Tu’aro Ma’ohi: Increasingly formidable stone-raising alien opponents

Traditional sports are an integral part of Polynesian culture. But the next generation is long overdue, especially in stone-raising. If the ultra-heavyweight category is still dominated by Tahiti, then in other categories athletes from abroad are beginning to seriously show their noses, such as the Hawaiians and New Zealanders, who are preparing all year round to confront each other.for the Polynesians.

And competitors from the Long White Cloud State proved that on Friday at the Isles Museum Gardens. Alia Edward’s first victory by lifting an 80 kg stone in 1’99 seconds.

Another of the athletes wins the event with a stone weighing 120 kilograms. Montel Tivoli beat the other nine Tahitians in the same class over the clock. “againstIt was fun, it was a great competition. We came for the first time last year and got third place. So it’s great to be in first place, we’ve been training all year and it’s finally paying offMaori says in English.

Another great performance is the Hawaiian Vance L with an 80lb stone. He passed Tahiti champions Charlie Fatois and Walter Teorua for second and third, respectively.

Among the Tahitians, Vaihau Bottari created a surprise. He beat Aito Mupiti Tutavai Tautomaobiha (1’53sec) and Tuerai Arihao (1’86sec) with an 80kg stone and 1’44sec on the clock.

Tainoy Lenoir remains untouchable in his class (120kg), ahead of New Zealander Nerihana Tari (2’42s) and Nanaya Butoro (2’80s).

Among the local athletes we also find Teriwa, originally from Rimatara. The Cadet of the group participates for the second time at the age of only 17 years. Therefore the adolescent is an exception because in the heavy category, youth are less present.

Iconic aito such as Eriatara Ratia and Tetuarii Teapehu are evidently present.

After 20 years on the field, they have sparked a shortage of Tahitian rivals, especially with the stones weighing between 140 and 160 kilos.

Come ! There is Internet now: you can contact all those who practice tu’aro ma’ohi … We are really experts, we can train all of you. (…) Next year I will be forty years old, and I will call the next generation. My children are still young but they will come … To all our young Tahitians: everyone knows soccer, everyone knows volleyball. Come to our sport! You will see, it is something else and it will be better for us too… before the outside comes to teach us our culture!

Tetuarii Teapehu – A great athlete in the discipline

An appeal from the heart, launched by the Tawari, so that the culture can continue. And it opens the door to young people, because you will have to train to break records …