On-duty police Constable Vincent Kahui made waves over the weekend after spontaneously deciding to participate in Z Manu World Championships.
Kahui was on a routine patrol at Sunday’s qualifiers before deciding to get amongst it after much encouragement from the crowd.
Images show the liaison officer in full police attire as he jumps off the platform causing quite the sizeable manu splash.
Constable Kahui said he did it as it gave him an opportunity to make a positive impact.
“For me personally, it was a chance to have a positive impact. It also showed the human element of policing”
“I hope that by me doing it it shows our whānau and rangatahi that sometimes we just have to ‘patua te whakamā’ and overcome our fears.
“I may not have the best manu, but it gives me the ability to improve. It’s an activity anyone can do and promotes confidence,” Kahui added.
Kahui said he hoped his participation in the event would help encourage other Maori to join the police.
“In all, proud to be Māori and super proud to be a Māori cop,” Kahui said. “I’m sure I came top in the police category” of the competition,” he joked.
If you are unsure with “the manu” and it’s corresponding terminology, essentially a “manu” is a type of water bomb where your body needs to form a V-shape so the booty and lower back hit the water first, before the arms and legs are immediately extended back out to create a massive splash.
The Z Manu World Champs had qualifiers all around the country and the Auckland event was the last stop before next Saturday’s Grand Final.
The finale will feature a specialist judging panel, “ManuTech”, measuring splash, height, and an underwater microphone capturing the pop.
Photo Credit: NZ Herald
