Rotorua public welcome Hindu Festival of Colours

PRESS RELEASE

Rotorua public welcome Hindu Festival of Colours (Holi)

Hindu Council of New Zealand is now introducing the Festival of Colours (Holi) to Rotorua public for the first time on Sunday, 28 February 2010. After Deepawali, Holi is the second most important festival of India. Observed since ancient times, Holi festival – a spring festival in India – glorifies good harvest and fertility of the land.

Holi is also a festival of fun accompanied by folk songs and dances. People celebrate it by covering each other with coloured powder, and drenching with coloured water. The colourful festival bridges social gaps and differences, bringing people and communities together.

Immigrant Indian communities all over the world including New Zealand celebrate Holi with as much fanfare as in India.

Hindu Council of New Zealand and Te Papaiouru Marae, Ohinemutu Village are working together to organise a family fun day and share this Hindu festival with Rotorua public. This festival is one more step forward in Hindu-Maori relations (whakawhanaungatanga).

“It was the support, participation and positive feedback from the public during Rotorua Deepawali Festival that encouraged us to introduce this new festival to Rotorua” said Dr Guna Magesan, General Secretary of Hindu Council of New Zealand and one of the coordinators of this festival.

“Although it will have a humble beginning this year at our village, we would like to make this as an annual event. We are already getting a good response from the Rotorua public and support from media” said Shaloh Mitchell, an upcoming Maori leader and the other coordinator of Holi 2010 festivities.

As part of the festival, a workshop on HENNA (Indian temporary tattoo!) will be held from 10.00 am to 11.30 am on 28 February for the benefit of Rotorua public, especially the arts community. Seats are limited for the workshop, on a first-come-first-served basis. Those who are interested in attending the Henna workshop need to register their names with hindu.nz@gmail.com. Please note that there will be a registration fee (koha) of $10.00 for the Henna workshop. This koha will be given to the Marae.

In this workshop both Maori and Hindu designs will be taught. The workshop is being run by Gina Wright and Roshni Patel, well known Maori and Hindu Henna artists, respectively. Both ladies had helped with Henna decorations during the successful Rotorua Deepawali Festival 2009.

The official festival starts at 11.30 am, after the Henna workshop, with a powhiri. Food and other stalls will open for the public from midday. Indian vegetarian food and vegetarian Hangi will be available. A number of cultural performances will take place. From 3.00 to 4.00 pm, people will get an opportunity to indulge in customary revelry with coloured powder and water.

Hindu Council of New Zealand has been working with Maori community since 1997 through a number of Maori Elders. The respect and relations that we have built over the years have brought us close to the Maori community.

We have been organising regular Marae stay for our community people to learn, understand and experience Maori culture and customs. Over the years, it has become a popular programme.

Now we have started working jointly with the Marae to celebrate festivals for the benefit of whole Rotorua community.

We look forward to seeing your family and friends at the Rotorua Festival of Colours on Sunday, 28 February 2010 at the Ohinemutu village, Rotorua. Please not that it is a smoke-free, alcohol-free and meat-free festival with FREE entry to the public.

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