Ngati-Porou sojourn to Rarotonga

Mana (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 4, 18 August 1977, Page 5

Ngati-Porou sojourn to Rarotonga

Te Hokowhitu’atu party stayed at Maori Mission Marae, Khyber Pass, the weekend before they flew to Rarotonga. Rev. John Kaa and Blackie Pohatu performed the speeches of welcome. Both are originally from the East Coast. Rev. Kingi Ihaka, John Turei, and Jerry Taingahue endorsed the greetings and welcome later that night. Ngoi Pewhairangi and group sang “Arohaina Mai”, which touched the hearts of all present. Kingi Ihaka had this

to say, “There is nogroup that can sing this song in the same spirit”. Manawanaui Culture Group entertained with a repertoire of songs and haka, one of which was the famous women’s haka, “Panapana” which was led by two Pakeha women. The audience was fascinated at their pronunciation and the lilt of their voices. The next day there was a concert held in the afternoon, and they were entertained by Arohanui Culture Group. Matiu Rata, MP for Northern Maori arrived to express good wishes to the group for their trip. Te Hokowhitu-atu returned the hospitality by performing a range of items, the highlight of which were Tuini Ngawai’s compositions of Shearing Songs, ending with a Pakeha Version of the Haka. There was a thunderous applause from the enthused audience. A group of 142 Maoris of East Coast origin made the historic trip to Rarotonga.

The 12-day visit will reaffirm historical links and traditional kinship ties with Rarotongan Maoris who shared the Takitimu canoe with them on the original Polynesian migration about 600 years ago. Maori history records that part of the tribe of the Takitimu canoe remained in Rarotonga while the rest travelled on to the East Coast of New Zealand. In 1934 a group of Rarotongan Ariki visited the East Coast at the invitation of the late Sir Apirana Ngata to open a special meeting house — “Te Hono ki Rarotonga” — in Tokomaru Bay. The Ariki challenged their New Zealand kin to pay a return visit. The invitation was accepted at the Polynesian Festival in Gisborne last year. The visit co-incided with Cook Island Constitution celebrations and has been filmed by South Pacific Television for prime time viewing.