A delegation of 30 athletes will participate in the 10th edition of Te Moana Nui Traditional Games i Vaihi in Hawaii on November 11. Most members belong to the Te Haa Nui association, and the athletes are predominantly from Tahiti. “Unfortunately, we would have liked to include athletes from the islands as well, but we must admit that our budget is limited and Hawaii isn’t within reach for everyone.” laments Enoch Laughlin, president of the Te Moana Nui Ancestral Heritage international federation.
The Tahitians could shine in stone lifting and in the fruit-carrier races. In coconut climbing, however, the competition is expected to be stiff. “We also have female representation from New Zealanders and Hawaiians in coconut climbing. Here, we’re trying to broaden the pool of coconut climbers, because locally we’re somewhat limited. We have about ten coconut climbers. It’s a difficult, demanding discipline that requires training, a lot of agility and concentration.”
Hawaii, New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Rapa Nui, and also Samoa and Micronesia will be represented at this event. “The level is rising, notably with the presence of stone carriers from New Zealand, where they perform very well. They train a lot,” emphasizes Enoch. “And we saw during the last Heiva i Tahiti the performances, notably Hawaiians in fruit-carrier races, stone lifting among the New Zealand athletes, and the Cook Islands in coconut climbing. Little by little, Pacific nations are really starting to train seriously.”
Other international encounters are planned. “Besides the four major events that will be scheduled next year, notably Heiva i Miami, our Heiva here which appears on the international calendar. We also have the Te Moana Nui Games in Hawaii and we will also have Te Moana Nui in the Cook Islands. So there will be a choice to make as well, because organizing four international meetings is always financially challenging. So we are discussion,”
The Tu’aro Maohi are gaining popularity in the region. “We are following a path similar to va’a,” says Enoch. “Twenty to thirty years ago, va’a began a little like us.”
Traditional sports could well be integrated into the 2028 Festival of the Arts in Nouméa. Discussions are also underway with the organizing committee of the 2032 Olympic Games in Australia. “The organizing committee wishes to showcase Pacific sports, and in particular our traditional sports.”
