Parihaka the place to be

MIKE SCOTT

As the Parihaka Peace Festival comes alive Rico McGuinness, 1, plays with his mum Xavia Healey-Diaz, both from Leigh. Meanwhile Mac Daddy from Torere,leans on Zoe De Boehmler of Wellington.

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Parihaka Pa became a free-spirit's dreamland as the Parihaka Peace Festival got under way yesterday.

For the next two days the iconic Maori settlement has become a platter of music, food and eco-friendly entertainment.

Musicians let their political agenda hang out, much to the delight of the swaying crowd and big men dug deep pits to cook their hangi.

Meanwhile, a few brave souls ducked into the tattoo tent to get inked.

It was all go for the first day of the festival as thousands of people from all over the country hammered in their tent pegs and set up camp for three days of music and cheer.

Each year the festival gets bigger and better and this year is no exception, says organiser Te Miringa Hohaia.

"Just off the e-ticket sales we saw an increase and we anticipate the increase will go through into tickets at the door," he says.

Organisers were surprised however in the volume of campers this year.

"We have extended the campsite but there are a lot more campers."

Despite working throughout the year, organisers were still trying to get jobs finished yesterday and Mr Hohaia imagines some of the prep work will continue today.

He says the festival success is relative to the effort organisers put into it.

"We put in a lot of energy. Parihaka has a strong pull as it's such a beautiful place."

Mr Hohaia hopes festival-goers will take away a sense of belonging.

"I want them to feel there is a sense of identity. A link to the land and the community and kinship that occurs here."

The peace festival includes a main stage, a second smaller visionaries stage and an electronic zone.

- © Fairfax NZ News