The voices of three proud cultures echoed through a Rotorua wharenui on Monday morning.
Māori, Samoan and Fijian communities gathered at Te Papaiōuru Marae in Ōhinemutu for a stirring pōhiri to welcome two Pacific rugby giants ahead of this weekend’s international clash.
Manu Samoa will take on the Flying Fijians in a rugby union test match at Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday.
With protocols observed and jandals left at the door, the teams shed the label of visitors and were embraced as whānau.
The idea of calling them “visitors” was described as “strange”, given their shared heritage with Māori and the understanding that “all are cousins”, those gathered heard.
Manu Samoa’s Michael Alaalatoa reflected on those ties, saying Pacific people were “all connected by water” and “all came on the same waka”.
He described the pōhiri as “special” and “intimate”, a moment that set the tone for their week training in Rotorua and the game ahead.
Ministry of Social Development Waiariki Bay of Plenty regional public service commissioner Ezra Schuster said he was “humbled” to hear the voices, especially those of mokopuna – Rotorua Primary School students helped welcome the team with song.
Schuster said it was “interesting” how the term “Pacific” had become common because before, they were all simply seen as the children of Moana-nui-a-Kiwa (the Pacific Ocean).
The pōhiri reminded everyone of their shared strengths rather than their differences, he said.
He also joked that it would be a mission for everyone to reunite with their own jandals after the welcome, and that Rotorua would soon be cleaned out of a Pacific food staple: corned beef.
Match operations manager Cathy Newman described the welcome as “mind-blowing” and said Rotorua had “completely embraced” hosting the two teams.
Newman said it was “pretty special” to have the Samoa and Fiji national teams in Rotorua, the “cultural centre of New Zealand”.
She said there had been a “hell of a lot” of work in the background to make the event happen, and hoped the punters would come out to appreciate it on Saturday.
“Two international teams, it’s been a while since we’ve had that,” Newman said.
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell said the community was “incredibly proud” to host the event, especially after the Rotorua Boys’ High School First XV became national champions the day before.
“We can’t say how meaningful it is that they get to see you here in our community”, she said to the teams.
Tourism and economic development agency RotoruaNZ is the main sponsor of the event and chief executive Andrew Wilson attended the pōhiri.
He said he hoped lots of locals and visitors would make the most of seeing some “top-flight” rugby.
He said ticket sales were starting to “accelerate” and encouraged people to get tickets “sooner rather than later”.
Wilson said the crowd and atmosphere will make for a “good day out” emphasised by some great halftime entertainment.
The pōhiri followed a fan event welcoming Manu Samoa on Sunday, hosted by the Rotorua Pacific Islands Development Charitable Trust.
Te Manawa in the CBD was a sea of blue and red as flag-waving fans came out to meet the team.
Rotorua businesses have also been getting into the spirit of the match.
Mountain Jade will gift a specially created taonga to Manu Samoa, while Ebbett Rotorua will fill a BYD Shark ute with rugby balls to donate to local schools and clubs.
Tickets to see Manu Samoa take on the Flying Fijians at Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday are available through Ticketmaster.
Kickoff is at 3pm and hip-hop legend King Kapisi is set to perform the halftime show.
Annabel Reid is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, based in Rotorua. Originally from Hawke’s Bay, she has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canterbury.