40779: MAORI PROGRAM 24/07/68

"Centennial Celebrations of Te Hāhi Ringatū. Held at Tāmanuhiri Marae in Muriwai, Gisborne 28 June to 2 July 1968 (programme one of two).

Announcer - introduction.
""The Ringatū Church, the faith of the Upraised Hand. In this programme we listen to excerpts from the 100th Centennial Celebration Hui, held at Muriwai, Gisborne, from 28 June to 2 July. The Ringatū followers of the faith, gathered from far and wide to take part in the most important aspect of the hui, the church services, which were held continuously over the first four days.""

Bell and Karakia.

Announcer - ""According to the rules of the Ringatū faith, the services were closed to all except the followers of the church, but we were allowed to record the service on the marae courtyard on the final day. The Ringatū Church custom of the services being conducted entirely from memory and completely in Māori, was a feature made known to the general public on that occasion... The Ringatū Church authorities appointed Tawehi Wirihana the church elder for the Tai Rawhiti area, to tell us something of the history, the traditions and the laws of the Ringatū faith, and naturally this was also given in Māori. He told of many facts of the founder of the faith, Te Kooti Rikirangi, that he was christened an Anglican, was married in the Roman Catholic Church, and finally the faith he formulated during his three year term at Wharekauri, the Chatham Islands, and established on his return. He stressed the fact that the Pai Marire, the Hauhau religion, and the Ringatū religion, were two completely different beliefs, and that the service of the Ringatū, its prayers, psalms and hymns are taken from the Holy Bible. The complete 'Maoriness' of the church service, including the ancient chant form of singing the psalms and the hymns, was done purposely to retain the Māoritanga in its entirety. Tawehi told of many things too numerous to mention here.""

Commentary.

Announcer - ""The venue of the anniversary celebrations, the Tāmanuhiri Marae at Muriwai, was a significant one. It is the only marae on which no blood was shed in Te Kooti Rikirangi's raids in Poverty Bay and the nearest marae to Whareongaonga, where Te Kooti landed from Wharekauri on 10th July 1868. After days of indifferent weather, the glorious sunshine of the final day provided the appropriate setting for the marae courtyard with the Tāmanuhiri carved meeting house close to the sea at Te Kuri-a-Paoa, and overlooked by the high cliffs of Pāria-mā-mai-rā, now commonly known as Young Nick's Head, the first part of New Zealand sighted by Captain Cook and his crew of the Endeavour. Hundreds were gathered on the marae to welcome the Governor-General, Sir Arthur Porritt, Lady Porritt and the Vice-Regal party, who had come to honour the invitation of the Ringatū Church.""

Ceremonial welcome.

Announcer - ""...Their Excellencies, who were escorted on to the marae by Kahutia Te Hau, elder of the host Tāmanuhiri people, and Puti Mete, granddaughter of Te Kooti Rikirangi. ...""

Reverend Kahutia Te Hau - speech.

Announcer - ""... We listen to Mr Arnold Reedy, representing the Ngāti Porou tribe of the East Coast.

Arnold Reedy - Whaikōrero and speech in English.

Announcer - ""Although most of the services were conducted by the Poutikanga, or president of the Ringatū faith, Paora Delamere, other denominations also played their part...The youth...were represented by Ngapo Wehi, te kai wero...Ngākohu Pērā, paramount chief of the Whakatōhea tribe of Mātaatua...90 year old.""

Ngākohu Pērā - whaikōrero.

Announcer - concluding remarks. Theme music."

Takapau Flavell
takapau.flavell@whakatohea.co.nz

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