International flavour to city’s Waitangi Day celebrations

Waitangi Day celebrations in Palmerston North are taking on a full international flavour.

A party from a Chinese primary school in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan province, on a cultural exchange to New Zealand, will get to experience the ceremony firsthand during the 9am traditional po¯whiri and flag-raising at Te Marae o Hine in The Square today.

Trip co-ordinator Kevin Palmer, from KP Educational Consultants, said the class of 30 pupils was accompanied by the school principal, teachers, several parents, an interpreter and a small camera crew filming the visit for a local Chengdu television network, as well as for wider educational purposes.

Palmer said it could mean the city’s Waitangi Day celebrations received even wider exposure in China.

After attending the po¯ whiri, he said the tourists could attend part of Te Manawa’s 10am-to-2pm wha¯nau-based Waitangi Day celebrations, following a hikoi down Main St to Te Manawa from The Square.

There, entertainment would see further international input, with performances by a West Papuan cultural group and the kodama drum team from the city’s Institute of the Pacific United.

Kapa haka groups from Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School and Queen Elizabeth College, the Anomaly Dance crew, taonga pu¯ oro from Rob Thorne, Toro Pikopiko Ma¯ ori Puppetry, and a te reo scavenger hunt, along with food and cultural stalls, would add to the flavour of the day.

Later, the Chinese visitors will walk the Tawa Loop of the Manawatu¯ Gorge track, visit a wind farm, ride the Esplanade Scenic Railway and could even take part in the Manawatu¯ Striders’ Super Sevens.

Chengdu, with a population of 16 million, was one of the cities visited during the Palmerston North mayoral delegation last year to raise awareness of Palmerston North’s educational opportunities.

The group would be officially welcomed to the city by the mayor in the council chambers on Thursday morning.

Palmer said there would be visits to schools on Thursday, and the Feilding saleyards on Friday.