Ngāti Hine Festival to draw crowds to Ōtiria this weekend

Large crowds were at Ōtiria Marae for the previous Te Āhuareka o Ngāti Hine Festival, in 2023.

Far North iwi Ngāti Hine will be celebrating its cultural identity, history and the road ahead at a massive festival this weekend held at Ōtiria Marae and expected to attract thousands.

Te Āhuareka o Ngāti Hine Festival started in 2008 and has been used as a vehicle to showcase, celebrate and preserve te reo and tikanga of Ngāti Hine. The last festival was held in 2023 and it’s back again from Friday to Sunday at Ōtiria Marae.

The kaupapa or theme for this festival is: “Ka kakati te namu.” This saying comes from Te Tangi a Kawiti, first uttered in the days immediately after the withdrawal from Te Ruapekapeka Pa on Jan 11, 1846.

It is said that while the defenders of Te Ruapekapeka, withdrew, were resting and convalescing at Pukepoto, a small hill in the area now known as Glenbervie, Kawiti gathered his loyal warriors and addressed them in the dawn of the early morning.

“Ka kakati te namu” are but four words from Kawiti’s full address.

These words mean “The sandfly nips”.

The rest of the line is “i te whārangi o te pukapuka” or at the pages of the book.

The book refers to He Whakaputanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Over the years, the festival has attracted thousands of attendees with its lively, thought-provoking tautohetohe debates, kapa haka, kai, stage entertainment, mahi tuna, tamariki activities and art exhibitions.

Te Āhuareka was the name of Te Ruki Kawiti’s whare rūnanga at Waiōmio that is said to have been built in the 1820s.

“Ahuareka” means “pleasant, agreeable, entertaining, pleasing”, words that aptly capture the essence of the festival and hence why it got that name.

This year, Te Āhuareka is being held at Ōtiria Marae from Friday, March 28 to Sunday, March 30.

To find out more about Te Āhuareka go to https://www.teahuareka.com/