Bikies and a Muslim Imam share a powerful traditional embrace as they come together to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Christchurch mosque shootings
- Motorcycle group members embrace Muslim Imam at Christchurch Al Noor mosque
- The members of the group and the mosque greeted in traditional Maori manner
- The gang, Tu Tangata Riders Iwi Tapu, also performed a haka for the mosque
- The motorcycle group are part of the Man Up program started by Destiny Church
- A large service to commemorate the anniversary was earlier cancelled
Motorcycle club members and the Iman of the Al Noor Mosque have embraced with a traditional Maori greeting to mark the one-year anniversary of the Christchurch mosque shootings
Members of the Tu Tangata Riders Iwi Tapu group turned up to support the Christchurch Muslim Community who were marking one-year since the devastating attacks in March 2019, in which 51 people were killed.
One photograph shows the Mosque’s Imam Gamal Fouda performing a hongi – a traditional Maori greeting in which people embrace and touch noses – with members of the group.
Members of the group, whose Maori name translates as ‘stand tall, stand proud holy tribe’ also ‘hongied’ other mosque members before they assembled to perform a haka.
A member (pictured) of the Tu Tangata Riders Iwi Tapu motorcycle group uses the traditional Maori greeting, the hongi, to greet Al Noor Mosque Imam, Gamal Fouda
Members of the Tu Tangata Riders Iwi Tapu motorcycle group greet members of the Al Noor Mosque (pictured) to commemorate the one-year anniversary since the Christchurch mosque attack in which 51 people died
Tu Tangata Iwi Tapu members (pictured) perform a haka in support of the Al Noor Mosque
According to its Facebook page the Tu Tangata Riders are ‘a motorcycle group that rides with a positive purpose’.
The group is active in organizing events by the group, Man Up, a non-government funded free 15 week program that ‘helps identify, expose, and understand core root issues of why men experience dysfunctions’.
The South Island Man Up was established in Timaru, New Zealand in July 2018 and is based on a programme by Destiny Church, which is led by controversial pastor, Brian Tamaki.
The programme is led by Bishop Tamaki’s son-in-law Caine Warren.
A member of Tu Tangata Iwi Tapu (pictured) performs a haka during a commeration marking one-year since the Christchurch mosque shootings
The group has helped many former members of feared gangs such as the Mongrel Mob, and Black Power, in dealing with issues including crime, violence, drugs, alcohol and depression.
Speaking about Man Up, Tamaki said the group is focused on ‘healing.’
‘Heal the man – Heal the family. Heal the family – Heal the community. Heal the community – Heal the city. Heal the city – Heal the nation,’ he said in the New Zealand Herald.
A member of Tu Tangata Iwi Tapu (pictured) performs a haka to commemorate one-year since the attack on the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch
The hongi and haka took place outside the Al Noor Mosque.
A large commemoration event to be held on Sunday at Christchurch’s Horncastle Arena was earlier cancelled due to new restrictions in place because of the coronavirus.
At a news conference on Friday, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the country and its people ‘have fundamentally changed’ since the attacks.
Ardern also said: ‘The challenge for us will be ensuring in our everyday actions, and every opportunity where we see bullying, harassment, racism, discrimination, calling it out as a nation.’