Ngāti Hine cultural celebration Te Āhuareka returns to Moerewa

Huru Tipene, right, performs a haka with Te Roopu Kapa Haka o Motatau Marae at the last Te Āhuareka o Ngāti Hine Festival in 2019. Photo / Peter de Graaf

One of Te Tai Tokerau’s biggest cultural festivals is returning to Moerewa this weekend after a four-year absence caused by the Covid pandemic.

Te Āhuareka o Ngāti Hine Festival gets underway at Otiria Marae on Friday with performances by 17 school cultural groups from across the Mid North, and as far away as Whangārei.

On Saturday morning, the action continues on the main stage with performances by top Northland kapa haka groups — including Muriwhenua, fresh from competing at Te Matatini — while in the afternoon the focus shifts to tautohetohe (debate) and music with seven-piece roots reggae band IllumiNgati wrapping up the day’s entertainment from 4.30pm.

Sunday kicks off with a Pacific parakuihi (breakfast) and a Papatūānuku (Earth mother) show, before Moe Milne, Matawaia’s answer to Oprah Winfrey, interviews a range of special guests. The festival will wind up around noon.

Te Āhuareka o Ngāti Hine is normally held every second year but the 2021 event was cancelled due to Covid.

The festival debuted in 2008 to showcase, celebrate and preserve the distinct reo (speech) and tikanga (customs) of Ngāti Hine.

Organising committee chairwoman Tapeka Henare said the festival provided a powerful platform for whānau to recharge their whakapapa and cultural connections.

“Covid restricted us from interacting ā kanohi (face-to-face) with our extended whānau so this is an opportunity to finally embrace and manaaki our whanaunga, while at the same time, share and showcase what makes us uniquely ‘us’.”

The name of the festival comes from chief Te Ruki Kawiti’s whare rūnanga at Waiomio. Āhuareka means “pleasant, agreeable, entertaining, pleased”.

Whangārei’s Kovi Tauaalo, of the cultural group Mana o Te Hula, gets a selfie with Te Konehu Puriri and Elizabeth Tauaalo-Puriri during the 2019 Te Āhuareka o Ngāti Hine Festival. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Committee member Pita Tipene said every Te Āhuareka had its own unique kaupapa or underpinning theme.

This year’s theme was Waipuna Ora, literally “the wellspring of life”.

“Figuratively, it refers to the critical importance of water, especially during these difficult times as we face global warming and other huge challenges. We must work as a community to protect and enhance the health of our water and thereby protect the health and wellbeing of the wider environment, our communities and ourselves.”

Festivities will start with a pōwhiri at 8.30am on Friday.

■ For the full programme go to www.teahuareka.com