MAORI WEDDING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 22, 27 January 1936, Page 5

MAORI WEDDING.

RATANA FESTIVITIES. t WANGANUI GATHERING. A feast for thousands. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") , WANGANUI, this day. In keeping with tie importance of the occasion of the wedding of Miss Raimapaha. T. Tianara, Ra tana's niece, to Whareupoko Akonga Mohi, of Hawke's Bay, there was naturally great activity at the Ratana Pa on Saturday, the most important being that of the culinary department, for upwards of 4000 Maoris had to he catered for, apart from a large number of pakehas assembled from near and far. There was quite an army of workers enthusiastically carrying out his or her allotted task and within half an hour or so after the ceremony the great gathering had settled down to enjoy the weddinn- feast. All were catered for on a most liberal scale and there was no lack of variety on the menu, which included pork, beef, mutton drinks and wines, irrespective of the monster wedding cake. Early in the day some 40 to 50 potato peelers were hard at work, several sacksof tubers having to _be divested of their skins. Butcher shops were brimful, a substantial portion of (the meats being gifts of Hawke's Bay people. It was necessary, also, to supplement the supply of cutlery and crockery, and here again Hawke's Bay Maoris sent alone their contributions as well as a valuable collection of silverware presents for the newly weds. Cooking On Modern Lines. Incidentally, the cooking was carried out on more modern lines than the orthodox Maori tangi. In the Taranaki section, large vats were u-e<l and into these steam jets played from a traction engine nearby, while large - coppers were also going full blast, supplementary supplies of firewood haying been sent

j from Raetihi. Grazing in a nearby | i I field were a number of fat bullocks,; which will all be needed before the week is out, for the festivities will extend for several days, as is customary at , large gatherings. A special display is made on the verandah of the administrative quarters, which includes a collection of 203,000 letters received by Ratana during the term of his healing mission from all parts of the world, from peopia desiri. ing to be cured. Enclosed in in*ny of ! these were various sums of money J aggregating £11,000, but all this was returned to the senders. Other exhibits among the collection were pictures of the present and late King, the Queen e Mother, and prominent members of the _ Ratana movement. i