The annual Puanga event held at the Urenui Boat Club was a resounding success, drawing a large turnout of whānau who gathered to honour those who have passed and to welcome in the Māori New Year with reverence and celebration.
This year’s event took place over Thursday night and Friday morning, with some rain that eventually turned into clear skies and a calm atmosphere providing the perfect backdrop for the ceremonial proceedings. The gathering was a deeply moving occasion, centred around remembering loved ones who are no longer with us and embracing the dawning of a new cycle marked by the rise of Puanga.
The event began with heartfelt karanga and karakia, setting a spiritual tone and grounding everyone in the kaupapa. These elements were carried with grace and strength by whānau members, whose presence and voices reinforced the strong intergenerational bonds within the iwi and during the hautuku process on Thursday evening.
The use of taonga pūoro added a haunting beauty to the early morning ceremony on Friday, connecting the sounds of the natural world to our shared remembrance and hopes for the future. These sacred instruments provided a spiritual thread into the ceremony, enriching the emotional depth of the occasion. Having our tamariki participate in this kaupapa by connecting us spiritually through taonga pūoro was a special way to start the event.
The participation of Poi Manu is an integral part of the morning ceremony setting the rhythm to recite ancestral knowledge and powerfully reinforcing the strength of whakapapa and connection to place.
A significant factor in the success of the event was the strong turnout and active involvement of whānau. Their contributions in every aspect—from preparing the space and delivering karanga and karakia, to participating in performance and wānanga—reflected the collective commitment to tikanga and to maintaining our cultural heritage throughout the hautapu ceremony.
