Iwi come together for Taranaki Tū Mai

Peter Verschaffelt Debbie Ngarewa-Packer | Iwi come together for Taranaki Tu Mai

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Iwi from around Taranaki have come together at Taiporo’enui marae in Hawera for the first Taranaki Tū Mai festival since the pandemic.

MP and former Ngāti Ruanui chief executive Debbie Ngarewa Packer says the celebration usually draws more than 2500 people for sports and cultural activities over the weekend.

“It’s the first time this amount of us have come together since pre-Covid and there will be kawe mate, taonga, a lot of tangi we couldn’t got to support each other with. It is going to be really emotional but also really beautiful to be able to whakawhanaunga together,” she says.

Ms Ngarewa Packer says Taranaki Tū Mai is a great opportunity for the iwi’s mokopuna to get to know each other.

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