Kolhii

Kolhii was the principal athletic contest played by MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. on the island of Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years., conducted across six village teams and culminating in periodic championship tournaments. Descended from the earlier AkiliniAkiliniAkilini was the principal sport of Metru Nui, played with Kanoka disks on the arena floor of the Coliseum and serving as both civic spectacle and the means by which the worth of a freshly forged disk was tested before mask-making. contests of Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive., the sport reached its widest practice during the interval between the Bohrok-KalBohrok-KalSix elite Bohrok designed to free the imprisoned Bahrag, they nearly defeated the Toa Nuva before the Toa turned their own powers against them. crisis and the RahkshiRahkshiArmor suits powered by parasitic Kraata, Rahkshi were Teridax's most effective soldiers and among Bionicle's most visually iconic early enemies. assault that ended the post-MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate. peace. The final tournament played in the Ta-Koro Kolhii StadiumTa-Koro Kolhii StadiumThe largest Kolhii venue on Mata Nui, host to the championship match in which the Mask of Light first appeared before the public eye. was the occasion at which the AvohkiiAvohkiiThe Avohkii is the Mask of Light, a golden mask that granted its wearer the power of Light and the ability to spread understanding. It was worn by Toa Takanuva. was first revealed to a public audience of MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body..

Descent from AkiliniAkiliniAkilini was the principal sport of Metru Nui, played with Kanoka disks on the arena floor of the Coliseum and serving as both civic spectacle and the means by which the worth of a freshly forged disk was tested before mask-making.#

Kolhii's lineage on Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years. traced back to AkiliniAkiliniAkilini was the principal sport of Metru Nui, played with Kanoka disks on the arena floor of the Coliseum and serving as both civic spectacle and the means by which the worth of a freshly forged disk was tested before mask-making., the inter-MetruMetruIn the Matoran language a metru was a single district of Metru Nui; the city was divided into six such districts, one for each element, and the term covered both the place and the elemental community that lived in it. contest played in Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive. during the period before the Great CataclysmThe Great CataclysmThe day Makuta Teridax put the Great Spirit to sleep, the Great Spirit Robot fell from the sky, Metru Nui flooded, and Voya Nui tore loose from the Southern Continent.. AkiliniAkiliniAkilini was the principal sport of Metru Nui, played with Kanoka disks on the arena floor of the Coliseum and serving as both civic spectacle and the means by which the worth of a freshly forged disk was tested before mask-making. matches were staged on the floor of the ColiseumThe ColiseumCentral tower of Metru Nui, serving as government seat, sporting arena, and, during Teridax's masquerade, a prison for the city's Matoran population., where the playing surface could be reconfigured between matches and where Turaga DumeTuraga DumeThe Turaga of Metru Nui for sixteen thousand years, a former Toa of Fire who saved Lhikan's life and was abducted and impersonated by Teridax. presided over tournament play. The contest awarded the Copper Mask of VictoryCopper Mask of VictoryA powerless ceremonial Kanohi awarded to Matoran champions of Metru Nui's Akilini matches, typically forged in the shape of a Noble Huna or Komau. to its champion, and the field itself was capable of dramatic transformation under the city's control systems.

The Toa MetruToa Metru and Toa HordikaSix Matoran elevated by Lhikan to save their city, mutated by Visorak venom, and restored in time to deliver the population to safety. interrupted an AkiliniAkiliniAkilini was the principal sport of Metru Nui, played with Kanoka disks on the arena floor of the Coliseum and serving as both civic spectacle and the means by which the worth of a freshly forged disk was tested before mask-making. tournament when they presented the Great Disks before DumeTuraga DumeThe Turaga of Metru Nui for sixteen thousand years, a former Toa of Fire who saved Lhikan's life and was abducted and impersonated by Teridax. at the Coliseum, an episode that ended with the impostor MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate. discrediting them and forcing them onto the manipulated playing field as a public test of their newly recovered abilities. The field's wave configuration nearly drowned the team before they reached the far side.

