Taumarunui Queen Carnival

Te Ao Hou, September 1968, Page 49

Taumarunui Queen Carnival Never before have the Maori people of Taumarunui and district banded together to work so well in a common cause, as they did to put their Maori candidate, Mrs Martha Taiaroa, at the top of the poll in a 10-day queen carnival, to raise funds for the Taumarunui Red Cross Society. Martha's committee raised $4,800, the country candidate, Mrs Jenny Tuck, raised $4,164 and the town candidate, Mrs Colleen Ferguson came next with $2,417. Altogether the campaign raised $11,381, or more than double the original targt of $5,000. The result was not known until the very end and as the chairman of the central committee announced the Maori victory, Maoris in the audience at the sedate final social could not disguise their delight. They immediately moved into a spontaneous and vigorous haka. The campaign was a personal triumph for Martha. A member of the Ngati Tuwharetoa tribe, her husband is Taumarunui Maori Welfare Officer, Mr Archie Taiaroa, an elder of Ngati Haua. Tribal elders gave their blessing and showed their approval by appearing at several of the organized functions. It was not only the fact that the Maori candidate won that drew generous praise from the European people, but the methods they used. The Maori campaign committee decided early that it would endeavour to provide entertainment that would not only raise money, but would benefit the Maori image. Raffles and games are recognised methods of fund raising at queen carnivals but the committee decided to widen the field. A highlight was a N.Z. Sportsmen's dinner—the first ever held at Taumarunui. The hall was transformed by decorations and coloured lights and the tables were decorated with candelabra and flowers. A four course dinner was served that would have graced any hotel. Twenty Maori girls, representing all the local maraes, wore white uniforms as they acted as waitresses, and Maori boys acted as wine waiters to serve the champagne during dinner, and handled the cocktail hour that preceded it. Top sportsmen present included All Black coach Fred Allen, athlete Peter Snell, All Black Waka Nathan, All Black Colin Meads, jockey Bob Skelton, New Zealand Basketball members, Taini Jamieson and Tilley Vercoe from Rotorua, equestrian Ivan Grattan, Maori All Black captain Bill Wordley, New Zealand rowing manager at North America last year, Mr Don Croot, top golfer Trevor Ormsby, New Zealand Maori tennis champion Hine Peni and world champion axeman and sawyer, Sonny Bolstad. Members of the New Zealand Maori Theatre Trust brought a party from Wellington which gave two evening performances of Dr James Ritchie's story of the creation, He Mana Toa. On the first night, the Mayor and Mayoress of Taumarunui, Mr and Mrs L. A. Byars and their party, were welcomed in the foyer with action songs and haka, making it a gala night performance. During the second half of the programme, Don Selwyn, Josh Gardiner and George Henare of the television show ‘Blowing in the Wind’ proved a hit. Who ever heard of a poetry reading as a queen carnival attraction? Yet this was another popular function. In the intimate setting of Repertory House. Maori poet Rowley Habib read some of his works and Don Selwyn read some of the poems of Hone Tuwhare. Carnival day at Ngapuwaiwaha pa was another popular one arranged by the committee. When an elder, Titu Tihu, named the wharekai at the pa ‘Rangikapuia’ some years ago, he expressed the hope that it would become a meeting place for people from the four winds. His wish must surely have come true when some 650 people, Maori and Pakeha, thronged the pa grounds. Attractions included a wheelbarrow race in the streets outside the pa, a King Country championship tug-o'-war, an egg tossing contest, wrestling competitions between members of the Taumarunui Police Boys' Club and a team from Rotorua, a demonstration by the Taumarunui Judo Club, an exhibition by world champion sawyer and axeman, Sonny Bolstad, and chopping events

by several axemen. Then the Taumarunui Fire Brigade arrived with its new engine and put out a fire in a small building especially erected for the purpose and the St. John Ambulance Brigade gave an exhibition of rescue work. A stall, a hangi and quick raffles did brisk business. A cabaret, a woolshed jamboree and a benefit film—one of Howard Morrison's—put on by a local theatre, were other efforts. A Maori-Pakeha Rugby match at Owhango, with a hangi served, brought in $250. ‘Grogan’, the beautiful home of a European family, was offered to the committee which held a fashion parade there. And the fashions came from a boutique of a Maori girl, Mrs Anne Rupe. It was a busy 10 days at Taumarunui but the Red Cross Society benefited financially, the Maori people thoroughly enjoyed their effort and the Maori image glistened from the result. E. R. Clark, Taumarunui.