Te Hokowhitu a Tu awarded for the first time

Congratulations to Charlie Mailing, 1st XV captain and our first ever recipient of this prestigious 1st XV award.

As a part of our team culture and player development program in 2023 it is an honour to present this award for the first time.

This treasure (Tāonga) has been named Te Hokowhitu a Tu. Te Hokowhitu a Tu translates to warriors of the war god, and is the motto of the 28th Battalion, more commonly known as the Māori Battalion. The Māori Battalion is an infantry battalion of the New Zealand Army that served during the Second World War.

The 28th (Māori) Battalion established a formidable reputation as one of New Zealand's finest fighting forces. Other NZ battalions have been heard to say they would rather fight the Germans than the 28th Battalion!

This Tāonga represents Leadership, Strength, Protector, Authority and Mana…. all the hallmarks of a true Warrior! It is a special privilege to earn this award, however, there also comes a responsibility to look after it. The Tāonga is said to increase in Mana as it is passed on through generations, so this is something that we want to future proof for generations going forward.

The recipient is receiving this Tāonga not only for his actions on the field but also his leadership and Mana around the team, our college, and our community.

The recipient is charged with keeping it safe and ensuring that it is returned to our school’s Principal Mr Cooper, at our Friday assembly in readiness for another deserving warrior.