Twin Maori celebrations

The beginning of Whanganui's Maori New Year and the opening of a carved gateway made for a series of celebrations at Putiki yesterday.

It was pre-dawn when they began. The moon was bright and the river a calm reflective surface.

People muffled up in coats gathered beside the Putiki slipway to usher in the Maori New Year - called Puanga by Whanganui Maori after the star that rises to mark its beginning.

Ancient chants were recited and a song sung as the crowd proceeded slowly down the slipway toward the river. It paused as a boat carrying a flaming barrel moved slowly downstream.

One set of formalities over, the crowd moved to Anaua St outside Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Atihaunui a Paparangi for the opening of its new carved waharoa (gateway).

More karakia were said by Morvin Simon, Turama Hawira and Ruka Broughton, before a rousing haka.

The waharoa covering was removed. The children filed through it first, with the crowd following into a tented tunnel strung with lights.

The kura's principal, Miriama Harmer, said the gateway was carved by Jason Hina. The school had waited a long time for it but the fact that it was ready for unveiling at Puanga and the day of a transit of Venus was no coincidence.

"We love the fact that it links onto our urupa (cemetery): from the old to the new," she said.

After that visitors were welcomed into the dining room at Putiki Marae for a sumptuous breakfast served to more than 150 people. They were entertained during it by spirited kapa haka from first the children of the school, then Te Roopu o Parikino and then an older group led by Morvin and Kura Simon.

The children of the kura had a day of celebration to follow, Ms Harmer said. After breakfast they welcomed the pupils of other kura Maori and kohanga reo, had two hours' entertainment and lunch, then went home for the day.