Wairau welcomes whānau

Rangitāne festival back for first time in a decade

EVAN TUCHINSKY

Undeterred by heavy winds the day before the start of Te Tapuwaetahi o Rangitāne, hundreds of whānau gathered in Wairau for three days under warm, sunny skies.

The festival, which began in 2009, returned here for the first time in over a decade. It ran Friday through Sunday and united Rangitāne whānau from across Aotearoa.

Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua, Wairarapa, Manawatū and Wairau. Their collective comprises four iwi — Rangitāne o Wairau, Rangitāne o Wairarapa, Rangitāne o Tamaki-nui-a-Rua and Rangitāne o Manawatū — which operate as independent legal and governance entities yet share a common whakapapa and cultural heritage. Corey Hebberd, Kaiwhakahaere Matua (general manager) at Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau, called Te Tapuwaetahi o Rangitāne a chance to rekindle old relationships and create new ones for the next generation.

“It’s about coming together,” he said, “reconnecting with each other and with the places and people that shape who we are.”  Indeed, whānau visited sites of significance around Wairau. They convened Friday at Omaka Marae for Pōwhiri, a formal welcome. Sunday’s Hikoi (walking) brought whānau to Pokapoka in the morning and Wairau Bar around noon. On Saturday they enjoyed friendly competition in Hākinakina (sports) at Stadium 2000 and honoured excellence in arts, culture, taiao and tribal leadership during the Tū Mai Rā Awards Dinner at Marlborough Events Centre.

Te Tapuwaetahi o Rangitāne concluded Sunday evening with a housie and quiz night at Ūkaipō along with a movie night for tamariki (children) and rangatahi (youth).  “We’ve had three days of kōrero, laughter, learning and recognition. It’s been a chance to reconnect and look ahead together,” added Corey.