Watch: The delightful moment Ratana gifts Jacinda Ardern with middle name for baby - 'A gift from us'

January 24, 2018

MPs have decsended on Ratana to kick off the potitical year.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern smiled as she was given the suggestion of a Maori middle name for her baby today during her visit to Ratana.

Senior church member Andre Mason told Ms Ardern the name "Te Waru o Noema" was a gift from the church to her, jokingly pushing her to use it for her child's middle name when it is born.

"Congratulations on the baby, we would like to give you a gift, and that gift is a name," Mr Mason said.

Te Waru o Noema means November 8, the anniversary of Ratana Movement founder Tahupotiki Wiremu's vision, where he was said to have received a command from the Holy Spirit telling him to unite Maori, and is celebrated as a big occasion in the church.

With the crowd laughing along, Mr Mason joked "it's not the first name - we'll take the second name!"

"It's only a little name ... anyway - that's a gift from us."

Ms Ardern is the first Labour government leader to be welcomed to Ratana Pa in a decade, and her welcome has been warm.

For live updates throughout today's visit, see our article here.

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