Related video at - http://tvnz.co.nz/view/news_national_story_skin/463911?format=html
A 2-minute New Zealand news item on a group of three women who completed a 15-hour grading in Te Mau Taiaha, a Maori stick fighting art. Noteworthy because this art has traditionally only been taught to men.
"Art of Taiaha popular among women
A serious case of girl power is sweeping through a male dominated bastion of Maoridom and it is being welcomed by most as a positive move.
This weekend three Maori women endured hours of gruelling tests to join the elite ranks of the Maori weaponry art - Mau Taiaha.
The art is not for the faint hearted and it took the candidates years of training culminating in 15 hours worth of grading trials.
As more women take up the art questions have been raised about their role and whether they should perform formal challenges - as was done at the Maori Party hui in Auckland in November.
Taiaha master Paora Sharples doesn’t see any reason why women should not be given that opportunity.
“The main thing is that when you do these things you are familiar, and knowledgeable in its use,” Sharples says.
He also believes it should be open to any racial group.
The Taiaha’s popularity among women has also been fuelled by the movie Whale Rider and its female star, Keisha Castle-Hughes."
See the video for all of the action…