Some of the 12 teams who made their way to the Hui Aranga at Easter gathered for the religious procession before the Mass on Easter Sunday morning.
The hui attracted many young people, such as these, who made good use of the extensive grounds of the college to get to know one another.
A dramatic interpretation of Jesus’ passion from the Te Waiora Club, Palmerston North, enlivens the service on Good Friday afternoon. The drama was devised by Rawiri Tinirau.
Archbishop John Dew baptises Anatakauri Thomson-Laulu, daughter of Wayne Laulu and Terina Thomson, during the Mass on Easter Sunday morning.
Anatakauri’s older sister, Hinetekawa, was also baptised during the ceremony.
When he discovered that there was no cloak to cover the babies, Archbishop John took off his korowai (cloak) and wrapped it around Anatakauri and her sister.
Fr Gerard Burns explains the significance of the Easter fire to those gathered for the vigil Mass on Saturday night.
A feature of this annual gathering is the competitions in sports events and in kapa haka. Wellington club, Nga Karere Seniors came first in the Waiata-a-ringa section of the Kapahaka, first in the Male Sacred Solo section, and in the sports area, first in the women’s tennis singles.
Two of the 12 teams (right) in the Hui Aranga’s religious questions section pitting their wits against two others in front of the logo for the hui which Henare Walmsley of Te Kainga designed. The North and South Islands are represented in the orange and yellow fingers which help stabilise the land in the rough weather of Cook Strait, represented by the blue wedged arc. The smaller brown arc represents the canoe of Peter the apostle.
Each of the 12 teams was represented at the different levels of the competition from the youngest, primary school children to the adults.
Questions were asked in English and in te reo with answers required in the language of the question.
Four teams competed at a time and when the question was asked, pressed a buzzer to indicate their readiness to answer.
The questions were taken from both the Old and New Testaments.
For example: When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem it was very late. When they knocked on the door of the inn, what did the innkeeper say to them?
Answer: We have no more rooms; and
What marked the start of Jesus’ public ministry?
Answer: When he was baptised;
What did Jesus’ baptism confirm?
Answer: That he was the son of God.
From the Old Testament, the teams faced such questions as, on the subject of the Passover: What did each Hebrew household have to do?
Answer: Kill a lamb.
Only the answers that were in a booklet provided for the occasion were accepted.
And the winners were:
Matua section – Ruapehu
Taitamariki section – St Vincents (Wanganui)
Mokopuna section – Te Waiora (Palmerston North)
Et te Atua
E te Atua (E te Ariki)
Kororia ki a koe (Kororia, kororia)
E te Ariki (E te Ariki)
Honore ki a koe (Honore, honore
Ihowa o nga mano (Ihowa)
Ihowa matua kore (Matua kore)
Ihowa Taketake (Ihowa)
Io tu whaioio (Hi ha hi!)
Nga Karere
The cleaning team at the Hui Aranga, just one indication of the great organisation that went into the 2008 hui by the clubs in Te Whanganui-a-Tara rohe.