Speech
Queen's Altar Frontal
May I begin by greeting everyone in the languages of the realm of New Zealand, in English, Maori, Cook Island Maori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language. Greetings, Kia Ora, kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and as it is the morning (sign).
May I specifically greet you: Ministers of the Crown, Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Defence; Hon Parekura Horomia, Minister of Maori Affairs; Hon Steve Chadwick, Minister of Conservation; Hon Mita Ririnui, Minister of State; Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae, Chief of Defence Force; Embroiderer Jo Dixey; Rebecca Kitteridge, Clerk of the Executive Council and Secretary to the Cabinet; Your Worship Kevin Winters, Mayor of Rotorua; Trevor Maxwell, Deputy Mayor of Rotorua; Hon Justice Eddie Durie; Rt Hon Paul East; clergy and lay people of this church community; distinguished guests otherwise; ladies and gentlemen.
Thank you for the invitation to attend the presentation of the Queen's Altar Frontal at Saint Faith's Anglican Church today.
In March 2007, a special ceremony was held here at Ohinemutu, to honour the gallantry of Lance Sergeant Haane Manahi.
On that day, His Royal Highness the Duke of York conveyed the personal admiration of Her Majesty The Queen of New Zealand for Sergeant Manahi's bravery. Prince Andrew also presented three gifts to Te Arawa from Her Majesty. They had been carefully chosen to honour Lance Sergeant Manahi's gallantry, and to reflect the well known centrepiece to the 28th Maori Battalion marching song 'For God! For King! And for Country!'.
Two were available for presentation on that day. One was a letter from Her Majesty expressing her personal admiration for the bravery shown by Sergeant Manahi in the course of his service with the 28th Maori Battalion during the Second World War. That letter is on display here today. The second was the Te Arawa Sword of Gallantry for Haane Manahi, which General Jerry Mateparae has brought with him today.
The third gift, an embroidered altar frontal, was not then available, as the intricate embroidery was to take more than a year to complete. Instead, a framed copy of the design was gifted, to 'hold the place' of the actual altar frontal.
That altar frontal has now been completed. This morning I am honoured today to be able to present the completed altar frontal to Saint Faith's Church, on behalf of the Queen. The frontal is a truly beautiful piece of art, and a taonga that will, I am sure, be treasured by Te Arawa and the Saint Faith's community for years to come.
The design of the frontal was developed by the New Zealand Herald of Arms Extraordinary, in close consultation with Te Arawa, the Manahi Committee, and the vestry committee of Saint Faith's. The design also refers to the marching song refrain:
For God, there is a cross reminiscent in style to the Military Cross;
For King, there is the Queen's personal emblem;
For Country, there is a fern wreath echoing the ferns seen on military headstones.
The rafter pattern at the sides is the 'poutama', symbolising the 'stairway to heaven'.
I would like to pay tribute to embroiderer Jo Dixey, who took the design and made it a reality, creating the beautiful cloth we have here today. It is so fitting that your pride can be shared with us all.
Finally, I would like to conclude by returnign to again the gallantry shown by Lance Sergeant Manahi and the Maori Battalion in the Second World War and in particular in the Battle of Takrouna in 1943. The action of Her Majesty The Queen of New Zealand in personally acknowledging her admiration for the remarkable bravery of Haane Manahi and addressing the concerns of Te Arawa and the Manahi family is reaffirmed today.
There is an apposite Maori proverb which makes this point well. It goes: Ka piti hono, hei ttai hono, which translates as saying: Broken pieces are joined together and companies of men are reunited.
It is on that note that I will close in our country's first language, Maori, offering greetings and wishing everyone good health and fortitude in your endeavours.
No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa.