Taranaki Tu Mai celebrates past, present and future

More than 2000 people with Taranaki whakapapa will be heading to Manaia this weekend for the biennial Taranaki Tu Mai festival.

Omahuru Robinson from hosts Ngati Ruanui says as well as sports, debates, kapa haka, and general whanaungatanga, there will be a wananga tonight facilitated by Ruakere Hond.

He’ll focus on one of the area’s most controversial figures, as seen through the lens of a ngeri or haka written by orator Huirangi Waikerepuru.

"This particular ngeri is called Teeraa Te Wa and it's in reference to one of our greatest tipuna, Titokowaru, and all the escapades and crusades he went about in the name of peace, but inadvertently reverting to war when that particular pathway seemed to have no solid conclusion," Mr Robinson says.

For the first time the Wharekauri-Chatham Islands branch of Ngati Mutunga is sending a large delegation to Taranaki Tu Mai, which starts at 2pm today with a powhiri at Waiokura Marae.

OMAHURU ROBINSON FULL INTERVIEW

Follow us on &

Copyright © 2017, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com

RELATED NEWS

Ngati Toa takes on trade trainees Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern talks to Dale Husband; Visiting Ihumaatao not ruled out Maori doctors on the rise