Ngakau Hansen, 11, as Tamanuiterā, and Eva Candy, 10, as Hineraumati, share a feast on the Kāeo Primary School float.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Step aside Santa – in one Far North town at least, the bearded gift-giver from the North Pole now has to share the limelight with a much more local figure.

On Sunday townsfolk in Kāeo, on State Highway 10 north of Kerikeri, held their annual Hineraumati Parade, named for the summer maiden of Māori lore and one of the sun’s two wives.

Santa still put in an appearance, arriving on a 1933 Fargo truck more suited to Northland conditions than his traditional sleigh, but it was Hineraumati who featured on most of the floats.

The change in focus came two years ago when the parade was in danger of folding due to volunteer fatigue, and iwi organisation Te Rūnanga o Whaingaroa was asked to take up the reins.

A 1933 Chrysler Fargo truck gets the tinsel treatment ahead of the parade.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Tumuaki [chief executive] Bree Davis said the rūnanga was more than happy to rescue the popular community event.

“But we wanted to put our iwi Māori twist on the parade. And one of the kōrero that we started to have was around Hineraumati, our summer maiden, and looking at how we could incorporate that into the parade.

“Because even though we’ve all grown up with Santa, we also know that for iwi Māori, the different seasons also bring our different tohu [signs] as well.”

Davis said in 2023 Santa and Hineraumati had equal billing in the parade, but this year the rūnanga decided to take it a step further.

“We still have Santa who comes along with us to celebrate, but we recognise Hineraumati as our summer maiden, who opens up our summer time for us as iwi Māori. For us the big thing was to have our own pūrākau [stories] included in the celebrations we have here in Whangaroa.”

Seven-year-old Harlow Wright on Totara North School’s marine-themed Summer in Whangaroa float.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Pouārahi [cultural navigator] Raniera Kaio said the Hineraumati Parade was the vision of colleague Kath Wharton, who died in November.

“Kath understood the importance of embracing Māori-centric kaupapa and recognised the growing appreciation for Māori traditions, especially following the establishment of Matariki as a public holiday in Aotearoa. The name change aligns with the tikanga of whānau values, Māori storytelling, and cultural identity.”

Kaio said the event, which included a festival on the Whangaroa College grounds, was much more than a parade.

“It’s a moment for the Whangaroa community to come together, honour our shared heritage, and celebrate the vibrant energy of the summer season,” he said.

The winner of the best float title, awarded by Far North mayor Moko Tepania, went to Kāeo Primary School, for a float centred around a feast shared by the atua [god] Tamanuiterā and his summertime wife, Hineraumati.

Ngakau Hansen, 11, as Tamanuiterā, and Eva Candy, 10, on the winning float.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Students from Te Kura o Hato Hōhepa Te Kamura, north of Kāeo, celebrate the summer maiden Hineraumati.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Four-year-old Kairehu Schomberg is ready for the parade.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Christmas elf Kaira King, 14, left, had the all-important job of distributing lollies to children along the route.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Dave Hōri drives a 1933 Chrysler Fargo standing in for Santa’s sleigh.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Kāeo Primary School kids parade down the town’s main street.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Poi girls, from left, Lilly Davis, Tahlia Broughton and Cassie Sherman.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Students of Te Kura o Hato Hōhepa Te Kamura hand out flowers instead of sweets.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Santa makes his way down Kāeo’s main street on a 1933 Chrysler Fargo truck.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Kāeo kids watch as the parade goes by.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

A variation on the ever-popular bouncy castle keeps the kids entertained.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Nine-year-old Jaimee Stewart from Matauri Bay competes in Kāeo Fire Brigade’s bungee challenge.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Far North mayor Moko Tepania introduces a nephew and niece to Santa and Hineraumati (aka Charlotte Morunga).
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

Covers band Kōhia, with Harry Muunu on bass, keeps the crowd entertained.
Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf

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