When the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. were carried from the sealed city to Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years. and revived in reduced form by the Toa MetruToa Metru and Toa HordikaSix Matoran elevated by Lhikan to save their city, mutated by Visorak venom, and restored in time to deliver the population to safety., their memories of AkiliniAkiliniAkilini was the principal sport of Metru Nui, played with Kanoka disks on the arena floor of the Coliseum and serving as both civic spectacle and the means by which the worth of a freshly forged disk was tested before mask-making. were lost with the rest of their pre-island lives. The contest survived, however, in an altered form already taking shape in the new villages. The TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. brought several relics of MetruMetruIn the Matoran language a metru was a single district of Metru Nui; the city was divided into six such districts, one for each element, and the term covered both the place and the elemental community that lived in it.-Nui civic life with them, among them the Copper Mask of VictoryCopper Mask of VictoryA powerless ceremonial Kanohi awarded to Matoran champions of Metru Nui's Akilini matches, typically forged in the shape of a Noble Huna or Komau., which was repurposed as the trophy of the new sport.

A separate tradition recorded by the Po-MatoranPo-MatoranThe Stone-element Matoran of Po-Metru and Po-Koro, carvers and quarry workers, the most athletic of the Matoran types and the population behind the Kohlii and Akilini circuits. attributed the founding of an even older predecessor sport, Koli, to TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. WhenuaWhenuaToa Metru of Earth and later Turaga of Onu-Koro, formerly an Onu-Metru archivist whose career in the Archives shaped his role across the rescue of Metru Nui and the long residency on Mata Nui. and OnewaOnewaOnewa served as Toa Metru of Stone, led Po-Koro through the Dark Time, and constructed the Metru Nui statue honoring the fallen Toa Mahri Matoro.. Koli was used to settle disputes between Po-KoroPo-KoroPo-Koro was the Po-Matoran village in Po-Wahi, led by Turaga Onewa and guarded by Toa Pohatu, reached through a single statue-lined road called the Path of Prophecies. and Onu-KoroOnu-KoroOnu-Koro was the earth engineers' city, where underground isolation created one of Mata Nui's most self-sufficient settlements, until the Bohrok came. villagers in the early years on the surface, and its rough soccer-style play with a stone ball, the original Comet, supplied much of the structural template that Kolhii later refined.

The reinvention at Ga-KoroKoroThe Koros were the six elemental villages established by the Toa Metru on Mata Nui after the Great Rescue, each tied to one element and one Turaga.#

The modern form of Kolhii originated from a defensive improvisation during the BohrokBohrokHive-minded mechanical creatures designed to reshape worlds, the Bohrok represent a threat the Toa Mata never expected. invasion of Ga-KoroGa-KoroGa-Koro is a village on the island of Mata Nui, inhabited by the Ga-Matoran and associated with both Nokama and Gali. The settlement was formerly under the power of Teridax.. When a PahrakPahrakStone-aligned Bohrok swarm units that forced the Toa Mata to realize they couldn't win through isolated victories. launched a boulder toward MackuMackuMacku was a Ga-Matoran of Metru Nui and later Ga-Koro, attendant to Turaga Nokama, Kolhii partner to Hahli at the championship at Ta-Koro, and a member of the Chronicler's Company., HewkiiHewkiiHewkii rose from Po-Metru carver to Mata Nui's foremost kolhii player, then served as Toa Inika and Toa Mahri through the late wars of the universe., then known by his Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years. name Huki, grabbed the nearest tool to hand, a Ga-MatoranGa-MatoranThe Water-element Matoran of Ga-Metru and Ga-Koro, exclusively female, who taught the schools of Metru Nui and crewed the boats and bridges of the Mata Nui coast. fishing pole, and struck the boulder aside before it could reach her. The pole's combination of a scooped end for retrieving nets and a weighted hammer end for driving stakes proved capable of redirecting a heavy projectile in a single motion.

The Ga-MatoranGa-MatoranThe Water-element Matoran of Ga-Metru and Ga-Koro, exclusively female, who taught the schools of Metru Nui and crewed the boats and bridges of the Mata Nui coast. recognized the implications. Within weeks the design had been formalized into the Kolhii StickKolhii StickFrom Ga-Matoran fishing pole to hero's staff, the Kolhii stick was never meant for combat but excelled at sport., a dual-ended staff intended specifically for catching, carrying, and striking a stone or air-metal ball. Fields were laid out in each village, and play spread quickly across the island.

