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Oct 31, 2012 | ENS Staff

Consultative Council Gets Challenging Welcome from New Zealanders

[Episcopal News Service -- Auckland, New Zealand] Young New Zealanders challenged the Anglican Consultative Council before the members even set foot in the doors of the Telstra Event Center Oct. 27 (local time) when three young Maori Anglican men, hefting taiahas (spears), performed a series of stances, shouts and facial gestures meant to determine if the newcomers had come with ill intent.

 

Kahutia Maxwell, center, prepares to lay down a leafy branch in front of Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams to test his reaction during the wero (challenge) part of the powhiri to welcome the Anglican Consultative Council to Auckland. ENS photo/Mary Frances Schjonberg

 

As part of the wero (challenge), Kahutia Maxwell, one of the three, laid down a leafy branch in the space between him and his fellows, and the assembled council members. When Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams solemnly picked up the branch, it was clear that the council meant no harm so Maxwell, along with Cyprus Morunga and Pouoterangi Ngargopo, escorted the council members into the arena.

 

Once inside, the council was treated to karanga, a form of female oratory which uses imagery and expression to welcome visitors to the powhiri.

 

During the whaikorero (formal speech making) that followed the council heard calls of welcome and different challenges from the archbishops who led the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia’s three tikangas, which are groupings based on ethnicities. Auckland Mayor Len Brown was also part of the whaikorero.

 

A waiata, or song, was sung after each whaikorero by the group the speaker represented. In Brown’s case, he led his own waiata, singing “How Great Thou Art” in Maori.

 

Read the rest of the story here.