Ratana draws Janice home for wedding

SPECIAL PLACE: Janice Tanerau and her fiance Ove Pettersen plan to tie the knot at Ratana this weekend. PHOTO/LEWIS GARDNER 230115WCLGRATANA1

Janice Tanerau is happy to be home to celebrate the birthday of prophet Tahupotiki Wiremu (TW) Ratana this weekend.

"I have been living in Bergen in Norway for 13 years now but I try to come back when I can.

"I grew up here - my whanau are here and the place will always be home to me."

Janice's partner Ove Pettersen is seeing Ratana and New Zealand for the first time since meeting her in Norway two years ago.

"We are planning a surprise for the whanau this weekend and we plan to marry in the church here" Janice said.

She met her first husband, also from Norway, when she was working at a fishery in Auckland and he was in a Norwegian fishing boat.

"Even though I have lived in Norway for so long and my children were born over there, this place is always with me.

"It doesn't matter how far you travel or how long you stay away - if you are from Ratana it is always with you."

Mr Pettersen was happy to see the place where Janice comes from and meet her whanau and friends.

"It is a very special place and I already feel quite at home here too" he said.