Po-KoroPo-KoroPo-Koro was the Po-Matoran village in Po-Wahi, led by Turaga Onewa and guarded by Toa Pohatu, reached through a single statue-lined road called the Path of Prophecies., which retained its older Koli tradition and produced the carved stone equipment, became the central supplier and the strongest competitive force. HewkiiHewkiiHewkii rose from Po-Metru carver to Mata Nui's foremost kolhii player, then served as Toa Inika and Toa Mahri through the late wars of the universe. himself rose to the position of leading player on the island, a reputation that carried into the later tournament and beyond it into his subsequent service as a ToaToa (2001)Biomechanical heroes bonded to elemental powers and masks. Not born, but chosen and transformed..

The six village teams#

By the end of the interval between major crises, each of the six villages fielded its own recognized two-player Kolhii team. The Po-KoroPo-KoroPo-Koro was the Po-Matoran village in Po-Wahi, led by Turaga Onewa and guarded by Toa Pohatu, reached through a single statue-lined road called the Path of Prophecies. team consisted of HewkiiHewkiiHewkii rose from Po-Metru carver to Mata Nui's foremost kolhii player, then served as Toa Inika and Toa Mahri through the late wars of the universe. and HafuHafuHafu was a Po-Matoran Carver of Po-Koro, recognized as a Master Carver, who served in the Chronicler's Company and survived the Reign of Shadows., the latter the village's foremost carver. The Ga-Koro Kolhii TeamGa-Koro Kolhii TeamThe Ga-Matoran squad that won the Mata Nui Kolhii championship at Ta-Koro, after Turaga Nokama replaced Kotu on the roster with Hahli. paired HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe. and MackuMackuMacku was a Ga-Matoran of Metru Nui and later Ga-Koro, attendant to Turaga Nokama, Kolhii partner to Hahli at the championship at Ta-Koro, and a member of the Chronicler's Company., practicing on a lily-pad field set between ShasaShasaShasa is a blue Ga-Matoran of Water who wears a Kanohi Matatu and lives on Spherus Magna. She serves a dual role as a weaver and a guard in the Ga-Koro Defense Force.'s hut and the village square. The Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed. team paired the Captain of the Ta-Koro GuardTa-Koro GuardThe Ta-Koro Guard was the largest standing Matoran fighting force on Mata Nui, captained by Jaller and active from the early Rahi conflicts through the return to Metru Nui., JallerJallerJaller served as Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard, led the Toa Inika to Voya Nui, and commanded the Toa Mahri through the recovery of the Mask of Life., with TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light., the future ChroniclerChroniclerThe Matoran role of recording history and Toa deeds through word and carving, held by figures like Takua and Hahli..

Le-KoroLe-KoroLe-Koro is a village situated within Le-Wahi, inhabited by the Le-Matoran and home to Turaga Matau and Toa Lewa. The settlement was once held under the control of Teridax. fielded KonguKonguKongu commanded Le-Koro's Gukko Force before a strike from the Kanohi Ignika transformed him into a Toa of Air who later served among the Toa Mahri. and TamaruTamaruTamaru was a Le-Matoran Forest Navigator of Le-Koro, Kongu's Kolhii partner, and the Le-Koro representative in the Chronicler's Company at the Battle of Kini-Nui., training on a treetop field within the Le-WahiLe-WahiLe-Wahi is a region on the island of Mata Nui, inhabited by the Le-Matoran and Rahi. Formerly subject to the power of Teridax, the region is no longer under that influence. canopy. Ko-KoroKo-KoroKo-Koro is a location in Ko-Wahi, home to the Ko-Matoran and associated with both Nuju and Kopaka. Its exact size is unknown. fielded MatoroMatoroA quiet Ko-Matoran translator who became a Toa Inika and then a Toa Mahri, Matoro gave his life with the Mask of Life to restore Mata Nui. and KopekeKopekeKopeke was a Ko-Matoran ice carver of Ko-Koro who served in the Chronicler's Company at Kini-Nui and was later elected the third Chronicler of the Matoran Universe., and Onu-KoroOnu-KoroOnu-Koro was the earth engineers' city, where underground isolation created one of Mata Nui's most self-sufficient settlements, until the Bohrok came. fielded OnepuOnepuOnepu is an Onu-Matoran and the High Commander of the Ussalry, bearing a Pakari and wearing the purple and black colors of his kind. Connected to the element of Earth, he resides on Spherus Magna. and TaipuTaipuTaipu is a black and tan Onu-Matoran of the element of Earth who resides on Spherus Magna. A miner by trade, he wields a pickaxe and wears the Kanohi Pakari., who practiced in the cleared chambers of the village's mining works.

