Hipitoitoi

Explore the resource collection, Te Ao Kori

This activity resource from "Tākaro ā-ringa - Hand games", is part of the resource collection Te Ao Kori.

Tākaro ā-ringa - Hand games collection
Background information
Te Ao Kori collection
Tātaiako cultural competencies for teachers of Māori learners

Intended outcomes 

Ākonga can: 

• play hipitoitoi and identify what made the experience enjoyable  
• express their own feelings effectively and listen to those of other people while working with others on tākaro a-ringa. 

Suggested approach 

This game is played with the thumbs held in four different positions while the fists are clenched and the hands are close together in front of the body. 

Positions 

• both thumbs down 
• both thumbs upright 
• right thumb upright and left thumb down 
• left thumb upright and right thumb down

Rules 

• The defender always begins the game by calling "E hipitoitoi!" while placing their hands in one of the four positions discussed above. 
• The challenger replies with "Hipitoitoi" and does a different action to the defender. 
• This will go on until one player is caught doing the same action as the other player, then the latter scores a point, calling "Hipitoitoi rā!" 
• The winner of the point then restarts the set, and they play again. 
• Each time a player scores a point, they restart the set by saying the number of points they now have followed by "E hipitoitoi!". For example, "Tahi. E hipitoitoi!", "Rua. E hipitoitoi!" 
• The game continues until one player scores ten points, which completes the set.