MAORI WELCOME.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20391, 23 August 1934, Page 16

MAORI WELCOME.

Full Traditional Ceremony at Winter Show. RATANA PARTY’S VISIT. Seldom in the South Island has such a Maori welcome as that extended to j Ratana’s North Island party last evening at the Winter Show been seen by j the general public. Some 200 Maoris from all over New Zealand were present, j and when the Kaiapoi Maoris were preparing to welcome the visitors the j main exhibition hall was thronged j with people. It was one of the larg- . est attendances on record. The cere-; monv was carried out according to true : Maori tradition by 450 Maoris from Tuahiwi pah. Mr A. M. Hollander, chairman of the i Winter Show executive, in welcoming ’ the Maoris, said it gave him great 1 pleasure to see such a large attendance. To many of them in the building a | ceremonial welcome such as they had j just witnessed was an unique event. lie wished to express his personal thanks i to Mr IT. Bradley, a past president of { the Manufacturers’ Association, for making possible the invitations to the ! Kaiapoi Maoris to come along that j evening. The executive was grateful ! to Mr Ari Pitama and his colleagues j for agreeing to the suggestion so ! readily.

“ Speaking on behalf of the many organisations who are represented here this evening, I extend to Air Ratana and his party a very cordial welcome to Christchurch. I trust that the visit and ceremony will be the forerunner of others in the near future.” said Mr Hollander. He then asked Mr Pitama to take charge of the evening’s functions and assured him that he was representing not only the Winter Show executive but also the whole of Christchurch in his welcome.

A representative of Mr Ratana’s party returned thanks for both welcomes in Maori and English. “On behalf of the tribes in New Zealand and the Chatham Islands we extend fraternal greetings to you all,” he said in conclusion.

Directly after the official welcome members of the Ratana party gave a fine display of hakas, poi dancing and singing by Maori maidens and warriors wearing traditional attire.