It was hot one day and drizzling the next but the people of Waiwhetu didn’t let a bit of rain get in the way of a great time at the 21st Te Rā o te Raukura festival on the last weekend of January.
It was hot one day and drizzling the next but the people of Waiwhetu didn’t let a bit of rain get in the way of a great time at the 21st Te Rā o te Raukura festival on the last weekend of January.
The crowd turned out in their thousands for the entertainment and the fun of the fair, and MC Noel Woods from Te Atiawa FM did an awesome job of linking it all together. Lower Hutt’s Te Whiti Park was packed with families and friends checking out the stalls and the kids’ amusement rides or finding themselves a great place in front of the stage to set up their chairs and put down their blankets to enjoy the show.
Sponsorship
E Tū Whānau was a major sponsor of the family orientated, smoke, drug and alcohol free event and one of 50 providers and community organisations set up in the Hauora and Matauranga marquee. Whānau were really interested in our kaupapa and quickly put our fans, badges and sun visors to good use. Lots of people took advantage of the Te Awakairangi Health Network’s ‘Warrant of Fitness’ checks while they were in the marquee which was always packed.
The Wellington Māori Cultural Society’s Marae Haka was a highlight of Saturday’s gathering. The crowd was left on a high when all the teams came together on stage and belted out some beautiful waiata. One woman, a visitor from Mexico who stumbled on the event by chance, just couldn’t get over the beauty of their performance.
Great line-up
Wellington’s heat wave broke on the Sunday but that didn’t stop people dancing, singing along and roaring their approval of the festival’s headlining acts, Ardijah, Annie Crummer and Bella Kalolo. Local acts including Ruia and Ranea Aperahama were equally appreciated by the crowd. Heaps of people put up with a bit of rain and stayed for the finale during which E Tū Whānau’s very own Tessa Bercic stood up and gave a brief rundown on the E Tū Whānau kauapapa before singing along with Annie and the Ardijah crew.
‘Arohanui ki te Tangata, Goodwill to all Men’ was the theme for this year’s event and that’s a kaupapa we’re right behind.
