Jacinda Ardern has received a warm welcome at Ratana Pa, the first Labour Prime Minister to attend the celebration since Helen Clark.
MPs are attending the annual celebration of the birthday of Ratana Church founder Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana. This year is the 100th anniversary.
Labour and Ratana have an historic alliance going back to the 1930s when Ratana Church founder and prophet Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana signed an agreement with Michael Joseph Savage.
Ardern arrived on a bus with other Labour MPs and the Green Party. Coalition partners New Zealand First arrived separately, but all three parties were welcomed together as a Government grouping.
Ardern said she feels privileged to be gifted a name for her baby by the Ratana Church, but is yet to decide whether to accept it.
During the powhiri for Ardern, Ratana chair Andre Mason said the gift for her baby was of a middle name - Te Waru. It means 'eight' and is a reference to the 8th of November 1918 - the date the prophet Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana had the divine revelation that led to his founding of the Ratana Church in 1925.
Ardern was given warm applause for her mihi (speech) in te reo Maori.
After the powhiri, Ratana spokesman Piri Rurawhe said it was significant for the Church to bestow that name as a gift. "It's the first time I've heard of a child being named Te Waru so it's absolutely appropriate I think."
He said the gesture came as a surprise but it was appropriate. He would like to see Ardern take up the name "but we are a very rangimarie, very peaceful people but we wish her health and wellbeing for both her and her baby."
Ardern said the suggestion was warmly given and the name would be added to a long list. She was aware of the significance of the number.
She said all the children who lived on her street had also sent cards suggesting their names be used as well as various colleagues.
"There are a lot of months of arguing between Clarke [Gayford] and I before any names are settled upon."
PM promises to listen and understand
Ardern spoke of the record number of Maori MPs Labour now had, having won back all the Maori seats.
"With that comes a huge weight of responsibility and expectation which you should hold us to account for. But I can tell you we will hold ourselves to account also."
She said there was still work to do to ensure the vision the prophet Ratana had.
"We will not have met our commitment under the Treaty of Waitangi until we make sure Maori are no longer overrepresented in unemployment statistics, in our prison population, that they no longer have tamariki in poverty and our rangatahi, especially in the regions have every opportunity for a decent job and a decent future."
She said she wanted her Government to be driven by manaakitanga and a model was the response of local Maori after the Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes.
"Where there was need, marae opened their doors and responded to people."
She said she promised to listen and understand. "Hold us to account and celebrate with us when we make progress."
Five days in Waitangi
Ardern will head to Waitangi next week in the lead-up to Waitangi Day, opting to spend five days in the north rather than the usual two.
Ardern has been granted speaking rights on the marae at Waitangi for the welcome, years after her predecessor Helen Clark was driven to tears because her right to speak was objected to.
It is protocol on many marae for women not to speak.
Ardern said she felt honoured to be offered it. She said she had made it clear that she was happy to follow marae protocol "and whatever decision was made I would happily follow that decision".
She said she had wanted the decision to come from the marae.
The powhiri will be held on the upper marae at the Treaty grounds this year rather than Te Tii after successive tensions at the lower marae around the attendance of politicians and media.
