Kolhii, once known as Koli, was the most popular sport on Mata Nui. It was created by Turaga Onewa during a dispute between the carvers of Po-Koro and the miners of Onu-Koro. In this game, two or more teams competed to get a kolhii ball into an opponent's goal. Variants of the game included a match where the ball could only be kicked. The most popular version involved using kolhii staffs to hurl the ball. Defending players used kolhii shields to deflect shots away from their goals. Po-Matoran were traditionally champions of the sport, to the point that Pohatu was considered to be the patron Toa of kolhii. Before the coming of the Toa to Mata Nui, most matches were intramural to the koro, due the dangers of traveling to other villages. With the defeat of Makuta's Rahi, travel became much easier, and inter-koro games were played once again. Kolhii became a centerpiece of Matoran life and matches an occasion of great celebration. Variants of the sport included an Onu-Koro version played on Ussal crabs and an aerial version played by Le-Matoran flying on Gukko birds.1
Notes
Hewkii was the all-time top scorer at the sport of kolhii.2
On Mata Nui, although the Matoran loved many sports, kolhii was by far the most popular. It was played all over Mata Nui. Kolhii was played between two and six teams at a time. It made use of kolhii balls (lightweight airstone bound in steel) and kolhii staffs (long staffs with a mallet-like hammer on one end and a scooped hurler at the other). Players scored goals by getting the kolhii ball into an opponent's net. The first team to reach the agreed-upon number of goals (usually three to five) won.3
Kolhii was the most popular sport on Mata Nui.4
At the beginning of a game with two players per team, each goalkeeper took up position in front of his or her team's goal, while the offensive players took up position in the center of the field. Just before the game began, the offensive players wished each other "play well" and huddled around a circle in the center of the field. The kolhii balls were launched from the circle. The hammer end of the kolhii stick could be used to dribble the ball.4
Rules5
- Teams must number more than one but no more than six.
- Teams may include any number of players greater than one, but no team may have more players than any other.
- Prior to the game, all teams must agree to the number of goals required for victory.
- The first team to reach the number of goals agreed to is the winner.
- All goals are good goals (counting for a score) as long as they are not own goals (goals scored by a player in his own net). Own goals are not goals.
- Each player is allowed one defender who carries a kolhii shield. No other player may use that shield, except when rule #11 is invoked.
- All players may carry one kolhii staff, and one only.
- Any number of kolhii balls may be played, but balls in play must number less than either the number of teams or the number of players per team, whichever number is the smallest.
- Any player who strikes another player did not play well. Shield and staff strikes occurring during play and deemed innocent in intent are not considered a violation of this rule.
- Any player who does not play well brings dishonor to his or her koro.
- In the event of an invasion of the playing field by Rahi or other forces, play is postponed until the problem is dealt with.