Future Care Conference powhiri

Tihe mauri ora!  He wehi ki te Atua,
He maungārongo ki runga  i te whenua,
He whakaaro pai ki ngā tāngata katoa.

Aorangi Tipua Maunga
Ngāi Tahu Awa, Ngāi Tahu tangata, 
E ngā manu tioriori karanga,
Rakiihia, Tā Tipene,
Tēna koutou katoa,
Mihi mai i runga i ngā mate
Kua moe i te moenga roa, kua okioki.

Mihi mai ki te ope kua eke nei,
Taku hoa rangatira,
Kahurangi Huhana,
Ngā Rangatira o Hato Hone
Rangatira Ariki – Arikinui Te Tiuka o Gloucester
Rangatira Ahurei – Ahorangi Anthony Mellows
Tēnā korua Nga Tumuaki Aotearoa, Garry Wilson, ā Rongo Matua Otautahi Bob Parker.

Tenei ahau, Te Rangatira, me te Māngai a Kuini Irihāpeti, E mihi ana ki a koutou, Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.

Your Royal Highness, Grand Prior; Professor Anthony Mellows, Lord Prior;  Distinguished Guests, Members of St John; Ladies and Gentlemen; it has been a great honour to welcome you, in New Zealand’s first language, Māori, to New Zealand and to this Future Care event that celebrates 125 years since St John was established in this country.

I have acknowledged God, calling for peace on Earth and goodwill to all. I have also acknowledged Aorangi, the ancestral mountain of Ngāi Tahu, their rivers and their people.

Specifically I have responded to the call of the kuia and the eloquent speeches by Rakiihia Tau and Sir Tipene, and their welcome to us and acknowledgement of those who have gone before us.

I have acknowledged the welcome that my party—my wife Susan, Your Royal Highness and the Lord Prior—have received from the manawhenua.  As Prior of the Order of St John in New Zealand, and as Governor-General and personal representative of the Queen of New Zealand, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, I extend my greetings to our guests and to everyone here this evening.

I close then, again offering everyone greetings and wishing you all good health and fortitude in your endeavours.     No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tēnā koutou katoa.