The Vatican’s recently announced a set of guidelines for cremation, ash spreading, and burial. Spokeswoman Simone Olsen says the Catholic Church in New Zealand will follow guidelines from the Vatican. The practice of ash spreading is particularly pertinent in the New Zealand at this time because a number of iwi have been expressing their concern about Read more
Last week, Te Puea Marae offered shelter to the homeless and now they have launched a support programme, Manaaki Tangata, for those looking for help. Marae board chair Hurimoana Dennis said they had approached the Ministry of Social development for financial aid but had yet to hear back. “It isn’t cheap but at the same time Read more
The education system did me proud when I learned New Zealand history – briefly – at primary school. It never bothered again; British history was much more important; but there were always Weet-Bix cards to collect, and they told you all you’d ever need to know about the national story. We learned how lucky Maori Read more
One of the most daunting things about sending our boy to boarding school was that, for the first six weeks, aside from handwritten letters, we weren’t allowed to have any contact with him. In the pre-email, pre-free calling era, this would have been fairly standard. Back in the day, boarding school parents didn’t have much choice Read more
In his last year at school David Gledhill was asked about his future plans. Put on the spot, David admitted that he was considering study for the priesthood… “I thought ‘I’ll give it a go. They’ll discover I’m not suitable. Then I’ll go home and get on with the rest of my life’.” But they never Read more
There were 21 Baptisms at Easter Sunday Mass at the 2016 Hui Aranga gathering held in Whanganui. 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 Māori clubs from Whanganui and Hawkes Read more
Rob McGowan, a former Catholic priest, has spent 20 years in teaching, researching and assisting Māori engage in traditional uses of native plants. McGowan is one of the foremost authorities on rongoā Māori (traditional Māori medicine) and is well respected nationally for his work with and for the restoration of rongoā Māori practice in New Read more
It was at the time of those terrible raids and terrorist allegations, during which any media coverage of the affair was very one-sided, and the Tuhoe were portrayed as a threat to national security. In light of this, the prospect of travelling into the heart of the Ureweras and staying with this group of people Read more
For the most part Te Ao Mārama looks just like the other low to medium security units at Waikeria prison. Sixty cells surround a central yard on three sides. On the fourth is a dining hall, behind that the meeting areas and offices. The perimeter fence is lined with coils of barbed wire, over which Read more
Last month a small delegation of New Zealand Anglicans attended the biennial Anglican Indigenous Network (AIN) conference which was held in New York. Before the Conference, the delegation met with former Prime Minister Helen Clark, who is now the Head of the United Nations Development Programme. The delegation also met with New Zealand’s Permanent Representative to Read more