Bonus Activity: #EarnTheFern
After the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, New Zealand became a British colony. Many other countries in the world are also British colonies including Canada, South Africa, Australia, India and Malaysia. As a group they were, and still are, called the ‘Commonwealth’ countries. Years ago, a man named Melville Marks Robinson was asked to organize a sporting competition for people living in the Commonwealth countries. It is called the Commonwealth Games. The first ever event took place in Hamilton, Canada in 1930.
Athletes from New Zealand have competed in the Commonwealth Games for years. In the most recent Commonwealth Games event in Glasgow, Scotland New Zealand athletes won a total of 45 medals. The next Commonwealth Games will be held in 2018 in the Gold Coast, Australia. Hundreds of athletes are competing for the chance to represent NZ at the games (to 'Earn the Fern').
One of New Zealand’s gold-medal-winning Commonwealth athletes was a man named Bill Kini. Bill won a gold medal at the 1966 Commonwealth Games for being the best heavyweight boxer. He was a man of many talents! He played rugby in Ōtāhuhu in the 1960s and later moved to Whangarei.
Imagine that you could interview Bill. What would you ask him about his time at the 1966 Commonwealth Games. What would you want to know? I’d like to know how he had time to train for two sports at once.
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Bonus points: 8
