A huge thank you to all Challenge 2000 staff, rangatahi, Bridget Roche and Kitty McKinley for supporting the Hui Aranga which was held in Wellington this year. To Dempsey and Karen Broad from Tu Hono as well as Turei Thompson for welcoming our Challenge 2000 whanau to join your ropu this year arohanui ki a koutou.  For those of you who don’t know the Hui Aranga, is it is a national event where Maori together with the catholic faith celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

The first Hui Aranga was held at Pukekaraka in Otaki in 1946 and our dear friends the Marist fathers from the society of Mary played a big part in how the Hui Aranga came to be with their early work with the Maori Misssion. What an amazing legacy Marists have started and continue to support.

This year over 1,200 people gathered at St Patrick’s College in Silverstream to celebrate the Hui Aranga over the easter period and what a great experience it was indeed.  The Hui Aranga is made up of many events throughout the duration of the hui which include kapa haka, religious questions, sacred solo, sports day, choir competition, religious march and all the traditional catholic ceremonies in between all the fun and whanaungatanga.

A special congratulations to Mereawatea who sang ‘He Honore’ wrapped in her nana Kitty McKinley’s korowai and was placed 3rd for the Senior Sacred Solo you made us all so very proud.

Challenge 2000 you served well in the kitchen as kai mahi and ensured that all 1,200 plus people at the hui were fed.  Thank you for honouring the living treaty of Waitangi by this generous act I stand proud of each and everyone of you who showed up and played your part.

Nga mihi,

Le Bernadette Faifua Afemata. (Bernie)