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| Photo from 2009 article about Marae at Rapaki being rebuilt. |
We are getting ready to leave for an overnight at the Rapaki Marae near Lyttelton Harbor. Generally, these trips are considered sacred and we are not allowed to take photographs, so I am including below the steps we will follow to be called onto the Marae. Erin will be our female representative and the group will be singing Here Comes The Sun as our song. Our koha is salt water taffy from Daytona Beach, FL and a CD of classic soul songs from 60s from the U.S.A. Tomorrow we will set off directly from the Marae in the morning to Quail Island for some conservation restoration work that Erin will report on. Warm Regards, Meryl
Powhiri
The powhiri is the welcome ceremony; it involves two
groups of people the Tangata Whenua (The hosts of the marae) and the manuhiri (Visitors).
It removes the tapu (Sacredness) of the manuhiri to make them one with the
tangata whenua and is a gradual process of the manuhiri and the tangata whenua
coming together. The whole procedure of coming together is based upon a
tradition that is as meaningful today as it is in the past.
The Kai Karanga will call
first to indicate to the manuhiri to move forward towards the marae. This is
normally answered by a women’s response from the manuhiri. The purpose of the
karanga is to provide safe passage for the physical and spiritual of the
manuhiri to unite with the physical and spiritual of the tangata whenua.
During the Karanga, tangata whenua stand still as the
manuhiri move slowly forward until they reach the marae atea (front of
wharenui/meeting house), then the manuhiri make there way to the seats. Men sit
in front and women behind. Please be seated when Tangata Whenua sit. Depending
on the weather powhiri may be outside in front of Wharenui or inside Wharenui,
if inside Wharenui it is tradition to please remove shoes.
Tangata Whenua will speak first, and then sing a
waiata (song), tangata whenua will then indicate to manuhiri it is there time
to speak. A representative from the manuhiri side will then speak followed with
a waiata from the rest of the group.
Once the speaker on the manuhiri side has spoke, the
manuhiri present tangata Whenua with a koha, koha will be accepted by tangata
whenua, tangata whenua may call of thank you.
It is now that the Tangata Whenua will indicate to
manuhiri to come in a certain direction for the tradition hongi – pressing of
the nose, this shows the coming together of the two groups to be united as one.
To conclude the official welcome kai (food) will be
shared between Tangata Whenua and Manuhiri. The act of eating lifts the tapu
(sacredness) of the powhiri ritual.
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