Bishop Tutu cements the ties

Tu Tangata, Issue 14, 1 October 1983, Page 7

Bishop Tutu cements the ties

Words are always “falling short of the reality” said Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, in his reply to welcome speeches at Rotorua. Bishop Tutu spoke at the first official Maori welcome for him on the Papa-i-o----uru Marae at Ohinemtu and felt he could “never express adequately”, the gratitute he felt for the welcome. Elders of the marae, members of the Te Arawa Confederation and about 200

spectators gathered to witness the event. Outspoken critic of aparthied, Bishop Tutu was in New Zealand to tell “some of the story” of his homeland and its oppressed people. In his reply he greeted his brothers and sisters of all colours in New Zealand, and praised them for their efforts during the 1981 Springbok Tour. “If aparthied continues the whole world will go up in flames”. He said that South African whites needed to be helped towards understanding their black brothers.

“We are going to be free... the only thing we are unsure of is how or when. We want to avert a bloodbath in our country. We want a new kind of society, a land that is fully democratic, nonracial and just.” Bishop Tutu said the “biological irrelevancy” of skin clour would be overcome and that a society in which “black and white would count for what they are human beings,” would emerge. Amongst the guests were the Bishop of Aotearoa, the Rt Rev Te Whakahuihui Vercoe, the former Bishop of Aotearoa, the Rt Rev Manu Bennett, Bishop Paul Reeves, Canon Hone Kaa, and MPs Koro Wetere and Peter

Tapsell. Later Bishop Tutu flew to Christchurch where he met with church leaders and members of the public before going to Dunedin, Wellington and then back to Auckland. Bishop Tutu was invited to New

Zealand by the National Council of Churches, the Maori Council of Churches and the Catholic Commission on Evangelism Development and Justice.