A Brief Return to the Past

Te Ao Hou, December 1956, Page 24

A Brief Return to the Past He Ahuatanga o Nehera Kia oro Waikato mo nga manaaki i te huihuinga mo te Kingi i Ngaruawahia te nui o te kai te nui o te korero a te Maori ana tino kinaki mo te Hui. I reira katoa te motu, i reira te Tairawhiti, i reira te Tokerau. I te Hatarei i te Ratapu i te rangatahi te kororia o te hui. i a ratou mahi takaro i nga mahi takaro i nga mahi whakataetae haka whakataetae waiata. Kei te haere nga mahi a te rangatahi kei te whakaeke tonu nga pakeke inahoki no te Ratapu rawa ka whakaeke a Taranaki. Kei te whakamutumutu nga mahi waiata nga mahi haka a te rangatahi ka whakaeke te ope o Taranaki—i kona ka puta a te Maori ana tangi ko te awa o Waikato e tangi ana ki te maunga o Taranaki. I te Mane te 8 o nga ra o Oketopa ko nga pakeke anake i noho iho ki te ra o Koroki i hokihoki te rangatahi ki a ratou na mahi. Kore i arikarika te tangata i hui ki Ngaruawahia a ka kaha a Waikato ki te whangai i ana manuhiri mano atu mano atu i reira te motu katoa. Na Maharaia Winiata nga kaupapa korero a tae atu ana nga poroaki ki o tatou tohunga kia tae The Hosts at the anniversary celebrations at Turangawaewae had seen to it that there was no lack of the two things needed for a successful hui, plenty of good food and plenty of things to talk about. The tribal representation was extremely wide; the East Coast and far Northland some very distinguished leaders among the visitors. During the weekend, the great majority of visitors were younger people who were principally interested in the wide sports programme and the action song competition. Gradually more older people started to arrive, such as the large group from Taranaki which was welcomed on Sunday afternoon. They came during the action song programme. At once a solemn and traditional atmosphere returned to the marae as the great mountain of Taranaki kept its copious greetings before the river of the hundred taniwha. On the Monday, 8th October, the day of the Coronation ceremonies, the young people had mostly returned to work and the older ones had the day to themselves. Visitors fed during the hui numbered near to 3,000 during the weekend. As is the custom, visitors from far away were the first to be admitted to the dining halls. Over 7,000 meals were served every day in perfect time and order. Apart from the tribes of the Tainui canoe,

‘Why didn't they tackle.’ ‘the best thing about huis is fizz’ Guests in front of one the carved sleeping hot at Turangawaewae.

Lt. Col. Arapeta Awatere, district welfare officer at Rotorua, addresses the crowd. ki te hui. I reira a Te Aka Rapana raua ko Hori Keeti a i haere mai raua me o raua ana iwi hei huruhuru mo o raua waewae. Ko te take tuatahi a Maharaia Winiata me whakakotahi nga iwi o te Motu ki raro i te Kingitanga o Waikato. Ko ta te kotahitanga he pupuri te Maoritanga a ma nga komiti marae e whakatinana nga kaupapa o te kotahitanga. Ko te runanga o te tekau ma rua hei tohutohu i a Koroki. Kaore i tutuki nga kaupapa a Maharaia te whakamarama i te nui tonu o nga mahi me nga korero hei aruaru haere. I tu a Iriaka Ratana te mema mo te Taihauauru, a Peta Awatere me Nehe Rire o Ngatiporou ki te whakapuaki i o ratou na whakaaro. I whakaae a Peta raua ko Nehe ki te kotahitanga hei hapai i te Maoritanga engari kaua e kawea ki raro i te mana o te Kingitanga. He nui a raua mihi ki a Maharaia mo ona whakaaro. Haere ki whea, haere ki whea ka rangona nga korero a tena a ko te whakaaro nui o Tainui waka me waiho ta ratou mokopuna ma ratou ano e awhi. Ko etahi ano i whakaae nga ngakau ki te katoa o te kaupapa a Maharaia. I whakatupato a Iriaka kei waiho te kotahitanga hei aruaru i nga whakaaro o te rangatahi. Ko etahi ano i ki e tika ana kia whai wahi te rangatahi ki nga korero engari ia ko ta te rangatahi ki nga korero engari ia ko ta te rangatahi waiho ma nga pakeke nga korero. Te kaha o Waikato ki te takatu i te taha o nga there were parties from Ngati Porou, Whanau Apanui, Whakatohea, Tuhoe, Ngati Poneke, Hokianga Ngati Whatua and others. For the people a feast of discussion had been prepared. Invitations had been sent to all the tribes. In most of the tribal parties there were some people who came to Turangawaewae out of interest for the discussions which took place in the meeting house Pare Hauraki at night and on the marae on the Monday. The Constitution of the Kingship and the machinery by which the constitution operates was explained to the visiting delegations. Discussions then took place as to whether such as institution could be adopted by tribes who generally have not accepted its principles for the last 50 years. Speakers expressed interest in some organisation which would enable the whole of the Maori race to express its aspirations with one voice. Prominent amongst the speakers were Mrs Iriaka Ratana, M.P., Mr Arnold Reedy, Lt-Col. Awatere and Hiroki Tangaere Waikare of Ngati Porou, Mr Hori Gage of Te Whanau-a-Apanui, Tongaawhikau, Te Kahui and Rangihuna of Taranaki. Te Aka Rapana from North Auckland and Te Ngakahu of Whakatohea. The crowd was excellently disciplined and well conducted. Where needed, the marae police performed its task swiftly, efficiently yet gently. To the young people from the towns, it was a great

What could they do without the experts? Hundreds of traditional kono (food baskets) are used at every Ngaruawahia hui. Smoked eels and other delicacies taste much better if they are served in a kono. ahi. Ko ratou anake ahakoa te haere atu o etahi ki te whakatau atu. Ka mutu pea i te iwi i hui ki Ngaruawahia te pai o te noho kaore he tutu kaore he aha, ka mutu ano ta nga pirihimana o te marae he haere-ere noa. He tino harare taua hui ki te katoa noa iho o te tangata. Ki te rangatahi he oranga ngakau te kitekite i o ratou matua tipuna. I riro i a Ngati Poneke te Wikitoria mo nga mahi haka mahi poi a i a Tuhourangi mo nga waiata. Ka mutu i te rangatahi mo enei tu mahi ara ia i nga tamariki rawa atu. I riro i te tiima o Tuwharetoa te hira mo te mahi purei whutupaoro 17 a Tuwharetoa e 3 a Maniapoto. I riro i a Tuhourangi te kapu a Te Pakaia a kei a ratou tepurei a tera tau ki a Tuwharetoa mo te hira mo te Koroneihana. Iriro i te tiima o Aotearoa nga purei ma nga wahine ara te Basketball. feeling to be free from the claims of city life and for a short period feel once again like members of a tribe in a meeting house. The old people too, in these days of rapid progress found the return to traditional ways to life a happy change and soothing to the nerves. One family in Katikati who had just moved into a modern house had been glad to see the old people go to the hui. They had been so upset by all the violent changes in moving house and getting into an unfamiliar environment that it was thought the hui would do them good. The Hira Cup for hakas, pois and action songs was won by a well-disciplined and workmanlike display by Ngati Poneke; a lively and entertaining Tuhourangi performance came second and the local team, entirely composed of boys and girls from the Hamilton Technical College, very spirited and expressive, were given third place.