Central Hawke's Bay residents will notice an increased Mongrel Mob presence in the region this weekend, as the Central Hawke's Bay Chapter - one of the country's oldest - celebrates its 50th anniversary at Tapairu Marae in Waipawa.
Waipukurau Police OC Sergeant Mel Humphries says while there will be an increased police presence over the weekend, with Hastings Police also being deployed to cover the event, she is not expecting any issues.
Club spokesman and founder member of the Central chapter, Ngavii Pekepo, says several hundred members, family and associates of the Central chapter are expected to attend the celebrations, which will start with a powhiri on Friday, March 13, then continue with hui and urupa visits before the main celebrations on Saturday.
"We have a set agenda for the weekend," Ngavii says, "including urupa viaits, patching ceremonies and discussions about what we do with our youth.
"I joined as a teenager. I was 16 and there were 11 of us in Central.
"Look how big it is now ... I never thought it would come to this.
"We have been here for 50 years, where will our youth be in 50 years?"
Ngavii says apart from visits to local urupa [cemeteries] to pay respects to past members, everything will be confined to Tapairu Marae.
"There will be no reason for members to be in the towns.
"We're aware that the presence of patched members can be uncomfortable for some people. Gangs have been involved with some senseless stuff, stupid stuff, criminal activities. We've not been angels and the public don't forget. Once you're branded you're branded."
The club has informed Maori Wardens of the event and met with Central Hawke's Bay Police and Eastern District Police Gang Liaison officers.
"We also want to let the public know about the event," Ngavii explains. "This is our community and if they see patched up people travelling through town, now at least they know what the situation is."
The Central Chapter has set protocols in place for the weekend including that the event be "P-free" and all the celebrations confined to the marae.
"Anyone breaking the rules will be spoken to and if it can't be sorted they will be asked to leave. It's about respect. There is a set kaupapa for the weekend, we want to set a benchmark for other clubs. We really want this to go smoothly."
The Central Chapter is one of the oldest Mongrel Mob chapters in the country, after Hastings, Wellington and Porirua.
Ngavii says when he was approached by school friend Lenny Carroll to join in 1970, neither of them knew anything about gangs.
"We were just a bunch of local boys, there were no patches ... we wore yellow T-shirts.
"There was Friday night shopping in Waipukurau so we'd go into town, meet our friends, go to the picture theatre then load up with sherry and smoke cigarettes down at the river.
"It was all about the camaraderie. Later on when we all had jobs we all ended up getting Ford cars. We were into sport - most of us were Ross Shield kids and went on to play in regional and national sides. I captained the HB league team.
"I can't believe 50 years has gone so fast
"Now our focus needs to be on our young ones ... they need to get into employment, have futures. We will be talking about that over the weekend."