Ngāti Ruanui chairman Haimona Maruera is among the large group eagerly awaiting the launching of Te Matatini in Te Kāhui Maunga and the announcement of 50 judges tasked with selecting the champions of the national senior kapa haka competition next year.
Maruera says it has been a long time since Te Matatini has been within his home district, and he is excited to celebrate with the multitudes expected to come watch.
“I a mātou i roto i te tau 94 ki roto i te Hāwera mātou e hāpai. Nōreira tēnei mokopuna mō te kaiwhakairo o aua wā kua haramai ki te whakanui i waenganui i te marea kua haramai mai i te motu whānui.”
Back in 1994, when it was in Hāwera, we were the supporting hands. So here is a descendant of the carvers at that time and I have come to celebrate among the crowds, who are travelling here from right across the country.
The preparation for launching a Matatini is strenuous but Maruera says they have had months of preparation and practice for the welcoming ceremony.
“I roto i ngā marama kua tīmata ngā whakaharatau mō te pōhiri. Nōku tētahi wāhanga o te mau rākau me te rākau hāpai e kawe, koinā tāku e kohaina ki te kaupapa nei. Engari, mā Te Aroha Broughton rāua tahi ko Te Taepa, te poi pōhiri e kawe ake mō Te Matatini.”
In months gone we’ve started practising for the welcome. I was tasked with a part of the mau rākau to conduct, that’s one of my gifts for this event. But Aroha Broughton and Te Taepa are tasked with the poi pōhiri for Te Matatini.
However, the overall experience they want to achieve for this Te Matatini comes from ancient times.
“Manako nui ka haramai i roto i te Kāhui Maunga, me kī te Kāhui Poropiti, tātou e kawe ake i a Tītokowaru, ā tae noa nei ki a Tohu, Te Whiti, Te Ua Haumēne. Koinei mātou e pōhiritia nei, i ngā poropiti o te rangi nei, koinā tā mātou e paimārire ai.”
The big hope is they enter into the kāhui maunga, into the gathering of prophets we will be carrying with us, Tītokowaru, Tohu, Te Whiti, Te Ua Haumēne. This is who we are welcoming, the prophets from above.