Selection was a TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. prerogative. Each village's TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. appointed the two representatives based on athletic standing, conduct, and civic visibility, and the appointed players carried KolhiiKolhiiKolhii was the inter-village athletic contest of Mata Nui, descended from the earlier Akilini of Metru Nui and played by all six Koro until the island's evacuation. staves as a recognized mark of their role. The position carried no military or judicial authority but conferred standing within community life, and the role of Kolhii ChampionKolhii ChampionTitle granted to the Matoran selected by their Turaga to represent each Koro in the post-Bohrok-Kal Kolhii tournament on Mata Nui. became a formalized civic title in its own right.

Rules of play#

The codified rules, preserved in the inserted "Rules of Kolhii" section of the post-island Encyclopedia, formalized a structure that had been refined through inter-village play over the years on Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years.. Teams contained up to two players. A team could field fewer than two, but no team could exceed any other's roster. Each side competed to reach three goals, with the first team to do so declared the winner.

Goals were credited only when scored against an opposing net. Own goals did not score. Each team designated one defender, who was the only player permitted to carry a shield in active play; other players were restricted to staves alone, except in rare contingencies. Every player carried one Kolhii StickKolhii StickFrom Ga-Matoran fishing pole to hero's staff, the Kolhii stick was never meant for combat but excelled at sport., and one only.

The ball count was capped by formula. Any number of Kolhii ballsKolhii BallA stone projectile used in the Matoran sport of Kolhii, with a dangerous variant infected by Teridax's influence. could be in play at once, but the count was required to remain below either the number of teams in the match or the number of players per team, whichever was smaller. In standard two-team, two-player play, this meant a single ball.

Striking another player was held to constitute poor play. Shield and staff strikes were exempted from this rule, on the grounds that those contacts indicated competent play rather than misconduct. Poor play was understood to bring dishonor to the player's village, a culturally enforced sanction that operated alongside any formal penalty.

RahiRahiThe Rahi were the biomechanical wildlife of the Matoran Universe, built largely by the Brotherhood of Makuta, ranging from background fauna to engineered war beasts. incursions during matches were addressed by suspension of play until the disturbance was resolved. The provision reflected the practical reality of Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years. wildlife, which periodically interrupted village activities even during the relative peace of the post-BohrokBohrokHive-minded mechanical creatures designed to reshape worlds, the Bohrok represent a threat the Toa Mata never expected. period.

A match opened with the players knocking their staves together and exchanging the formal greeting "Play well," a phrase that endured as one of the recognized markers of MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. athletic culture across the post-island generation.

Equipment#

The Kolhii StickKolhii StickFrom Ga-Matoran fishing pole to hero's staff, the Kolhii stick was never meant for combat but excelled at sport. was the principal piece of equipment. Each stick combined a scoop at one end, used for catching and carrying the ball, with a hammer at the other, used to strike and drive it. Staff design varied by village. Po-KoroPo-KoroPo-Koro was the Po-Matoran village in Po-Wahi, led by Turaga Onewa and guarded by Toa Pohatu, reached through a single statue-lined road called the Path of Prophecies. staves were heavier and built around carved stone heads. Le-KoroLe-KoroLe-Koro is a village situated within Le-Wahi, inhabited by the Le-Matoran and home to Turaga Matau and Toa Lewa. The settlement was once held under the control of Teridax. staves favoured lightweight wood suited to the village's elevated training fields. Ga-KoroGa-KoroGa-Koro is a village on the island of Mata Nui, inhabited by the Ga-Matoran and associated with both Nokama and Gali. The settlement was formerly under the power of Teridax. staves incorporated polished sea materials, reflecting both the staff's origin in fishing equipment and the village's reliance on marine craft.

