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The Hui Aranga 2013 took place at Hawera using the TSB Hub sports centre and the Hawera High School College. These proved ample space for the 1300 participants who came from Opononi in the North, Tauranga in the East and Whanganui, Manawatu and Wellington in the South. In all about 12 Clubs participated. The host club was Araukuku from Taranaki.
From a Wellington point of view a special mark was the presence of Tu Hono Club from Porirua. The Māori teacher at Bishop Viard College, Turei Thompson, elders from Te Ngākau parish, some staff and students from the College and members of Challenge 2000 including Bridget Roche their Director. It was wonderful to see the wine uniforms out and members participating again.
Another highlight was to see a Maori priest, Pa Tipene Hancy, leading many of the ceremonies. He is now based at Whanganui and ministers to the people of the River up to Ohakune. Pa Tipene told his own ‘resurrection’ story of how he found his true self IN the people of the Hui Aranga. This freed him to fully enjoy being a Māori priest present with his own people. Other priests who attended included Pa Peter Conaghan SM, David Gledhill SM, Chris Martin SM, Rob Devlin SM, and Philip Cody SM.
Bishop Charles Drennan of the Palmerston North Diocese came to lead the Good Friday service. As it was his first official time at a Hui as Bishop, he was given a rousing welcome by a bank of 1000 youth singing Aue te Aroha, Let the Love of God unite the People and Tom Mareikura, Chairperson of the Hui spoke. +Charles gave a good reply in Māori and then the ceremony continued. With +Charles were two seminarians for the Diocese, Hemi Manaena and Trung Nguyen from Vietnam.
Ceremonies at the Hui ranged from eloquent Whaikorero (Oratory) and various Kapa Haka presentations (expressing aspects of the Easter theme of the Death and Resurrection of Christ) to Religious Quiz and participation in Sports (most of the Saturday).
Special reverence was paid to those who have died since the last Hui and their photos brought on and placed near the statue of Mary and the Easter Paschal Candle.
A highlight was the massed (300 persons) choir who sang ‘Me au koe noho ai’ ‘Abide with Me’ at the Easter Sunday Eucharist. The conductor was Morvin Simon, famed composer of the Whanganui River, who got out of his wheelchair (he is on dialysis) to lead us.
Another feature was the Religious Quiz which focussed on the Rosary. Next year the theme is the Illuminative Mysteries, so people are swotting them up already!
The Wellington local team, Ngā Karere (the Messengers of the Good News) have brought back the most important trophy of all, the statue of Mary who will be present in the Wellington area in preparation for the 2014 Hui which is being hosted by three Clubs Te Wai Ora (Manawatu), Tu Hono
Source
- Pa Piripi
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News category: New Zealand, Original, Top Story.
