Marchers challenge Ratana to rise up

By RENEE KIRIONA with the hikoi

Ratana Church leaders were told to "wake up" and "rise up" when the hikoi against the foreshore and seabed legislation arrived at their marae near Wanganui yesterday.

The challenge was presented to the paepae (traditional panel of speakers) at Ratana Pa by those from the visiting group.

Rihare Kake, of Ngapuhi and a member of the Confederated Tribes of Aotearoa, told them to "maranga mai" (wake up and rise up).

The call followed a statement by the church's general secretary, Waka Palmer, last week that it did not support Tariana Turia's defection from the Labour Party because Ratana had a covenant with the party.

Mrs Turia broke from the party on Friday because she did not agree with its stand on the foreshore. But another church official, Andre Meihana, told the Herald Mr Palmer was out of line.

"The church has no official position on the foreshore and seabed issue or Tariana's defection from Labour.

"As far as we are concerned, Waka was talking for himself and not the church. All of our policies can only be established after consultation with our members and that has not happened yet."

Mr Meihana, a son of the church's tumuaki (highest official), Harry Meihana, also sits on its senior committee alongside Mr Palmer.

"There was a covenant between the church and the Labour Party but that is on its way out the door because Labour has failed to deliver what it promised us."

He said the Ratana people's welcome to the estimated 2000-strong hikoi should not be read as the church supporting the march or being against it.

"Welcoming them is a part of our protocol and nothing more than that should be read into it."

On a personal level, Mr Meihana said, he supported what Mrs Turia was doing and did not believe that Mita Ririnui, the Labour MP for Waiariki and an apostle of the church, was listening to his constituents by his plan to vote for the legislation.

Mr Palmer was not at the powhiri and the church's chairman, Jim Raurangi, and its tumuaki did not comment.

Mrs Turia said the church's covenant with Labour was not set in concrete.