Although the first impulse to start the Maori Youth Club at Putiki on the Wanganui River came from the Rev. K. Ihaka, it did not long remain confined to church membership. Like other ventures started by churches in the Maori world, it became a general community enterprise, based on a desire to keep in touch with the traditional side of Maori life…and religion is part of the tradition. Matutaera's description of the club may be of interest to others who wish to bring the Maori youth of various maraes together for similar activities. There is no doubt that the youth club movement is growing all the time and also that contact between the various local clubs is constantly on the increase. Putiki concert party. (Photograph: Neal Hilton, Wanganui Herald.) BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP THE PUTIKI YOUTH CLUB by Matutaera Pukikitia te Aroha Putikitia te aroha. Koia nei te whakatauaki o te Ropu Taitamariki o Putiki, he kainga Maori kei te taha o te taone o Whanganui. No te tau 1952, ko Mei te marama, ka timatia e te kaituhi te roopu nei ki Putiki. I te timatanga atu, tokoiwa noa nga taitamariki, a, pau rawa ake te tau, kua piki ki te 50 nga mema. Ko nnga kaupapa a te roopu nei, kahore i rereke ki nga kaupapa o etahi atu roopu taitahariki, ara, he akoako ki te reo Maori, ki nga haka, ki nga waiata, ki nga poi, ki te tini noa iho o nga taonga ataahua a te Maori. Ka tino pumau tenei whakahaere ki roto o Putiki, ka kimihia he whakatauaki e hangai ana ki te roopu, na, kitea ake ko tenei na, “Putikitia” te aroha.” Ko te ingoa tuturu hoki o te kainga nei i nga wa ki nga tupuna Ko Putiki-wharanui-a-Tamateapokaiwhenua. He pai tonu te whakamarama i te tikanga o te ingoa nei. Ko tenei ingoa he whakamaharatanga ki a Tamatea. Ka tae mai a Tamatea Putikitia te aroha means literally: Knot together love. This is the motto of the Putiki Maori Club, which until recently was known as the Putiki Youth Club. It was formed in the month of May in 1952, beginning with a humble membership of nine young members, but before the end of the year membership had increased to 50. The objects of the Club are similar to those of like clubs, namely the preservation of the Maori language, haka, songs, poi and other worthwhile items. It was not until the Club was firmly established that a motto was sought, and finally, in order to incorporate the centre from which the Club originated, “Putikitia te Aroha”, which, in a wider sense means to bind together in love, was adopted. The original name of the place was Putiki-wharanui-a-Tamatea-pokaiwhenua. It is as well to explain the origin of the name. It was so named by the renowned explorer. Tamatea, when, accompanied by his son, Kahungunu, he visited the Whanganui district in the 14th century. Upon landing at a point where the present Putiki Pa now stands, Kahungunu, desirous of dressing his hair, sent his slave Taukai to gather flax with which to bind his hair. The slave obtained the flax from the banks of the Awarua stream, and