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)