No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. - Aesop
Ki o Rahi is played between a defending 'taniwha' team and an attacking 'kīoma' team.
Ki o Rahi is played on a circular field.
Played for 4 quarters or 2 halves of a set time, teams alternate roles of Kīoma and Taniwha at half or quarter time.
Equipment:
Tupu (central target) - drum
Kī - ball
Pou (poles)
Cones for circles
Rippa Tags
kīoma - attacking team
taniwha - defending team
Te Ao Zone - Taniwha & Kīoma zone
Te Roto Zone - Taniwha zone (this zone can only be used by Kīoma when running through to convert Pou touches into points)
Pawero Zone - Kīoma zone
Te Ara - used to get in and out of the Pawero zones to help attack or defend the Tupu.
Kioma
Kioma are allowed in te ao at all times. Only 3 kioma are allowed in pawero, but only 2 may defend the tupu, the 3rd person must remain on the outer circle.
Te ara is only used to move between te ao and pawero zones, can gather and pass but must not run the ki in te ara.
Te marama is used to start play periods and after kioma scores.
Kioma can only run through te roto while attempting to score after pou touches.
Taniwha
Taniwha are allowed in te roto and te ao at all times.
Taniwha may get the ki from pawero only if both their feet are in te roto (turangawae rule).
Cannot run jump or fly over te ara.
Kīoma score by touching Pou/s with the Kī (for potential points) then running the Kī through Te Roto and placing it down in Pawero to convert pou touches into points. Kīoma stop the other team, Taniwha.
Taniwha score by hitting the Tupu with the Kī. Kīoma will have Kaitiaki (guardians) around the Tupu to stop Taniwha from hitting the Tupu.
Depending on which variation is being played, Taniwha must stop Kīoma from scoring by either touching, 2 handed touch, ripping the tag or tackling them in the appropriate area.
Play is started from te Marama, with Kioma throw or kick the ki to a team mate in Pawero area.
Kioma (attacking team) can not go through or over te ara to score.
If a kioma (attacking team) player is “tagged” in te roto while trying to score it is a hand over, if they run into te roto and run or pass the ki back out with out being touch they retain possession but the pou touches are recounted.
Kioma (attacking team) scores and play restarts with a kick off from te marama.
Out of bounds, last team in possession hand over to other team.
Taniwha (defending team) scores by hitting the tupu with the ki and play carries on.
Players in possession must be moving or they have 3-5 seconds to pass or shot or hand it over.
Players can not enter te ara, unless they are kioma (attacking team) moving between pawero and te ao.
Players may get the ki from other zones as long as part of their body stays in their legal zone.