Bahá’í delegation joins Māori Queen at Poukai
Members of the Bahá’í community gather during a formal presentation to Te Arikinui Ngā Wai Hono i te Po, the Māori Queen, at Pōhara Marae, in Waipa District. Dr Tom Roa addressed the Queen on behalf of the Bahá’í delegation.
The National Spiritual Assembly has a deep commitment to fostering efforts in the Bahá’í community to nurture kotahitanga and continues to prioritise its own learning about the development of a more inclusive Bahá’í community, and to understand the settings in which everyone can be protagonists in building Bahá’u’lláh’s vision for humanity. We are observing that it is Māori friends in a number of settings, and most often the Māori youth, who are increasingly coming to the fore as protagonists in this spiritual enterprise.
Parallel with this, the National Spiritual Assembly is also eager for the Bahá'í institutions to have a deeper engagement with Māori institutions, and this is currently a rich area of learning for a number of Bahá'í institutions, including the National Assembly. In that context, the Local Spiritual Assemblies of the Waikato cluster, where the seat of Kingitanga is located, have recently had a beautiful collaboration with the National Spiritual Assembly, in making an initial approach to Te Arikinui Ngā Wai Hono i te Po, the Māori Queen, with the aim of fostering a warm relationship with her and the institutions of Kingitanga, thereby reigniting the relationship that was formerly instigated with the current Queen’s grandmother, the long-reigning Māori Queen, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu.
Dr Tom Roa, kaikorero for the Bahá'í manuhiri
The carving being received by Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te Po
On Sunday 15 June, the Local and National Spiritual Assemblies assembled along with a cohort of Tainui Bahá'í youth and a few other believers from the Waikato and other areas who were invited, at Pōhara Marae in Waipa District, accompanied and guided by Dr Tom Roa, whose friendship and service to the Bahá'í community has been valued for some two decades. Dr Roa was accompanied by his wife Dr Robyn Roa. Their Bahá'í daughter, Atamira, was also part of the Bahá'í delegation. There were two formal presentations on behalf of the Bahá'í community, and in both cases Dr Roa, who is himself a highly regarded figure in the Tainui Iwi, addressed the Queen on behalf of the Faith. He had been briefed beforehand by a member of the National Spiritual Assembly regarding the content of his addresses. A beautiful gift embodying symbolism of much significance to Kingitanga was presented to the Queen by the Bahá'í carver as part of the ceremonial presentation, along with two books of holy Writings from the Faith with a special inscription addressed to Te Arikinui. The Bahá'í youth capably lead the singing of waiata and karakia by the delegation.
The spirit of joy, connection and unity permeated throughout the day-long occasion. The hospitality provided by Pōhara Marae was an outstanding example of manaakitanga, and it was a blessing for the Bahá'í delegation to have been invited to participate in such a special event.
The National Spiritual Assembly and Local Assemblies of the Waikato cluster are looking forward to follow-up processes of engagement with the institutions of Kingitanga.
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Video Montage
Featured image: Te Arikinui Ngā Wai Hono i te Po, the Māori Queen, receives a beautifully carved gift of deep significance to Kingitanga from the Bahá’í community during a ceremonial presentation at Pōhara Marae.
