coronation of Te Ariki Tapairu, Dame Te Atairangikaahu. There were 23 groups which performed over those two days.

Each year the Waikato people also have distinguished visitors and this year they included the Prime Minister, Norman Kirk, and Whetu Tirakatene-Sullivan. You know that distinguished people from all over the world are welcomed by Waikato on their beautiful marae. Some of those distinguished visitors have been Queen Elizabeth II and her Consort Prince Phillip, Prince Bernhardt of Holland, Prince Akihito of Japan and his wife, also the President of the United States, Richard Nixon. Many other famous visitors have been welcomed by the people of Waikato on their ancestral marae, also.

This article was written by someone who looks at the people of Waikato and their paramount chieftainess with great respect, for the very efficient way in which they are able to cater for 6 — 10,000 people each year on their marae. On behalf of the many people who have experienced your great hospitality, I say Tēnā Koutou Katoa.

The words I have used for the title of this article come from a haka composed by the women of Tuhoe who lived at Ruatahuna. The majority of these women were widowed when their men came to the support of Waikato at the time of the great battle which took place at Orakau. When these men, who were fortunate enough to survive the ordeal, returned to Ruatahuna the women performed their haka and these are the opening words,

Why did you, o Te Whenuanui, return? It would have been better had you died when the pride of Mātaatua fell, Stretched out in the Waikato Valley, in the sight of Maniapoto …

Therefore, you people of Waikato, let these words of the manawa were composed by my ancestors convey to you the gratitude of this descendant of Tūhoe. Let also the words of one of the proverbs bequeathed to us reflect my thoughts,

The corners of the House can be seen;
but the corners of the heart can never be seen.

nā Sam Karetu