'Hui Aranga' means 'Gathering around the Rising of Jesus'. It is the Maori Catholic celebration of the Easter message.

The Hui Aranga began at Otaki at Pukekaraka in 1946.

This year the hosts were Taranaki, Nga Pekanga (Waitara) and Araukuku (Hawera).

The visiting groups were hosted at local marae and travelled to the Hub each day.

People came from Maori Catholic clubs in Whangarei, Tauranga, Hawkes Bay, Whanganui and Wellington. Some people even came from Australia.

The focus is on celebrating the Easter dying and rising of Jesus in a Maori way.

The Easter message was incorporated in every activity; the kapa haka, the religious quiz, the oratory, the sacred solo.

Even before the Sports Day Procession and sports on Saturday, an oath is repeated to ensure the correct spirit in playing against one another.

A highlight of the Hui is the 'massed choir' when all clubs come on stage to sing at the end of the Easter Sunday Eucharist.

There was even a Disco for the more lively participants.

Marks are given for all activities and taonga are awarded to the successful teams.

While they may appear to be just like normal cups and shields, the taonga represent the tipuna who presented them and who encourage the spirit of the Hui Aranga still.

Often a Club will begin its bracket with a song to those who have died in the last year.

This is a moving tribute as they hold their photos as they sing.

A big part of the Hui is the opportunity to catch up with people. Shared meals are important because they give people a chance to chat and support each other.

The bishop of Palmerston North, Charles Drennan attended the Good Friday service.

The members of the local parish were invited to Good Friday and Holy Saturday services. Their parish priest, Fr Craig Butler, came with them.

There was a group Kaumatua and Kuia who proudly watched their mokopuna participate. They embody the tradition of past Hui.

Next year the Hui will be hosted by the Wellington region. This includes Te Waiora (Manawatu), Tu Hono (Porirua) and Nga Karere (Wellington Central).

At the end of the Hawera Hui, members of the Wellington Clubs received the symbols of the Hui.

These include a large wooden Cross and a statue of Mary. Mary, or Te Whaea, is the patroness and inspiration of the Hui Aranga.

Between now and next Easter this statue will make the rounds of homes, schools and marae in the wider Wellington area.

Families and groups will pray the Rosary asking blessings on the Hui Aranga.

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Supplied: Pa Piripi Cody

After the meeting, the rangatahi section took a walk around part of Mt Taranaki.

Part of the purpose of the Easter Hui Aranga is to engage young Maori in embracing who they are as Maori and Catholic.

"After some beautiful korero amongst our rangatahi on the Hui Aranga, Miha, Waka Aroha and other kaupapa, our Rangatahi Forum travelled to Parihaka to visit Pa Hemi Hekiera and were hosted by Te Kahui Taiohi o Taranaki Iwi at Te Paepae" said Rawiri Tinirau, chairperson of the Kaunihera Matua of the Hui Aranga (Central Council Chair).

"Later, we enjoyed and experienced blessings of snow and aroha on Maunga Taranaki near Te Rere o Kapuni."

"After a visit to our Araukuku whanau celebrating Uncle Boyce's 80th birthday at Hoani Papita, our rangatahi returned to Muru Raupatu Marae with Our Lady, who will grace us with her presence at Miha Maori at Nga Pekanga."

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There are about 14 Clubs who come together each Easter.

They cover the area from Whangarei in the North through Tauranga and Hawkes Bay, across to Taranaki, through the Central North Island, down the Whanganui River and ending in Wellington.

Next year the Hui is being hosted by two clubs in Taranaki, Araukuku (Hawera) and Nga Pekanga (Waitara - Bell Block). It will be based at the TSB Hub with several hundred participants accommodated at local Marae.

The meeting efficiently covered a wide range of matters. These included dietary matters, choir judges, religious quiz, funding, liturgy, and the ‘Taonga' or awards which carry the mana of various generations of Maori catholic elders.

One faithful participant was Sr Makareta Tawaroa RSJ, who celebrates her 50th jubilee this year.

She is one of the religious quiz promoters. She had prepared booklets for the three sections involved (Mokopuna; Rangatahi; Matua - Midgets; Junior and Senior) which were avidly collected to start swotting up the material for next year!

Given a current shortage of Religious and priests to support the Hui Aranga, a discussion arose about the possibility of promoting Maori Catholic Catechists or permanent deacons.

One agreed point was such people need the backing of wives, whanau and Clubs.