The Kolhii BallKolhii BallA stone projectile used in the Matoran sport of Kolhii, with a dangerous variant infected by Teridax's influence. underwent its own evolution. The older Koli version used a stone sphere, often referred to as a Comet, of the kind Po-KoroPo-KoroPo-Koro was the Po-Matoran village in Po-Wahi, led by Turaga Onewa and guarded by Toa Pohatu, reached through a single statue-lined road called the Path of Prophecies. carvers had produced for generations. The reformulated sport adopted a lighter air-metal ball that travelled faster and bounced more predictably across the varied playing surfaces of the six villages. Stone balls remained in use in informal play and in the Po-KoroPo-KoroPo-Koro was the Po-Matoran village in Po-Wahi, led by Turaga Onewa and guarded by Toa Pohatu, reached through a single statue-lined road called the Path of Prophecies. regional matches, where the older equipment was preferred.

The infected Comet variant introduced by AhkmouAhkmouA Po-Matoran carver of Metru Nui, one of the six Great Disk holders, who collaborated with Makuta Teridax and later imposed false Turaga rule during Teridax's reign., and recovered from a Nui-JagaNui-JagaGiant scorpions with lethal stingers that were hunted for profit despite a grim death toll. nest by TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light. and PohatuPohatuPohatu was the Toa Mata and Toa Nuva of Stone, guardian of Po-Wahi, whose speed and steady humour anchored the team through every era of the Matoran Universe., formed a separate chapter in the equipment's history. The infected balls carried TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna.'s corruption directly into the Po-MatoranPo-MatoranThe Stone-element Matoran of Po-Metru and Po-Koro, carvers and quarry workers, the most athletic of the Matoran types and the population behind the Kohlii and Akilini circuits. population, producing the illness OnewaOnewaOnewa served as Toa Metru of Stone, led Po-Koro through the Dark Time, and constructed the Metru Nui statue honoring the fallen Toa Mahri Matoro. named the Madness. Those that had not yet circulated were destroyed in the collapsed quarry; the remainder were dumped at sea.

A defender's shield, distinct from any other carried equipment, completed the standard kit. Shield construction varied by village along the same lines as staff design, with stone, wood, and reinforced fibre all in use.

The Ta-Koro Championship#

The final tournament played on Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years. was the championship organized after the defeat of the Bohrok-KalBohrok-KalSix elite Bohrok designed to free the imprisoned Bahrag, they nearly defeated the Toa Nuva before the Toa turned their own powers against them.. The TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. convened the event partly as athletic competition and partly as the occasion on which they intended to share with the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. population the long-withheld history of Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive.. Each TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities. selected their village's representatives and saw them confirmed in the role of Kolhii ChampionKolhii ChampionTitle granted to the Matoran selected by their Turaga to represent each Koro in the post-Bohrok-Kal Kolhii tournament on Mata Nui.. The event was staged at the newly completed Ta-Koro Kolhii StadiumTa-Koro Kolhii StadiumThe largest Kolhii venue on Mata Nui, host to the championship match in which the Mask of Light first appeared before the public eye., the largest such venue ever built on the island.

