A number of people belonging to other religious denominations were present at the meeting. Among them was Arapeta Awatere; seen here speaking to a group beside the river. Mrs Iriaka Ratana, Member of Parliament for Western Maori since 1949, addressing the gathering. Mrs Ratana is the first woman to represent the Maori people in Parliament. Ratana Pilgrimage to Te Rere a Kapuni photography by Ans Westra Te rere a kapuni is a waterfall on the southern slopes of Mt. Egmont. It is known to the Pakeha as Victoria Falls, above the Dawson Falls.

Inspired Many Great Tohungas It is said that many great tohungas formerly received their inspiration and strength from this waterfall. From 1919 until 1939, the year of his death, T. W. Ratana, founder of the Ratana Church, made frequent visits to Te Rere a Kapuni to meditate there and renew his powers. According to one account Ratana ‘plugged up’ the waterfall, turning to a new purpose the spiritual powers which had previously strengthened the tohungas to whom he was opposed. Forty years ago Ratana prophesied that the marae at Opunake, south of Egmont, would be ‘over-run by people’ in the Easter of 1965. To fulfil the prophecy, a huge Ratana meeting took place this Easter at Opunake. Organised by the Ratana Youth Clubs of New Zealand, it was attended by 4,000 people from all over the country.

A Series of Services Since it would not have been possible for the entire gathering to have been on the mountain at the same time, a series of church services were held there during the week-end, with busloads of people continually coming and going from the marae as they made their pilgrimage.