{"id":323372,"date":"2024-11-02T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-02T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/?p=323372"},"modified":"2024-11-02T15:19:07","modified_gmt":"2024-11-02T02:19:07","slug":"the-derby-has-a-name-and-theres-something-extra-to-play-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/news\/the-derby-has-a-name-and-theres-something-extra-to-play-for\/","title":{"rendered":"The derby has a name and there's something extra to play for"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Wellington Phoenix have been gifted two taonga by mana whenua ahead of today\u2019s inaugural Isuzu UTE A-League match with Auckland FC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rangatira Liz Mellish and Dame Naida Glavish, from Te \u0100ti Awa and Ng\u0101ti Wh\u0101tua respectively, have named the New Zealand derby Mai te Raki ki te Tonga, meaning \u2018From the North to the South\u2019 in te reo M\u0101ori.

The title honours the cities\u2019 vast geographical and cultural connections, which draws together players, fans and communities.

Te \u0100ti Awa have also gifted the Phoenix a treasured taonga for Mai te Raki ki te Tonga matches in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

They have crafted Ka Topa, meaning \u2018to soar\u2019 or \u2018to rise\u2019, which is a physical representation of the club\u2019s life force and spirit.

Made from r\u0101kau (wood), Ka Topa features a large pounamu at its core, a spiritual anchor that embodies and sustains the Phoenix\u2019s values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
WPX general manager David Dome was presented with Ka Topa after a blessing ceremony at Pito-one foreshore. Photo: Priyanka Rao\/Wellington Phoenix.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The taonga also details the legend of the taniwha Ngake and Wh\u0101taitai, and includes the tohu design created by Charmaine Love and Te Raukura (the plume of white feathers), which is an important\u00a0 symbol to those who affiliate to Te \u0100ti Awa.

The overall silhouette of Ka Topa is Taranaki maunga, which is hugely important to mana whenua and considered tapu.

Ka Topa was blessed by Te \u0100ti Awa on Pito-one foreshore this morning before being presented to the Wellington Phoenix, who are now its guardians.

The taonga will be on display at Sky Stadium this evening and will be presented to the winner or the current holder (in the case of a draw) of Mai te Raki ki te Tonga matches in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, but the taonga will always remain in Wellington.

A small replica will be crafted in the future on the off chance Auckland FC are able to soar above the Wellington Phoenix.

Main image: <\/em><\/strong>Priyanka Rao\/Wellington Phoenix.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":254,"featured_media":323376,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[329,330,332,356,343],"tags":[],"competition":[],"acf":{"match_card_embed_league":null,"match_card_embed_club":null,"match_card_embed_match":false,"match_card_embed_disable":false,"auto_publish_updates":true,"reference_article":null,"article_featured_video":"","article_featured_video_tagline":"","article_byline":"","article_media_type":"news","article_video":"","gallery":"","shared_ffa_source":"keepup","shared_hide_in_app":false,"article_player":"","article_team":"","article_competition":"","article_match":"","credit":"","related_articles":"","push_to_social":false,"priority":1,"sport":false,"language":"en","private_content":false,"access_level":"","article_id":"","app_featured_image":null,"article_content_group":"news"},"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/news\/the-derby-has-a-name-and-theres-something-extra-to-play-for\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"The derby has a name and there’s something extra to play for","url":"http:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/news\/the-derby-has-a-name-and-theres-something-extra-to-play-for\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/news\/the-derby-has-a-name-and-theres-something-extra-to-play-for\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2024\/11\/DSC00117.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2024\/11\/DSC00117.jpg"},"articleSection":"Breaking News","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"brenton"}],"creator":["brenton"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Wellington Phoenix","logo":"https:\/\/wellingtonphoenix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2022\/04\/cropped-Wellington_Phoenix_FC_logo-2.png"},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2024-11-02T02:00:00Z","datePublished":"2024-11-02T02:00:00Z","dateModified":"2024-11-02T02:19:07Z"},"rendered":"