The final match was contested between Po-KoroPo-KoroPo-Koro was the Po-Matoran village in Po-Wahi, led by Turaga Onewa and guarded by Toa Pohatu, reached through a single statue-lined road called the Path of Prophecies., Ga-KoroGa-KoroGa-Koro is a village on the island of Mata Nui, inhabited by the Ga-Matoran and associated with both Nokama and Gali. The settlement was formerly under the power of Teridax., and Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed.. TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light. and JallerJallerJaller served as Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard, led the Toa Inika to Voya Nui, and commanded the Toa Mahri through the recovery of the Mask of Life. represented Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed., HewkiiHewkiiHewkii rose from Po-Metru carver to Mata Nui's foremost kolhii player, then served as Toa Inika and Toa Mahri through the late wars of the universe. and HafuHafuHafu was a Po-Matoran Carver of Po-Koro, recognized as a Master Carver, who served in the Chronicler's Company and survived the Reign of Shadows. represented Po-KoroPo-KoroPo-Koro was the Po-Matoran village in Po-Wahi, led by Turaga Onewa and guarded by Toa Pohatu, reached through a single statue-lined road called the Path of Prophecies., and HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe. and MackuMackuMacku was a Ga-Matoran of Metru Nui and later Ga-Koro, attendant to Turaga Nokama, Kolhii partner to Hahli at the championship at Ta-Koro, and a member of the Chronicler's Company. represented Ga-KoroGa-KoroGa-Koro is a village on the island of Mata Nui, inhabited by the Ga-Matoran and associated with both Nokama and Gali. The settlement was formerly under the power of Teridax.. TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light. attempted a difficult manoeuvre early in the match and failed spectacularly, a moment that nevertheless foreshadowed a technique he would later use against TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. in his form as TakanuvaTakanuvaHidden among the Ta-Matoran as Takua, the disguised Av-Matoran who became Takanuva was the sole Toa of Light produced in the Matoran Universe's full history.. The Po-KoroPo-KoroPo-Koro was the Po-Matoran village in Po-Wahi, led by Turaga Onewa and guarded by Toa Pohatu, reached through a single statue-lined road called the Path of Prophecies. side took second place. The Ga-Koro Kolhii TeamGa-Koro Kolhii TeamThe Ga-Matoran squad that won the Mata Nui Kolhii championship at Ta-Koro, after Turaga Nokama replaced Kotu on the roster with Hahli. won the championship, an upset that established HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe. and MackuMackuMacku was a Ga-Matoran of Metru Nui and later Ga-Koro, attendant to Turaga Nokama, Kolhii partner to Hahli at the championship at Ta-Koro, and a member of the Chronicler's Company. as the reigning champions of Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years..

In the immediate aftermath of the match, as the assembled villagers gathered for the post-tournament ceremony, the AvohkiiAvohkiiThe Avohkii is the Mask of Light, a golden mask that granted its wearer the power of Light and the ability to spread understanding. It was worn by Toa Takanuva. slipped from JallerJallerJaller served as Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard, led the Toa Inika to Voya Nui, and commanded the Toa Mahri through the recovery of the Mask of Life.'s pack and fell into view of the crowd. TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light. had recovered the mask earlier that day from a lava-bound totem near Ta-WahiTa-WahiTa-Wahi was the volcanic region of Mata Nui surrounding the Mangai Volcano, encompassing Ta-Koro, the Lake of Fire, the Charred Forest, and the Ta-Wahi Beach.. VakamaVakamaA Ta-Metru maskmaker transformed into the Toa Metru of Fire, leader of his team through the Visorak war, and Turaga of Ta-Koro for a thousand years. recognized it at once. Its public exposure confirmed that the prophecy of the Toa of LightToa of LightThe sole Toa wielding the Element of Light through the Avohkii mask, singular and feared by Makuta itself. was active and set in motion the chain of events that led to TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light.'s transformation into TakanuvaTakanuvaHidden among the Ta-Matoran as Takua, the disguised Av-Matoran who became Takanuva was the sole Toa of Light produced in the Matoran Universe's full history..

The match in MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate.'s lair#

A late variant of Kolhii featured in the confrontation between TakanuvaTakanuvaHidden among the Ta-Matoran as Takua, the disguised Av-Matoran who became Takanuva was the sole Toa of Light produced in the Matoran Universe's full history. and TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. in the MakutaMakuta (Species)Shadowy Antidermis beings and the Brotherhood's elite, Makuta commanded darkness and shaped the Matoran Universe's fate.'s subterranean lair. TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. proposed the match as a deliberate inversion of the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. sport, with the standard balls replaced by spheres of pure light and shadow energy and the conventional staves substituted by their elemental analogues. The contest ended when TakanuvaTakanuvaHidden among the Ta-Matoran as Takua, the disguised Av-Matoran who became Takanuva was the sole Toa of Light produced in the Matoran Universe's full history. executed the move TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light. had failed to land in the Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed. tournament, converting a shadow sphere to light in mid-air and driving it back into TeridaxTeridaxTeridax orchestrated a thousand-year scheme that ended with him occupying the Great Spirit Robot itself before his death on Bara Magna. at speed.

