South Taranaki church to mark Waitangi Day with a bilingual service

The altar in Eltham's All Saints Church was carved in the early 1900s by Gretchen Briant, and is inscribed in both te reo Māori and English.

A church in Eltham will be filled with songs of praise in te reo Māori and English at a special bilingual service on Waitangi Day.

Central Taranaki Anglican missioner the Rev Paul Bowers-Mason says he and the Rev Vincent Nuku (Ngāti Ruanui) are looking forward to welcoming people of all denominations to the service at All Saints Church in Arakamu / Eltham.

“The service will include karakia, waiata and readings. It’s not a communion service as we want to make it a space where all feel welcome, regardless of denomination.”

Anyone can attend the service, regardless of their religious beliefs, Paul says. “It’s about unity, togetherness, not division. We welcome everyone.”

While the service will be a first for Waitangi Day, it’s not the pair’s first bilingual event at All Saints.

In November, they held a bilingual service for Parihaka Day, with just under 30 people attending.

“We also heard from people who said they wanted to come but were, for various reasons, unable to make it,” Paul says. “So we know there is an interest. This year the plan is to build on that and hold bilingual services on special dates – Waitangi, Matariki and Parihaka.”

A group Paul calls “the congregational caterers” will provide a shared kai after the service.

“Sharing kai is a way to connect. To allow people to come together and talk. We don’t want people to feel they have to bring a plate, so we have members of our church community helping by providing kai, but of course we would never turn away any other contributions.”

He says he and Vincent received plenty of positive feedback after November’s service.

“From both Māori and Pākehā people. Some described it as being affirming, others felt it was liberating. Whichever language people felt most at home with, having them together brings a sense of identity as to who we are as New Zealand today.”

Every part of the service takes place in each language.

“So sometimes the te reo Māori is spoken first followed by the English, and at other times it’s the other way. Both Vincent and I can speak both, but to make it easy to follow we are doing this service with Vincent speaking the te reo Māori and myself the English.”

In talking about the service, and the other bilingual ones planned for later in the year, Paul says he feels a little emotional.

“When you think about it, about having bilingual services in a town in Taranaki, it’s quite emotional in a way. Taranaki was such a key part historically in working out the Treaty partnership and coming to terms with the relationship between Māori and Pākehā. And of course, we are still working through it, and coming to terms with that painful history.”

The details

What: Karakia o ngā tikanga rua – bilingual service

When: Waitangi Day, Tuesday, February 6, 5pm

Where: All Saints Church, Arakamu / Eltham

Details: Nau mai haere mai, all welcome. For more information, call Paul on 027 364 9274