We Māori women have our role in powhiri and its actually more upsetting having a male advocate for what we women need and want and to assume that sitting up the front is more important than any other role. Yes there are some women who will agree with this article but here is my 2 cents. I was fortunate to grow up on my Marae standing next to my Father who was our whānau speaker during numerous powhiri (and many of my kouroua, uncles and cousins). I was fortunate that I was given the mantle to karanga at a young age. I was also fortunate to be guided not only by my Dad but my Mum and many other strong Māori women in my life. I was taught that there were different roles for taane and wahine BUT not one role was more significant than the other, they all were intertwined and all had a common cause of manaakitanga me te rangatiratanga. So whether you speak on the paepae, set up the whare kai, karanga the manuhiri in, look after the tamariki, make cups of teas for the kaumātua, be the manu tioriori....EVERYONE has an important role because that is true TIKANGA. Koina!
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 23:14:37 +0000
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