The match did not produce a decisive victor by ordinary rules. Both combatants fell into a pool of Energized ProtodermisEnergized ProtodermisA sentient substance that could remake or annihilate any being that touched it. One of the Matoran Universe's most lethal hazards. at the lair's centre and fused into the single entity TakutanuvaTakutanuvaThe temporary fusion of Takanuva and Makuta Teridax, born in Energized Protodermis, wielded light and shadow as one during the climax of Mask of Light., who survived only long enough to lift the gate of MangaiaMangaiaThe hidden stronghold of Teridax beneath the island of Mata Nui, containing Energized Protodermis and connected to the Bohrok Nest. and admit the evacuating MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. before collapsing.

Decline#

Kolhii did not survive the events that followed in any organized inter-village form. The RahkshiRahkshiArmor suits powered by parasitic Kraata, Rahkshi were Teridax's most effective soldiers and among Bionicle's most visually iconic early enemies. attack on Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed. shortly after the championship destroyed the Ta-Koro Kolhii StadiumTa-Koro Kolhii StadiumThe largest Kolhii venue on Mata Nui, host to the championship match in which the Mask of Light first appeared before the public eye. and ended the post-Bohrok-KalBohrok-KalSix elite Bohrok designed to free the imprisoned Bahrag, they nearly defeated the Toa Nuva before the Toa turned their own powers against them. peace. The village itself sank into the Lake of FireLake of FireThe molten protodermis lake that claimed Ta-Koro during the Rahkshi invasion. A natural hazard and narrative turning point in early Bionicle. along with the stadium, and no comparable central venue was ever rebuilt. The evacuation of Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years. and the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. return to Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive. ended the village-based structure on which the sport had depended.

Four of the six recognized Kolhii ChampionKolhii ChampionTitle granted to the Matoran selected by their Turaga to represent each Koro in the post-Bohrok-Kal Kolhii tournament on Mata Nui. holders, HewkiiHewkiiHewkii rose from Po-Metru carver to Mata Nui's foremost kolhii player, then served as Toa Inika and Toa Mahri through the late wars of the universe., HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe., KonguKonguKongu commanded Le-Koro's Gukko Force before a strike from the Kanohi Ignika transformed him into a Toa of Air who later served among the Toa Mahri., and MatoroMatoroA quiet Ko-Matoran translator who became a Toa Inika and then a Toa Mahri, Matoro gave his life with the Mask of Life to restore Mata Nui., were later summoned by the Mask of LifeThe Mask of Life (Kanohi Ignika), explainedA failsafe forged by the Great Beings to recharge a god. It curses everyone who touches it, and by the end of Bionicle it had learned how to be a hero. and transformed into the Toa InikaToa Inika and Toa MahriSix ordinary Matoran transformed by lightning from the Red Star into heroes who ultimately revived the Great Spirit itself., joined by JallerJallerJaller served as Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard, led the Toa Inika to Voya Nui, and commanded the Toa Mahri through the recovery of the Mask of Life. and the Onu-MatoranOnu-MatoranEarth-wielding Matoran of the deep who adapted to darkness and built the Matoran Universe's defensive cavalry. inventor NuparuNuparuAn Onu-Matoran engineer from Metru Nui who built the Boxor and rose to become a Toa of Earth despite no warrior destiny.. TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light. had by that point become TakanuvaTakanuvaHidden among the Ta-Matoran as Takua, the disguised Av-Matoran who became Takanuva was the sole Toa of Light produced in the Matoran Universe's full history.. The depletion of the championship roster into the Toa ranks left no obvious cohort to organize a successor tournament, and the resumption of major hostilities during the Destiny WarThe Destiny WarThe open conflict between the Order of Mata Nui and the Brotherhood of Makuta that ended fifty thousand years of operational secrecy and broke the Brotherhood's last assault on Metru Nui. prevented any formal restoration of the sport.

