Mihi whakatau for manuhiri
02 Feb 2022
Wearing their korowai (cloak), Executive Principal Garth Wynne and Head Prefect Benji Ward have welcomed new boys and new staff to College with a traditional mihi whakatau (official welcome speech) – featuring a powerful karanga (call), whaikōrerō (formal speech), haka, and waiata (song) – on The Quad.
Amid having to wear masks under the Red Traffic Light setting and the ‘newness’ of their College surroundings, the boys eagerly absorbed the various strands of the mihi whakatau.
Among the special guests on Wednesday morning were the Māori Bishop of Te Waipounamu (South Island), Rt. Rev. Richard Wallace, Whaea Tihi Puanaki, Matua Wiremu and Matua Te Huaki.
After Bishop Wallace gave the official welcome to the manuhiri (new staff and students), the kapahaka supported the Bishop with Manu Tiria.
College’s new Kaiako Māori, Keri Campbell, replied on behalf of the manuhiri, and was supported with a beautiful waiata, Te Aroha.
During his welcome, Bishop Wallace referred to a well-known Māori whakatauki (proverb). It encourages young people to eat at the tree of knowledge so that the whole world will be theirs.
Bishop Wallace also kindly gifted a diaglott Bible – in te reo Māori and te reo Pākehā – to Christ’s College.
Mr Wynne welcomed the new students and staff, saying College was pleased that they had chosen to be part of a special school community and hoped that they would find inspiration in the College environment.
