MAORI GATHERING

Thames Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 19622, 1 February 1936, Page 4

MAORI GATHERING

RATANA’S BIRTHDAY

WEDDING OF WIDE INTEREST CELEBRATIONS AT WANGANUI Nearly 4000 Maoris are expected to be in attendance at Ratana on Saturday for the dual celebrations of Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana’s birthday and the marriage of Miss Raimapaha T. Tianara, of Hawera, and Mr. Whareupoko Akonga Mohi. The Natives will come from all parts of the North Island, and 1000 visitors were already at Ratana to-night. This is one of the biggest events in the year so far as the pa is concerned, and although there will not be such a large attendance as that of 1925, when 7000 Maoris were present for Ratana’s birthday celebrations, it will nevertheless be promoted on a large scale. Ratana’s Sixty-third Birthday. Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana, familiarly known as T. W. Ratana, has a following which extends the full length of the North Island, 'lie was born on January 25, 1873, and on Saturday he will celebrate his 63rd birthday. Natives are now arriving from far and near, and each train stopping at Ratana brings a large contingent. The Railway Department has introduced concession fares, and extra cars are necessary to cope with the traffic offering. The Waikato and North Auckland Maoris are expected to-morrow morning. Ample arrangements have been made to cater for the visitors, and they will all be accommodated in the various meeting houses. Tire Kaikohe Band, a new combination from North Auckland, will visit Ratana for the first time and will provide the music in conjunction with the Ratana Morehu Silver Band. The wedding ceremony will take place at 2.30 p.m., and will be followed by exhibitions of war dances, poi dances, hakas, songs, etc. Noble Ancestry.

The wedding alone is of outstanding importance to the Maori. The bridegroom, Mr. Whareupoko Akonga Mohi, is a son of Te Akonga Mohi te Ataihikoia, paramount chief of the Ngatikahungunu tribe, Hawke’s Bay. The bride is a great-great-grand-daughter of Te Awepani, who claimed descent in a direct line from the navigator Turi of the Aotea canoe. Miss Tianara was educated at the Turakina Maori Girls’ College. Te Awepani was a Taranaki chieftainess, and her sister, Hinepounamu, also a chieftainess, was an ancestress of T. W. Ratana. In this way the bride is closely connected with the Ratana house. On Saturday afternoon the pa gates will be thrown open to the general public, and pakeha visitors will be welcomed.