On Thursday evening, as Katene Eruera was sworn in as new Dean of Tikanga Maori at St John’s College, he vowed before God and a throng of well-wishers to devote himself, “body, soul and spirit” to service at the college.
He was privileged, he told the gathered crew, to play a part in “a new beginning for the college."
Then, less than 24 hours later – about 3:30pm on Friday, in fact – Katene made a fresh set of vows.
And he was rejoicing all over again at another new, but rather more personal beginning.
Because this time, in the old college chapel, in front of a small family gathering, he married his fiancé, Wendy Knight.
They'd met in Christchurch in the aftermath of the quakes. He was posted there as an army chaplain, and she was there as an air force psychologist.
Their getting together, he quipped at his installation, may have been about the best thing to emerge from the quakes.
Mind you, Katene – who has ties to Te Rarawa, Ngati Hau and Ngati Kaharau – won’t be letting wedded bliss keep his mind off his new responsibilities.
He starts his job on Monday.
In the next issue of Taonga magazine, we’ll carry an interview with Katene.
About where he's been and what he's done - and what his vision and plans for his new task are.
To whet your appetite for that, here are a few shots from Thursday’s powhiri, installation and hakari.
And one from Friday afternoon’s happy occasion.
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