WELCOME AT TURANGAWAEWAE

Te Ao Hou, Summer 1954, Page 32

The Queen faces a tumultuous welcome on leaving Mahinarangi meeting house, Turangawaewae. (Photo: John Ashton) WELCOME AT TURANGAWAEWAE Preparing for the Queen's visit did not mean much change to the way of life at Turangawaewae Pa, Ngaruawahia. This pa was planned by Princess Te Puea to be a centre of Maoridom, at least for the Tainui tribes; the layout of the marae is ornate and attractive; a larger number of sleeping halls has been built; Mahinarangi meeting-house is an ideal reception hall for prominent guests. In order to entertain their greatest visitor, the people decorated their marae as never before. The whole pa is surrounded with wooden fences which protect the many flower beds—outside the fence palisades, along the ceremonial drive to the marae, along the riverbank, everywhere. All these wooden fences were decorated with the plaited pakahu, pakahu being the small-leafed bush used by the people of Ngaruawahia for mourning, and for that joyful mourning with which visitors are welcomed. The ceremonial gate had been decorated, too, and a special ornamental gate had been built War canoe sets out for a rehearsal on the Waikato River, Ngaruawahia, on the day of the Royal visit. (Photo: John Ashton)

on the pa road, covered with pakahu, plaited flax and fine slabs of carving. As a special gesture of loyalty, the women of the pa had made intricate paper flowers—red, white and blue—which were added to the decorations in a neat, regular pattern. In this setting, Turangawaewae had many traditional ways at hand in which to pay homage to the Queen. A race between war canoes on the Waikato River was a traditional entertainment for important visitors. On this occasion a raised paddle salute was introduced into the race: while still paddling the warriors would stand up in their canoes, and salute the Queen with a haka — a truly athletic feat. In this centre where ancient religious practices are not yet entirely forgotten, it was possible to honour the Queen with a sacred invocation such as would be chanted for a high chief going on a long and perilous journey, leaving the ‘long axe’ of his loyal tribes behind him. Also in the compact programme for this short visit were songs adapted and re-written in honour of Her Majesty. The Royal party, as well as the 2,500 visitors, were delighted by the charm and the excellent rhythm of the poi dances. The great event of this visit was the Royal party's entirely unplanned visit to Mahinarangi meeting-house, and the ceremonial dining-hall. As the Queen and the Duke, instead of entering their car, slowly walked over the mats covering the way to the meeting-house, the people were electrified with excitement. The haka party and the women who had performed the powhiri broke into a wild, improvised dance that could have done credit to their ancestors of several generations ago. Throughout the ten minutes spent by the Royal party in admiring the carvings and other art works inside, these fierce dances continued, rising to a pitch as the Queen reappeared through the ornate doors of Mahinarangi. Queen on the sacred soil of Turangawaewae. (Publicity Studios Photograph)