(Clearwisdom.net) On January 10, 2010, 77 year-old Amato Akarana, Hereditary Maori chief, and member of the Council of Chiefs of the United Tribes of Aotearoa, came to the peak of New Zealand's Mt. Eden to support a Falun Gong event. He was warmly welcomed by the tourists.

Tourists view practitioners' display boards

Tourists talk to Amato Akarana about Falun Gong

Practitioner with Amato Akarana

Viewing the display boards

Mt. Eden is a famous tourist spot near Auckland, New Zealand, and is in the area of the United Tribes of Aotearoa. Falun Gong practitioners often come here to hold truth-clarifying activities.

On January 10, practitioners returned and Amato Akarana, Hereditary Maori chief and member of the Council of Chiefs of the United Tribes of Aotearoa, climbed to the peak with two friends. He viewed the truth-clarifying displays and talked with his friends about Falun Gong. He told the reporter, "Today I came here to express my support to Falun Gong. My tribe supports Falun Gong 100%, and I personally support Falun Gong 150%."

"My daughter is a Falun Gong practitioner. I am shocked by the persecution of Falun Gong, which is a challenge to humanity. Falun Gong practitioners have sacrificed a lot. I hope I can stand out, reducing their burden a little."

Amato Akarana's presence attracted many tourists. When they learned that the chief came to support the Falun Gong event, they all wanted to know about it. Almost everyone accepted flyers. They talked to the chief about Falun Gong. Even Chinese tourists gladly accepted truth-clarifying materials, and three Chinese people quit the Chinese Communist Party. The chief stayed for four hours.