A Taranaki and Ngāti Ruanui rangatira says last weekend’s Puanga Kai Rau festival at Parihaka was a chance for a new generation to connect with their Māoritanga.
Rather than the Matariki constellation, Taranaki iwi marked the new year by observing the rise of the star Puanga in the pre-dawn sky.
Ruakere Hond says that was a highlight of the festival, which also included a wānanga on regenerative agriculture and gardening and music from Whirimako Black and local artists.
He says almost 800 people turned out, doubling last year’s attendance.
“Within those 800 probably a third would be non-Māori and most of them are our own whanaunga that are coming back to reconnect with their Parihakatanga and reconnect with their tikanga. Obviously a lot of them young children, youth that are really engaged, I believe really engaged with te ao Māori,” he says.
Ruakere Hond credits Che Wilson from Ngati Rangi with rediscovering much of the tikanga around Puanga.
