The importance of the powhiri process
Every year the Womad artists are formally welcomed with a powhiri at Owae Marae.
The ceremony is an official welcome removing the barriers between manuhiri (visitors) and the hau kainga (hosts). After all many Womad artists are superstars in their own lands and they come bearing gifts of their music. Taft (Taranaki Arts Festival Trust) ensures that the powhiri is an important part of the festival and the local Waitara community (including Waitara East Primary School and Manukorihi Intermediate) turn out in force.
Professor Anne Salmond termed the powhiri as the Ritual of Encounter in her 1975 book Hui because the ceremony is about encounters between two groups and removing metaphoric walls erected by tapu (restrictions). The kawa (process) of the powhiri lifts the tapu that manuhiri are bound by. Kawa can change depending on the takiwa (region), iwi (tribe) and hapu (clan) but in essence a similar format is followed and Te Reo Maori is the only language permitted. The powhiri has been essential in the retention of Te Reo Maori and the reo okawa (formal language) of both men and women, who have defined roles during the powhiri. For this reason some may see the powhiri as a perpetuation of sexism. However this viewpoint is ignorant of the intricacies of the ceremony. In reality the powhiri is a perfect example of how male and female work together in their defined roles to satisfy ceremonial requirements.
Both the karanga (call) and the whaikorero (speeches) are vitally important and if an ope manuhiri (visiting group) doesn’t have a speaker or caller (who can speak Maori) than they can be provided. For example last week I was asked to speak on behalf of the Womad artists, and a kaikaranga was appointed from the hau kainga as the artists gathered inside the carved gate of Owae and were briefed about the proceedings. Nothing starts until the kaikaranga begins her call. Her call can be simple or complex, short or long, and the poetry that the karanga experts can imbue in the words can be awe inspiring. For this reason the kaikaranga are often compared to manu tioriori, or songbirds. This is part of the mana wahine, or the female authority on the marae. When the ope (group) crosses the marae-atea (courtyard) everyone follows the kaikaranga and take their cues from her until it is time to enter into the wharenui (meeting house).
At this point it is generally the men who enter first. This is a reminder of the distant past when it wasn’t certain that friends and relatives were waiting inside. Which perhaps is one reason why in Taranaki we hongi (press noses) and hariru (shake hands) when we enter into the wharenui (meeting house). A whakatauki about this is, ‘‘Ma te ihu me te ra ka hohou te rongo: It is by the nose and the forehead that peace is made’’. In most areas the hongi is the last act of removing barriers between manuhiri and hau kainga whereas in Taranaki we tend to do it first.
The carved meeting house Te Ikaroa-a-Maui is one of the largest whare in Taranaki and is a fantastic representation of the carving and weaving skills of our tu¯puna (ancestors). It is a fine forum for oratory. When the kaikorero (orators) stand to deliver their whaikorero (formal speeches) their oratory can soar from te ao wairua (the spiritual world) to te ao marama (the physical world) and not forgetting the kaupapa (reason) for the hui (meeting). While many often mistake the kaikorero for tangatira (chiefs) in reality we are all merely speaking on behalf of the people.
In this powhiri there was only one speaker for each side whereupon the formal part of the ceremony was completed and English could be spoken again, to explain what had happened and include the welcoming speech by the Taft representative. The floor was then opened for the artists to respond in their own languages. Kicked off by Brushy One String from Jamaica, and although he had to borrow a guitar, he indeed only played on one string. The South African group The Soil followed by singing in the Xhosa language, using their voices as their instruments. The other groups kept us all enthralled for nearly two hours as the artists participated in the welcome. Later during the festival some artists commented on how moving and enlightening the experience of the powhiri was, and as a culturally unique ceremony it sets us apart from the rest of the world. Many said it was their highlight of the festival. The powhiri is about reciprocation, about validating relationships and honouring visitors and hosts. Taranaki should be proud of the welcome Waitara gave to the international artists of Womad.