Whanganui Raukotahi a hit

Last week I attended "Raukotahi Whanganui" - a four-day celebration of Iwitanga and Whanganuitanga in our city of Whanganui. The hui began early in the morning with ruruku at Pakaitore - to commemorate 18 years since the 79-day occupation which raised awareness that Pakaitore (often called Moutoa Gardens) was indeed a pa site - and was therefore significant to the iwi as a traditional place for trade and for meeting.

It was the first day of an organised number of events celebrating who we are as a collective of whanau and hapu of Whanganui. I marvelled at the organisation that went into ensuring that there was an event for every age group, including a marae waka ama competition, a triathlon, giveaway prizes, bands, a children's day at Kowhai Park, a summit to discuss our hopes and aspirations for the future, workshops on governance, financial literacy and technology and a special dinner to celebrate 25 years of the Tira Hoe Waka - our annual pilgrimage down the Whanganui river.

Gerard Albert, one of our young Whanganui leaders, addressed the summit and explained why the four-day celebration of our iwitanga is known as Raukotahi.

"Raukotahi refers to the way in which our elders of any particular generation will remind the next generation of who, and what, contributes to their make up. And in this way - haramai /haere atu koe i to Raukotahi - kei muri i a koe, kei mua i a koe, kei o taha to Rarangi Matua. Come and go not as a singular identity but as one who is a culmination of all those who were before you, all those that stand at your side and all those who will follow after you. Raukotahi ..."

I think this description aptly fits our tikanga of whanau inclusion, of recognition of our elders and the role they must play in our future, and the recognition of our rangatahi - our future generations.

Gerard rightly reminded us that our connectedness as whanau and hapu has been steadily subverted by alienation, dislocation, denial of access to our reo (particularly our own mita), our tikanga and the breaking down of our whanau and hapu-based systems. Gerard's description of how much or how little our people are connected to our hapu and iwi range from "te ahi kaa roa", those who have remained at home and are actively involved in iwi affairs, to those who have little connection with tribal affairs even if they still live in our homelands.

Raukotahi is the accumulation of all the events that we continue to commemorate and celebrate. Over the past 25 years we have recognised the importance of our tikanga and culture with the Tira Hoe Waka, by establishing wananga to revitalise our Whanganui dialect, by pursuing claims over the Whanganui river and our lands, by voicing our opposition to Labour's Foreshore and Seabed legislation, by pursuing the correct spelling of our city in line with our river and much more. Raukotahi Whanganui is an acknowledgement and celebration for all that we have achieved in the past - for our future generations.

The four days ended with ruruku from Gerard Albert and karakia from kaumatua John Maihi. I congratulate everyone involved in a successful inaugural celebration. I look forward to Raukotahi Whanganui 2014. Koutou nga rangatahi, nga rangatira o te ra ka nui te mihi kia koutou.