepared to get knocked out for kaumātua at Hamilton’s Cosmopolitan Club on Aug 27.

Fight for Kaumātua was a charity event organised by Hamilton-based Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable Trust to raise funds for their home base and hub for community initiatives for kaumātua, Te Puna o Te Ora.

Princess Te Puea Herangi was one of the founders of the 80-year-old complex in 1938 but Te Puna o Te Ora now needs an upgrade to be fit for use by kaumātua (elders 55 years and over).

“This whole event was about raising funds for our kaumātua, to build a new building for them,”  Mana Tangata Boxing (MTB) Kirikiriroa club owner Dean Northover said.

“The building that they’ve got needs major work and for the sort of funding to [do it] you can’t just fill out a grant form these days. That’s gone.

“So we’ve got to find ways ourselves of creating the funding.”

And the take-up was a success, with a schedule of 13 bouts of three two minute rounds, six male and a scale-tipping 20 female contenders.

“It’s a beautiful kaupapa [cause].  It was quite easy to get the fighters because of the kaupapa and because everything was going back to our kaumātua.”

A sanctioned event, Fight for Kaumātua had all the necessary officials, great music, a crowd-energising MC and a venue packed with hundreds of roudy revellers.

Most of the corporate boxers were new to the ring but from the first to the last bout all the fighers came out ready to brawl.

A show-stopper  was seventh match-up between MTB male heavyweights Keri Winitana and Levi “The Force” Awheto.

Awheto towered above Winitana and true to his name landed a forceful blow a brief one minute and 45 seconds into the first round.

Awheto said of the knockout: “I did not know that I landed that hit.”

And his winning remarks acknowledged his opponent, the other fighters and the crowd for supporting the kaupapa.

The win-lose dynamics blurred the lines for MTB owner and trainer Northover.

“Because I helped train a few of the people. They can only lose or win once. The trainer can lose as many times in the night. So my job as the trainer I’m nervous as. I’m out the back walking round in circles making sure everyone’s sweet.

“And I was impressed tonight.

“No major injuries. The nature of the sport, yes you can get knocked out but if we’ve done our job right they should be fine.”

Three koroua (older men) associated with Rauawaawa  were in attendance:  committee vice chairman Jim Tainui, Russell Wilson, and Clark Takiari.

“We had half a dozen [fighters] come to visit us yesterday at Rauawaawa and that was nice. We did a few kapa haka songs and they enjoyed it too so it was lovely,” Tainui said.

Takiari did not know any of the “young” boxers but commended their efforts.

“What they’re doing for us is just great.”

“When [Te Puna o Te Ora] is upgraded it’s going to be awesome. We’re looking forward to it,” he said.

He enjoys attending Rauawaawa’s Friday Kotahitanga programme where kaumātua come together to socialise and sing songs but acknowledges that more is needed.

“We need a bigger space because we’re getting more coming into our programmes.

“There’s too many of our kaumātua that are at home doing nothing.”

And like the many family and friends who attended the Fight for Kaumātua charity event kaumātua enjoy the same simple pleasures.

Takiari said at Rauawaawa they get to “meet friends”.

For more information visit Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable Trust.

See related story.