Rotorua’s annual Waitangi Day event is shifting its venue.
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See below for English translation
Kua puta te whakatau a ngā rangatira whakahaere i te rangi whakanui o Waitangi ka kawea kētia tā tātou kaupapa ki Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa. Ko te manaaki i te manuwhiri te take. Kua ara ake te āmaimai o te ngākau o te hau kāinga ki te pikinga o te kaha o te wera me te papahū o ngā waiariki o te pā taunaha.He ahakoa kai te kawea te kaupapa ki wāhi kē atu ko te uho o te kaupapa kai Ōhinemutu e kore e wareware i a tātou katoa.
Ka nui te whakaaetanga o te tiamana o te kōmiti o Paratehoata a Norma Sturley. ' E harikoa ana te ngākau, he ahakoa kai whenua kē tā tātou kaupapa whakaharahara ko te mea nui kai te kaha tonu te rangi whakamaumahara i te rā o Waitangi.
Kua kōwhatungia te mana o Waitangi ki te pā taunaha o Ōhinemutu i ngā tau ko kori, hai aha i a koe kai taku whenua taurikura – he waimarie nō tātou kai te kaha tonu te kaupapa, ka rua he ahakoa kai Wai Ariki Spa te kaupapa, e pai ana, nō Ngāti Whakaue tonu te whenua rā'.
Kua whakaarongia e tātou he aha pea he kaupapa pai mō te rangi, ā, ka whakapuhaina atu te kaupapa, ‘Wellness’. E aro pū ana ki te taha wairua, te taha hinengaro, te whānau, te taiao, te taha pūtea me te oranga o te hāpori.
The flag parade of nations at our previous waitangi mo te Aroha o te iwi.
Ka kawea hoki tēnei kaupapa e ngā toa hoko kai me ngā mākete. Ka whakangāhautia te manuwhiri ki ngā momo whakangāhau huhua hoki ka tū ki Wai Ariki Spa.
Nā Pukeroa Lakefront Holdings Limited (PLHL) te mana o Wai Ariki Spa. Kua riro i a rātou etehi whakawhiwhinga taonga i te tau ko hori mō te mana o te whakaaro ki te whaihanga whare rangatira pēnei i tēnei nā.
He whare manaaki, he whare rangatira, he whare tiaki ahurea otīā he whare rangimārie. Me te harikoa hoki o tō David Tapsell whatumanawa kia riro i a rātou te mana whakahaere mō te kaupapa nui o Waitangi ā te tauhou.
‘Tērā ka hua ake te pānuitanga, he whenua pāhekeheke nō roto o Ōhinemutu, ka wawe mātou ki te whakatūwhera i te whatitoka ki te kaupapa o Waitangi, e hāngai pū ana ki ngā mātāpono o te pā taunaha me Waitangi. Nō mātou te honore nui ki te whakamanuwhiri i ngā tai e whā o te motu ki tō tātou whenua mahana’, hai tā Rāwiri.
Tuhia te rangi whakaharahara ki te wātaka e hoa mā. Ko te kaupapa, ko Waitangi – Mō te Iwi 2024. Ka tū a te Tūrei te tuaono o Pepuere. Mai i te atatū, ā, heke iho ki te ahiahi. Nau mai haere e ngā reo, e ngā kaha ki Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa.
English Translation
Rotorua’s annual Waitangi Day event is shifting its venue for next year, ensuring it maintains its momentum and cultural significance.
Due to increased geothermal activity on the Ruāpeka, the 2024 Waitangi – Mō te Iwi will relocate to Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa to prioritise public safety.
Traditionally hosted in Ōhinemutu, the event offers a fantastic day out for the entire whānau while acknowledging the cultural and historical significance of Waitangi Day.
Paratehoata Marae Committee chair, Norma Sturley, affirms that with the move to Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa the event’s core purpose will remain intact.
“We’re pleased to continue delivering this event to our community and visitors, even with the location change. Thousands of locals and visitors to the city have enjoyed the event in previous years.
The area is still rich in culture and history, which is important. Wai Ariki Spa is on Ngati Whakaue land, making it a natural and meaningful choice,” she says.
Waitangi - Aroha mo te Iwi poster boy, Te Moana Ngarimu-Deegan outside next year’s venue, Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa.
The theme for next year’s event is ‘Wellness’, with a focus on spiritual, mental, family, environmental, economic, and community well-being. Market stalls and activities will align with this theme. The tranquil setting of Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa will host a variety of performances, enhancing the relaxation and enrichment of the event.
Pukeroa Lakefront Holdings Limited (PLHL) owns Wai Ariki Spa, which received three prestigious awards at this year’s Designers Institute Awards for creating a culturally, architecturally, experiential, and beautiful space.
PLHL chairman, David Tapsell, expressed his enthusiasm for hosting next year’s event at Wai Ariki.
“When Ōhinemutu became unsafe to host the event, we were more than willing to offer our support and provide a new venue at Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa,” says David.
“Wai Ariki Spa’s unique blend of cultural significance and architectural innovation aligns perfectly with the spirit of Waitangi – Mō te Iwi, as we all come together to acknowledge our shared history and well-being. We look forward to hosting a memorable event next year,” he says.
■ Save the date: Waitangi – Mō te Iwi 2024 will take place on Tuesday, 6 February from 10 am to 3 pm. It is an event that promises to be both culturally enriching and architecturally splendid at its new home, Wai Ariki Hot Springs & Spa.