2020 will mark the 75th jubilee of this Easter Hui which initiated at Pukekaraka, Otaki in 1944. The hosts will be the Wellington Clubs.

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Supplied

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

Several hundred people attended the event over Easter weekend this year.

The occasion marked 70 years since Hui Aranga first started.

Fr Phil Cody, SM, said the Baptisms were linked with Catholic Maori clubs from Whanganui and Hawkes Bay.

The ages of those baptised ranged from babies to adults, including three teenagers.

In an especially moving instance, a mother and child were both baptised, Fr Cody said.

"The Hawkes Bay group were prepared by the late Pa Hemi Hekiera SM, so it was very moving for Pa David Gledhill, who lived and worked with Pa Hemi in the missionary ‘Whaia Te Whaea', to complete the work he had begun."

Fr Cody said it is quite common to have Baptisms at the Easter Mass at the Hui Aranga, but noted that this year's number is higher than usual.

He noted a strong emphasis on youth at the Hui Aranga.

"The Hui is largely about youth - there is a special youth council and youth take part in as much as possible in the services - for example a group of 75 on stage singing ‘This little light of mine' as part of the Easter Vigil service of the Light of Christ.

"The Hui Aranga is where many Maori Catholic, young and old, find an expression of being fully Maori and Catholic."

The keenly contested Kapa Haka competitions were won by three clubs from the Whanganui River region - St Peter Chanel (senior), St Vincent (junior) and Parakino (midgets).

On Easter Sunday, before Mass, the nine clubs present dressed up in special uniforms and marched to Mass.

Pa Tipene Hancy was the local Maori priest who led the services on Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday.

"A big question facing Maori Catholic is priesthood and Maori seminarians to carry on the leading of the Hui," Fr Cody said.

Next year's Hui Aranga will be held at Aquinas College in Tauranga.

Sources

• Supplied
• Radio New Zealand
• Image: Supplied

It's five days of singing, sports, speech and drama competitions, religious quizzes and prayer.

Organising committee member Julie Tangaere says a highlight is always the choral and solo singing.

She says is draws people back such as Jim Panapa who has attended every Easter hui. Watea News

The Hui Aranga celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and involves kapa haka and sports competitions as well as a religious procession.

The chairperson of a Palmerston North Maori Catholic club, Rawiri Tinirau, says many non-religious members are still drawn to the Hui Aranga.

The Hui Aranga began with powhiri on Thursday afternoon at St Patrick's College in Silverstream, and concluded on Monday morning.

The Hui Aranga has been running since 1946. Continue reading

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From a Wellington point of view a special mark was the presence of Tu Hono Club from Porirua. The Maori teacher at Bishop Viard College, Turei Thompson, elders from Te Ngakau 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 Maori 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 Maori 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, Nga 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

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• Pa Piripi

The spiritual director for Te Waiora Catholic group in Palmerston North, Danny Karatia-Goddard, says many of the kapa haka compositions had a Tai Tokerau theme.

He says Northland is well known among Katorika (Catholics) as the cradle of Catholicism with waiata revolving around Bishop Pompallier, the first Bishop to New Zealand, who ministered among many Maori in the nineteenth century including in Tai Tokerau.

About 10 Catholic Maori Cultural Clubs from different parts of the North Island gathered for a combined cultural and faith experience involving kapa haka, sport, prayer, kai and time together in competition and catching up on family.

These Clubs have gathered in this way since 1946. This year the Northern club of Te Ropu o Te Whetu (Whangarei based) were the hosts and about 1500 people (two thirds of whom were youth or children) gathered at the Opononi Area School for the time from Thursday to Monday.

This area of the Hokianga was truly fitting because of the history of the place, which may be described as the cradle of the Catholic Church where Bishop Pompallier and his Marist companions first celebrated Mass and began their mission. Pompallier's remains are kept in a crypt at Motuti where they are honoured by Pa Henare Tate and the local people. The kaumatua from the Hui made their way across the harbour to visit the place during the Hui. The atmosphere of the Hokianga was very evident, right down to tasting the local mullet fish delicacy.

The weekend consisted in various gatherings under canvas to celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ. At times the Clubs would dress up especially for a religious procession or karakia. Then the many participants put on traditional costume for the waiata, poi, haka and combined action songs, all of which go towards an overall marking for the hui.

