Ask Phoebe: Ratana member spells out death-notice letters

Ratana Church band members. Photo / Dean Purcell

Last week, Nigel Christian asked if I could find out the meaning of letters at the beginning of some death notices, particularly those placed for members of the Ratana Church. Aidan Edwards of the Ratana Church has kindly supplied the following information.

The letters W.A.O.P.H.M.T.Ae stand for:

W = Whakamoemiti - to give praise and thanksgiving.

A = Arepa or Alpha. Known as "the beginning" in the Bible. Also the name of a son of Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana, the founder of the church.

O = Omeka or Omega. Known as "the end" in the Bible. Also the name of a son of Ratana (Arepa and Omeka are twins).

P = Piri Wiri Tua or The Campaigner. Also the name of a son of Ratana. (Ratana is divided into two: church and movement.) In the church or spiritual side, T.W. Ratana is known as the Mangai or Mouthpiece of God. In the movement or physical side, meaning politics, land reform, Maori rights, money, etc, T.W. Ratana is known as Piri Wiri Tua (literal translation: Bill that bore through). He is commonly known in English as The Campaigner.

H = Hamuera or Samuel. Also a son of Ratana. In Ratana theology, Hamuera is said to be the annihilation of Tohungaism (Maori witchcraft).

M = Mangai or Mouthpiece of God. Spiritual title of Ratana's role in the church as a Prophet, Seer and Revelator (Messenger).

T = Tautoko - to support or confirm.

Ae = Yes, it is agreed. In Ratana theology, the word Amen or Amine is dropped in favour for the shortened Ae.

Thus, W.A.O.P.H.M.T.Ae in the prayer version are played out: Whakamoemiti, Arepa, Omeka, Piri wiri tua, Hamuera, Mangai, hei Tautoko mai, aianei, ake nei... Ae!

Q. I can understand that the police have the authority to direct traffic, but does every Tom, Dick and Harry who dons a hi-vis jacket have that authority? Do I have to obey them?

I am aware that most significant roadworks have to have a traffic management plan which gets ticked off by the local authority, and I guess then that those hi-vis vest-wearers assume the authority of the council as road owners. Is this correct? But what about the concrete truck doing a pour that temporarily closes one side of the road, or the truck driver who gets his hi-vis vest-wearing mates to stop the traffic so that he can get out of the driveway? I have observed that construction vehicles act as though they have priority. Rex Rewcastle, St Heliers.

A. A spokesman for the Auckland City Council transport operations manager tells me that, in theory, a traffic management plan (TMP) is required for any activity that changes the normal operation of a road, irrespective of whether the work is on the road itself, the footpath or the shoulder. Anyone using temporary traffic management equipment, such as cones or barriers, can do so only in accordance with the TMP approved by the local authority. So yes, if the man (or woman) in the hi-vis jacket asks you to stop or wait, you are obliged to do so, if they are operating within their TMP, which of course you could ask to see.

However, in practical terms, common sense needs to apply. A contractor leaving a driveway in his concrete truck will (or should) have different procedures for a quiet residential street and a busy arterial road. In the latter case, where a lane of traffic is closed off, this should definitely be done only with an approved TMP.