Tiketike mai rā, Tatou i roto i, Te Kawa tapu o Taranaki tū mai! - Taranakitanga the winner at festival

Every two years, all iwi of Taranaki come together to celebrate Taranakitanga, whanaungatanga and whakapapa at Taranaki Tū Mai.

“It’s the one event where Taranaki iwi around our mountain get to touch base and enjoy each other’s presence, to support each other to evolve our cultural strengths, to be dazzled by the depth of creativity of our own whānau and the positive message of physical, spiritual and cultural wellbeing,” says PKW’s Tonga Karena.

Te Rau Whakaihoiho/Kaitiakitanga Strategy Manager is a loyal supporter of the competitive sport and cultural gathering, and has participated in every festival except two since its inception in 2009.

At the Taranaki Tū Mai in November last year, Tonga competed in basketball and co-tutored Taranaki Iwi kapa haka.

“Kapa haka and tutoring is something I like to put my effort and time into. It’s very challenging – there is a lot of pressure on those people who stand on stage and soldier up. But it gives you that sense of inclusion in the progress of the iwi, so participation is critical for many of us.”

Tonga says the excitement that comes with each festival is connected to whānau wanting to catch up with whānau.

“That’s the key indicator of cultural strength –whanaungatanga being the key pillar. Actually, we like our social gathering more than we do the competition. There’s a sense that being together is more important than being the best.”

“From Whanganui to Mōkau, we’re all family. Taranaki Tū Mai gives you a sense of comfort and whanaungatanga across our whole landscape. We have an appreciation of each other and we like being happy together.”

It’s no surprise that many PKW kaimahi and governors are active supporters of Taranaki Tū Mai, representing iwi across the rohe as competitors, tutors or ringawera.

Puna Wano-Bryant, Te Rautitikura / General Manager Shareholder Engagement, who co-tutored Taranaki Iwi kapa haka, says supporting Taranaki Tū Mai is all about connection.

“First and foremost, we belong to our iwi and hapū. Those connections in those spaces enhance our ability to connect in our mahi with our people.”

“We may be running a boardroom meeting or managing an aspect of operations one minute, and the next standing up on stage in kapa haka or cooking meals for whānau in the kāuta.”

Puna also stood in the Taranaki Iwi debating team which argued the affirmative in the final against Ngāruahine with the topic: co-governance is a game-changer for Māori.

“We happened to win, which was cool because it was the first time a trophy was awarded in that category. The trophy was donated by my whānau in honour of our late uncle, Te Kauhoe Wano, who featured on the Whakaata Māori show Tautohe and loved to have a good hearty debate himself.”

A characteristic of the event is how rivalry takes second place to inter-tribal support.

“Many of us have a leg in one iwi camp and the other in at least one other. It’s one of the things that makes Taranaki Tū Mai so special,” says Puna.

“You go there thinking you’re connected in one way but quite often we whakapapa across many different iwi.”

“It’s the old people that tell you that you should be in this iwi or that iwi – and soon you are re-discovering and understanding your connection to other iwi around the maunga.”

“For me, it’s vital to my own wellbeing and identity as not just Taranaki Iwi but Te Atiawa, Ngāruahine, Ngāti Mutunga and Ngāti Tama as well.”

For Liana Poutu, a member of Te Rau Rengarenga o Parininihi ki Waitōtara, the Committee of Management, and new chair of Te Rau Manawaora, the PKW Trust, Taranaki Tū Mai is all about whānau and kotahitanga.

Liana, who is also the chair of Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa Trust, competes in kapa haka for Taranaki Iwi, while her children register with Te Atiawa and her partner Duane Luke with Ngāruahine. They all stayed with Taranaki Iwi whānau at the marae.

Kaimahi across the organisation pitched in at the November event. Te Rau Whakapuāwai / Head of Corporate Services, Jacqui King, also chairs Te Kāhui o Taranaki. She spent Taranaki Tū Mai in the kitchen at the marae to support competing whānau.

“She stayed at the marae and with her sister cooked for Taranaki Iwi,” says Puna. “When all the sports, games and kapa haka teams returned to the marae, they came home to amazing meals and were beautifully cared for.”

Britney Witehira, who works front of house to support Parininihi ki Waitōtara shareholders, was one of the Taranaki Tū Mai support crew for Taranaki Iwi, while environmental cadet Jessica White stood with Ngāti Mutunga in kapa haka.

And together with his whānau, PKW chair Dion Tuuta, who is also CEO of Te Atiawa, received the mauri on behalf of Ngāti Tama, hosts of the next Taranaki Tū Mai.

“As kaimahi and board members, we enjoy Taranaki Tū Mai through sometimes multiple iwi and whakapapa connections among Taranaki whānui,” Dion says. “It’s about discovering, understanding, strengthening and celebrating our connections to all our iwi around the maunga.”