Ngāruahine gearing up to host Taranaki Tū Mai

Media Release: Ngāruahine gearing up to host

For Immediate Release

Thursday, 26 Kohitātea (January 2017)

Ngāruahine is gearing up for Labour Weekend event where the iwi of Taranaki will compete in sporting and cultural events in one of the region’s most significant events of the Māori calendar.

Taranaki Tū Mai is a biennial event where iwi of Taranaki come together to celebrate Taranakitanga, Whanaungatanga and Whakapapa through Hākinakina (sport), Kapa Haka (cultural performances) and Wānanga (learning forums). 2017 will see the fifth Taranaki Tū Mai Festival to be held in Ngāruahine at Manaia, following the hosting in 2009 by Te Ātiawa at Waitara, 2011 by Taranaki Iwi at Parihaka, 2013 by Ngā Rauru Kītahi at Waverley and last year by Ngāti Mutunga at Urenui.

As the event has gone from strength to strength and the increasing numbers have seen the festival move from late November to take advantage of the long Labour Day weekend. “It is always difficult to find a date that suits all whānau” says Cheryl Luke-Maraki, Te Korowai o Ngāruahine Trustee and festival lead, “but by moving Taranaki Tū Mai to Labour Weekend we give our whānau who are travelling the ability to participate as much as possible.”

Taranaki Tū Mai Festival is governed by the Taranaki Tū Mai Charitable Trust, Trust Chair Wharehoka Wano says “With most of our iwi in Taranaki now through their historical treaty settlements we see the Taranaki Tū Mai festival as a chance more than ever to come together as iwi, enjoy each other’s company, celebrate who we are and have fun”. Wano commented on the friendly rivalry that develops and that Ngā Ruahine will be looking to take full advantage of their home patch knowledge and Ngāti Maru are looking to defend their overall title as last year’s champions using settlement planning hui as a cover for waiata practices - “it’s all on whānau!” he laughed.

Key Information:

The festival will begin with a pōwhiri at Waiokura Marae at 2pm Friday 20th Whiringa-a-nuku (October) 2017 and will end with a poroporoaki at 4pm on Sunday Taranaki Tū Mai.

Details on the sports, compulsory waiata and other events will be provided on the iwi’s facebook and website and through each of the iwi offices.

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