The local club from Wellington, called Nga Karere or The Messengers, won various trophies ranging from Midget Touch, Men's sacred solo, Midget religious quiz, senior men's tennis to Junior women's whaikorero (oratory). These trophies, which are called taonga (treasures) in fact take on a personal nature and generally are dedicated to ancestors who have died. In a sense they live on in these cups and shields and remind the winners and Clubs of the purpose of the Hui Aranga, namely to live out today the Love and selflessness portrayed for us in Jesus Christ.

In fact this kaupapa (purpose) of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus enters into everything, even the haka which echo strongly in the gathering!

There is a Central Council which co-ordinates the 10 or so clubs which centre mainly down the Whanganui River, (Ohakune or Ruapehu to St Vincents and St Peter Chanel) and then across to Taranaki and back to a strong presence at Tauranga and up to Hawkes Bay.

While Maori Catholic priests and Religious sisters are very thin on the ground, it was lovely to see Pa Tipene Hancy (Whanganui) there. Part of his family tree links with the local Nga Puhi people, so he was literally ‘at home'. The glow showed in his eyes.

Maori share the shortage of (Catholic) priests and face a tricky future if no vocations to priesthood surface. That may be a more important question for Maori Catholic and the Church to face - not ‘Who will be a Maori Bishop?', but who will be the Maori priests of the future?

There is a lovely spirit in the place, despite the fierce competition. One of the midgets asked me after they won the Touch rugby final, ‘Did you pray for us, Pa?'

In 2013 the Hui Aranga will be hosted by Te Araukuku, the Taranaki club and will be based at Hawera. In 2014 the Hui Aranga is due to return to Wellington, so already preparation and arrangements and especially fund-raising are under way.

The reggae song of Nepia Takuira-Mita makes a fitting completion to this report. Nepia won the senior men's sacred solo with a lively number and some of the key words are:

Hui Aranga, Hui Aranga, kia kaha, kia toa

(Easter Gathering, Hui Aranga, be strong, be brave)

Hui Aranga, Hui Aranga, te whanau kotahi mo te katoa.

(Easter Gathering, Hui Aranga, you form one family for us all)

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• Radio New Zealand
• Radio New Zealand
• Piripi Cody
• Image: Piripi Cody

The theme of the death and resurrection of Jesus is expressed in a Maori way in waiata (songs), haka, poi, Whaikorero (oratory) Patere (chants), Choir, Religious quiz, sports and liturgy. So the 600 or so who gathered from areas ranging from Whangarei to Wellington and Taranaki to Hawkes Bay, enjoyed whanaungatanga (being family), whakapono (expressing faith) and aroha (love and goodwill) as has been done since the first Hui Aranga at Otaki in 1946.

Highlights in the liturgy were a mime on Good Friday where the local teenagers acted out the passion and death of Jesus with a little help from the commentator who from time to time had to repeat the instructions to make sure they got it right! So the congregation witnessing it were caught up in a mixed set of emotions ranging from tears to laughter. The boy acting Jesus was so real the crowd gasped out loud as he crashed to the floor as he and the cross fell. In the end he was taken through a large black veil to the ‘tomb'. On Easter Sunday he emerged in glistening white.

Sports day on Saturday drew out the best of talent, especially in touch rugby and netball. The little ones were also well catered for in T-ball where tiny tots lined up in a very busy softball field running in all directions to field the ball.

Serious competitive performances of Maori action song and poi with words reflecting the central mystery of the Passover were balanced by activities like a talent quest with people dancing and applauding their young ones who delighted in being on stage.

A choir piece composed by Jenny McLeod, former Professor of Music at Victoria University, centred on the theme of ‘E Te Ariki, whakarongo mai ki a matou' (Lord, listen to our prayer). The highlight of that choral work came at the end of the Mass of the Resurrection on Sunday with a combined choir of about 250 people all singing the 4 part harmony in an outburst of thanksgiving.

Activities like a midget, junior and senior Religious Quiz brought some strange answers about the Faith as people battled to respond accurately to the tricky questions of elder kuia Biddy Mareikura and Home of Compassion Sister, Sr Dorothea, now into her 90's, who have run the quiz for 20 or so years!

The general conclusion at the end of the four days was that the Hui was successful and refreshing, despite the late nights and the long journey home. Once again, an initiative begun by the early Marist Missioners to combine the best of being Maori with the heart of the Faith, proved both life-giving and memorable.

The Hui Aranga, which travels from area to area, is due to be held next year at Whangarei, hosted by the local Maori with the support of the local parish.

Source

• Philip Cody
• Image: Philip Cody