Informal Kolhii play persisted in Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive. during the years of MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. habitation that followed, and references in JallerJallerJaller served as Captain of the Ta-Koro Guard, led the Toa Inika to Voya Nui, and commanded the Toa Mahri through the recovery of the Mask of Life.'s later correspondence indicate the sport retained a place in civic memory even where its formal tournament structure had lapsed. No record survives of organized championship play resuming in Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive. before the Reign of ShadowsReign of ShadowsThe year Teridax ruled the Matoran Universe from inside Mata Nui's body, and the scattered resistance plots that ran against him until the Great Spirit returned from Bara Magna. overtook ordinary MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. life.

Legacy#

Kolhii's significance in MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. memory rested on three things: its function as the principal shared civic event drawing villagers across KoroKoroThe Koros were the six elemental villages established by the Toa Metru on Mata Nui after the Great Rescue, each tied to one element and one Turaga. lines during the brief post-Bohrok-KalBohrok-KalSix elite Bohrok designed to free the imprisoned Bahrag, they nearly defeated the Toa Nuva before the Toa turned their own powers against them. peace, its role as the setting in which the AvohkiiAvohkiiThe Avohkii is the Mask of Light, a golden mask that granted its wearer the power of Light and the ability to spread understanding. It was worn by Toa Takanuva. was first publicly revealed, and the athletic discipline it developed in the MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. who later became the Toa InikaToa Inika and Toa MahriSix ordinary Matoran transformed by lightning from the Red Star into heroes who ultimately revived the Great Spirit itself. and Toa MahriToa Inika and Toa MahriSix ordinary Matoran transformed by lightning from the Red Star into heroes who ultimately revived the Great Spirit itself.. HewkiiHewkiiHewkii rose from Po-Metru carver to Mata Nui's foremost kolhii player, then served as Toa Inika and Toa Mahri through the late wars of the universe.'s precision with a thrown Kolhii BallKolhii BallA stone projectile used in the Matoran sport of Kolhii, with a dangerous variant infected by Teridax's influence. translated directly into his use of the SanokSanokThe Sanok was the Kanohi Mask of Accuracy, granting its wearer the power to strike any target with any thrown object, most famously worn by Toa Inika Hewkii., Mask of Accuracy, in his Inika form, and HahliHahliA Ga-Matoran scholar who rose to become Chronicler of Mata Nui, then Toa Inika, then Toa Mahri of Water during the final crises of the Matoran Universe.'s observational discipline carried into her later role as ChroniclerChroniclerThe Matoran role of recording history and Toa deeds through word and carving, held by figures like Takua and Hahli.-successor.

The sport also represented one of the clearest examples of cultural continuity across the rupture between Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive. and Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years.. AkiliniAkiliniAkilini was the principal sport of Metru Nui, played with Kanoka disks on the arena floor of the Coliseum and serving as both civic spectacle and the means by which the worth of a freshly forged disk was tested before mask-making., Koli, and Kolhii were three successive forms of the same impulse, refined across distinct settings and equipment but retaining the same core structure of MatoranMatoranThe most abundant species in the Matoran Universe, chosen by Mata Nui to inhabit and maintain his cosmic body. athletic competition organized around regional teams. The Copper Mask of VictoryCopper Mask of VictoryA powerless ceremonial Kanohi awarded to Matoran champions of Metru Nui's Akilini matches, typically forged in the shape of a Noble Huna or Komau. was awarded across all three eras, and the practice of village representation by appointed champions persisted from the AkiliniAkiliniAkilini was the principal sport of Metru Nui, played with Kanoka disks on the arena floor of the Coliseum and serving as both civic spectacle and the means by which the worth of a freshly forged disk was tested before mask-making. Coliseum matches through the Ta-KoroTa-KoroTa-Koro was a settlement located in Ta-Wahi, home to the Ta-Matoran, Tahu, and Vakama, and formerly connected to Teridax. The settlement was ultimately destroyed. championship at the close of the surface period.