Hindus propose statue of Te Wihiti

The Hindu Council of New Zealand (HCNZ) has proposed that a statue of Te Whiti o Rongomai be established in Wellington, to pay homage to the great Maori leader. Dr Rajiv Chaturvedi, Public Relations Officer of the Council based in Wellington, said that Te Whiti led a peaceful movement against the British and courted arrest as the means of opposing the aggressive and violent behaviour of the colonial soldiers. He said that Te Whiti inspired people with his non-violent approach, motivated solidarity among his people and made them uphold traditional values of Maori culture and their exceptionally strong human spirit. “The parallel with similar thinking of Hindu Dharma and other ancient cultures is unmistakable. He was a man who did great deeds in suppressing evil so that peace may reign as a means of salvation to all people of earth,” he said. Respectful recognition Te Whiti persuaded tribal Maori leaders and warriors to resist the British for their rights to Maori land without using violence even in the face of violent provocation. He glorified an important chapter in the history of New Zealand,” Dr Chaturvedi said. According to him, an appropriate tribute would be to install a statue in a prominent place in the Capital, giving the Maori leader a status equal to that of Mahatma Gandhi, whose statue was unveiled by the then Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand on October 2, 2007 (Indian Newslink, October 15, 2007). “We should acknowledge the nurturing spirit of Te Whiti with his statue present next to Mahatma so that the fascinating story of the eternal Dharmic Maori soul gains wider attention,” Mr Chaturvedi said. Holi Festival HCNZ has been collaborating with Maori on a number of projects and programmes, the most recent of which was celebration of Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colours in Lower Hutt on March 23, 2013. Secretary Sudha Sharma said that the support of the Hutt Multi Cultural Council and the Hutt City Council made Holi a multicultural celebration. “Holi has been celebrated by Hindus for thousands of years with the symbolism of intermingling colours that denotes removal of barriers between cultures, classes, and individuals through the spirit of youthful celebration,” she said. Raukura Maxwell, granddaughter of Dr Ihakara Puketapu (former Secretary of Maori Affairs) of the Te Ati Awa iwi, spoke about her visit to India last year with a Hindu-Maori delegation to participate in the Holi festival held in Jaipur. For more information on the Hindu Council of New Zealand, email hindu.nz@gmail.com Photo 1. Te Whiti o Rongomai 2. Holi in Jaipur, India, with a visiting Maori delegation in March 2012