History and culture lessons for archbishop
BY HELEN HARVEY
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The Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, and his wife, Margaret, were officially welcomed to Taranaki yesterday.
The couple are in New Plymouth to celebrate the inauguration of St Mary's Pro Cathedral to full cathedral status at a ceremony on Saturday.
The inauguration week began as Archbishop Sentamu, Mrs Sentamu and their party were led on to Owae Marae in Waitara by former Governor-General and Bishop Sir Paul Reeves.
"It was a great welcome," media liaison officer Bishop John Bluck said.
Waitara schools, both primary and secondary, provided the music during the formal welcome and the entertainment over lunch.
"Archbishop Sentamu's speech gave a strong message about working towards reconciliation of land issues."
He spoke later at the lunch about the importance of holding justice and love together.
"Justice without love and love without justice won't do. His message was work hard to resolve your land issues with the Crown.
"Sometimes, someone from the outside can say things that local people can't say as clearly and his own experience in Uganda makes him more credible," Bishop Bluck said.
Originally from Uganda, Archbishop Sentamu fled his homeland for Britain, after falling foul of dictator Idi Amin.
After spending time with tangata whenua at Owae Marae, Archbishop Sentamu visited Parihaka where he was welcomed by a group of about 50, including many children.
"Everybody was very moved by the story of Parihaka," Bishop Bluck said.
"The elders who had planned the day wanted to include Parihaka because of its significance to the story of Taranaki and I think Archbishop Sentamu was very glad it was included. "To have firsthand experience of Parihaka will mean a lot later in the week when he visits places like Puke Ariki."
The whole point of the week was to make sure that by the time the archbishop got to the consecration on Saturday, he and everyone else involved was thoroughly grounded in the life of not just New Plymouth but the region, Bishop Bluck said.
"By Saturday he would have had a good introduction to a whole range of church and community life in Taranaki.
"Not just Pakeha, but Maori, not just older people, but younger people." By the end of the week the archbishop will have spent a day with civic leaders, a day with young people, both those doing well and those doing not so well, and a day with church leaders. Pictures special: Page 4
- © Fairfax NZ News
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