About 700 people gathered In Ohakune for this year’s Hui Aranga. Three-quarters of them were youth.
The Hui Aranga, or Maori Easter Gathering, is a Maori Catholic celebration of Holy Week and Easter.
Groups come to it from all over the North Island.
This year they included Clubs from Tauranga (Tauranga Moana), Wairoa (Tawhiti a Maru), Hawkes Bay (Waipatu), Wellington and Porirua (Nga Karere and Tu Hono), Taranaki (Araukuku), the Whanganui River (St Vincents, St Peter Chanel and Wainui a rua) and the host Club from Ohakune (Ruapehu).
This was the 72nd year the Hui Aranga has met. It began in 1946 at Otaki (Pukekaraka).
It is a remarkable testimony to endurance in Faith and Culture.
As the late Maori Bishop, Takuira Mariu SM, used to say, it is “the lifeblood of Maori Catholic which sustains a cultural expression of their Whakapono (Faith)”.
Traditional ceremonies for Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday were held.
Bishop Charles Drennan (Good Friday), Mons. Gerard Burns, Fr Bernie O’Donnell (Parish Priest of Ohakune-Taihape), Mons. David Gledhill SM and Pa Piripi Cody SM attended.
Sr Margaretta RSJ and Br Denis O’Brien SM were religious present.
A remarkable play conducted by local rangatahi (youth) depicted the Good Friday Gospel linked to the Stations of the Cross.
At the end of the play, Christ was taken from the Cross and placed in Mary’s arms. Christ reappeared, clothed in white, at the Easter Sunday Gospel.
Standing tall, he proclaimed “E te Iwi, kia Ora” (“The Fullness of Life be with the People”).
Those gathered had competitions covering cultural Kapa Haka, Whaikorero (Oratory), Religious Quiz, Sacred Solo and Choir, and a variety of sports.
A huge marquee provided the venue: 2/3rds used for ceremonies; 1/3 for dining.
Feeding several hundred people breakfast, lunch and dinner is no mean feat!
This was a ‘Parakore’ (waste-free) hui. At every rubbish bin was a bin for recycling. As people came to wash their dishes, there were bins for food, plastic and rubbish.
Waipatu (Hastings) scooped the pool for both Religious and overall aggregate.
They were closely followed by St Peter Chanel (Whanganui River).
All events have three levels: Mokopuna (midgets), Rangatahi (junior) and Matua (Senior).
At the thanksgiving and closing on Easter Monday, the ‘Mauri’ (Central life force), a statue of Mary clothed in her korowai (cloak) was given to the Club due to host the Hui Aranga in 2019.
It will be Araukuku from Hawera.
Source
Supplied: Philip Cody