Ratana church gifts Jacinda Ardern a name for her baby

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she feels privileged to be gifted a name for her baby by the Ratana Church, but is yet to decide whether to accept it.

During the powhiri for Ardern, Ratana chair Andre Mason said the gift for her baby was of a middle name - Te Waru. It means 'eight' and is a reference to the 8th of November 1918 - the date the prophet Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana had the divine revelation that led to his founding of the Ratana Church in 1925.

After the powhiri, Ratana spokesman Piri Rurawhe said it was significant for the Church to bestow that name as a gift. "It's the first time I've heard of a child being named Te Waru so it's absolutely appropriate I think."

He said the gesture came as a surprise but it was appropriate. He would like to see Ardern take up the name "but we are a very rangimarie, very peaceful people but we wish her health and wellbeing for both her and her baby."

Ardern said the suggestion was warmly given and the name would be added to a long list. She was aware of the significance of the number.

She said all the children who lived on her street had also sent cards suggesting their names be used as well as various colleagues.

"There are a lot of months of arguing between Clarke [Gayford] and I before any names are settled upon."

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And we thought 2017 was a big year! Clarke and I are really excited that in June our team will expand from two to three, and that we’ll be joining the many parents out there who wear two hats. I’ll be Prime Minister AND a mum, and Clarke will be “first man of fishing” and stay at home dad. I think it’s fair to say that this will be a wee one that a village will raise, but we couldn’t be more excited. I know there will be lots of questions, and we’ll answer all of them (I can assure you we have a plan all ready to go!) But for now, bring on 2018.

A post shared by Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern) on Jan 18, 2018 at 1:44pm PST

Ardern said the welcome was warm and she felt the expectation on her.

"There's great hope amongst the people of the Ratana Movement that we will fulfil some of the things we've talked about like addressing child poverty, unemployment issues. I take that with me."

One of the gifts the prophet TW Ratana gave to Michael Joseph Savage was a feather which is still at Ratana Pa and will be returned to Labour when Ratana believed it had fulfilled its commitments to the Movement.

Ardern said that was the expectation on her "and that should be our ambition".

"I know how seriously Michael Joseph Savage took that relationship. We kept with us all the commitments he made and we will work towards fulfilling them."

Ardern also responded to Green Party leader James Shaw's new nickname of "baby mumma" for her during his address in the powhiri, saying it was the first time she had heard it. "It was definitely ... fresh. I'm not sure it will stick," was her clearly unimpressed verdict.

Jacinda Ardern also responded to Green Party leader James Shaw's new nickname of "baby mumma" for her during his address. Photo / Stuart Munro

After the powhiri Ardern walked around the grounds of the pa meeting children and those attending. It ensured a paltry audience turned up for the National contingent which followed - National's own delegation of about 20 was slim compared to the Labour-NZ First-Greens delegation which filled the tent in front of the marae.

Ardern heads to Waitangi at the start of February, saying it would be "a fresh start" for relations up there. She would not comment on National leader Bill English's decision to avoid Waitangi. "That's entirely over to him. I have a view that the place I need to be is Waitangi."