English to visit Bluff Ngāi Tahu Treaty Festival for Waitangi Day
Friday, 2 February 2018
Runaka administrator Tina Mitchell was chuffed to get a phone call from National leader Bill English confirming his attendance at the Ngāi Tahu's Treaty Festival in Bluff on Waitangi Day.
'I was quite impressed [to get his call directly], he said he's definitely coming,' Mitchell said.
English did not attend events at Waitangi last year, as prime minister.
Current Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will spent Waitangi Day morning in the Bay of Islands and will travel back to Wellington in the afternoon.
Tuesday's festival is open to all Southlanders, Mitchell says.
Mitchell expects between 300 and 500 people to be there for celebrations at the Te Rau Aroha Marae, which hosts the festival every three years. The event rotates between three maraes - Te Rau Aroha, Otakou (near Dunedin) and Onuku (Akaroa in Canterbury).
Respected Ngāi Tahu elder Sir Tipene O'Regan, kaiwhakahaere Dean Whaanga and attorney general David Parker are also among the many dignitaries attending.
'I want the day to go perfectly for everybody,' Mitchell said.
'[The festival] is great for Bluff, great for Ngāi Tahu and great for the community.'
Whaanga will speak about the Waituna Lagoon protection plan of which Ngāi Tahu is involved with.
About $10 million in funding has been secured for the protection and the trust deed for the Whakamana te Waituna Charitable Trust is expected to be signed at the festival.
Another important part of the festival is the first-time screening of Ata Whenua Revealed 2018 at the Bluff town hall at 10.30am.
The film, showcasing the Fiordland wilderness which plays at the Fiordland Theatre in Te Anau, has been re-mastered with enhanced cinematography and a refreshed narration, voiced by Tipene O'Regan.
The new narrative is more meaningful from a Ngāi Tahu perspective, O'Regan said.
'It is now more aligned with the Ngāi Tahu creation story. For us, Fiordland is the cradle of that creation story – it's a region of enormous cultural and spiritual significance, and the film's new narration now reflects this rather more,' Tipene said.
A Ngāi Tahu information booth will be open to the public on Waitangi Day.
Carving demonstrations are to be held and stalls will sell a variety of items including weaving, carvings and Māori-designed clocks, calendars and clothing.
The festival starts with a powhiri (welcoming) at 10am, while the poroporoaki (farewell) is at 4pm.
Meanwhile, a re-enactment of Captain Cook's arrival in New Zealand and the signing of the Waitangi treaty will be part of Waitangi Day celebrations in Te Anau.
The re-enactment will be held in an area close to the Department of Conservation visitor centre at 8.45am.