Marae hears korero of truth and peace
BY MATT RILKOFF
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Kairau Marae in Brixton played host to a meeting of peace and truth last night to begin the 150 year commemorations of the First Taranaki War.
A gathering of Hapu Te Atiawa hapu welcomed fellow Taranaki iwi, the Bishop of Taranaki Philip Richardson, Puke Ariki manager Bill Macnaught and others with hongi and handshake and the song of Waitara High School kapa haka.
"What a meeting we have here today," said Kaumatua Te Aramau Te Roto.
"What is wonderful is we have this beautiful mountain which brings all of us here together. What a beautiful thing the mountain is. We have our brothers and sisters here, both Pakeha and Maori," he said.
Bishop Richardson replied with an admission, first in Maori and then in English to hapu sitting beneath haunting sepia photographs of their ancestors.
He had not known the truth of the injustices committed against Maori during the land wars he said, as the subject was never taught or spoken of while he was growing up.
"I thank you for the strength and warmth of your welcome. Many of you have spoken of peace and love and I thank you for your generosity and the hope in that. We are here today to hear your stories because you cannot go into the future with knowing the past."
A Scottish immigrant, Mr Macnaught expressed his hope Taranaki people would learn about the history of their province with the help of an exhibition opening at Puke Ariki today as part of the war commemorations.
"So many people have said to me they did not get taught about the wars at school. They didn't know about it. We are raising an issue a lot people would like to go away but it has become clear to me that we can't reconcile the difficulties of the present without looking at the difficulties of the past," he said.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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