Ngā Rohe
Te Tai Hauāuru: Tira Hoe Waka 2009
Whanganui iwi were joined by King Tuheitia and his whānau, along with kaumātua and Tainui kapa haka group Ngā Pou o Roto on the annual Tira Hoe Waka this year. King Tuheitia’s daughter Ngawai Hono i te Po celebrated her 12th birthday at Pipiriki on 13 January 2009. Ngawai was gifted to Whanganui at the time of her birth when Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikahu was travelling the Tira Hoe Waka in 1997. The name Ngawai Hono i te Po on represents the coming together of the two mighty rivers Waikato and Whanganui. Te Puni Kōkiri also supported the Tira Hoe Waka.
Waikato: Whānau Sports Day
Te Puni Kōkiri supported Waka Tangata Trust to host its annual whānau sports day at the end of January this year with the kaupapa of whakawhanaungatanga. Perfect weather conditions provided a backdrop for the more than 400 people who gathered to participate. The whānau sports day was held at Maketu Marae, Kāwhia, with a variety of entertainment and family activities including hoe waka, tours, touch rugby, volleyball, knuckle bones and a waiata competition along with goods and kai stalls.
Te Arawa: Uruika
Te Puni Kōkiri supported the 100-year celebrations of Tapuaeharuru Marae’s whare tupuna Uruika. Tapuaeharuru Marae is located on the eastern shores of Lake Rotoiti and has long been the turangawaewae of two Ngāti Pikiao hapū, Ngāti Tamateatutahi and Ngāti Kawiti. Celebrations included the launch of a booklet containing contributions of oral, written, pictorial and archival documentation sourced from whānau and friends, local and national libraries and museums, the Historic Places Trust and Archives New Zealand, all capturing the rich history of the marae.
Te Tairāwhiti: Inter-marae Sports
Te Aitanga ā Hauiti and the Ūawa community hosted the 2009 Ngāti Porou Inter-Marae Sports at the Tolaga Bay Area School earlier this year. More than 4,000 “Natis”, representing 20 marae, participated in more than 20 sports and events including athletics, swimming, tug of war, chess, basketball, touch and more. “It was a brilliant day, and a wonderful opportunity for whānau to participate and compete for their marae in the spirit of whānaungatanga,” says coordinator Te Kāhui Jones. Te Puni Kōkiri supported the sports day to encourage Māori participation in sports and cultural activities.
Te Whanganui ā Tara: Te Tatau te Pō
Recently more than 300 people attended Te Tatau o Te Pō Marae’s 75th jubilee celebrations, where a booklet was launched called Te Tatau o Te Pō History 1933-2008 - 75th Jubilee. The original meeting house stood on what is now the corner of Te Puni Street and The Esplanade in Petone. In the 1920s it was moved to where the former Petone West School stood. Then in 1933 it was moved to the present site at 437 Hutt Road, Lower Hutt. Te Tatau o Te Pō Marae has a long, proud history that has now been documented for future generations.
Te Waipounamu: Protecting Mahinga Kai
Te Puni Kōkiri is supporting Ngāi Tahu’s Wairewa Rūnanga to complete a successful trial investigating the feasibility of creating a permanent outlet canal from Wairewa/Lake Forsyth to the Pacific Ocean, to restore the health of the lake. The purpose of this trial is to reverse the current state of the environment within the lake by using tidal energy to flush toxic algal blooms from the lake. “The project will ensure the health of the tuna fishery and the return of other mahinga kai,” says Wairewa Rūnanga Chairman Robin Wybrow.
Te Moana a Toi: Waka Ama Toolkit
Te Puni Kōkiri supported the Mataatua Sports Trust to develop a resource for proactive planning of future waka ama events. The Mataatua Waka Ama Regatta planning toolkit offers support to individuals, waka ama clubs, whānau, hapū and iwi to organise and manage a successful waka ama event. Waka ama is fast becoming a popular sport within the Te Moana ā Toi rohe, says Te Puni Kōkiri regional director Rachel Jones. “I congratulate the Mataatua Sports Trust for their proactive approach to ensure their people are safe while building a better quality of life through waka ama.”
Tamaki Maukaurau: Papakura Christmas in the Pā
Te Puni Kōkiri supported last year’s Papakura Christmas in the Pā. The event first took place in 2006 and has now become an annual celebration of the Papakura community with audience numbers increasing over the past two years. Last year’s event was a planned collaboration between Papakura Marae, Awhi Wraparound Project and Edmund Hillary School. Entertainment for the evening included local hip hop dancers, kapa haka, local primary school performances and a local vocal crew.
Te Tai Tokerau: Te Aurere Returns Home
Waka Hourua Te Aurere returned to its Northland home after spending more than two months on a spiritual voyage sailing around Te Ika ā Maui (North Island). Te Aurere set sail last November with renowned waka builder Hector Busby at the helm, and returned to Mangonui earlier this year. Te Puni Kōkiri supported this voyage. The first leg of the voyage saw Te Aurere travel down the western seaboard stopping at Hokianga, Manukau, Waitara, Whanganui and Porirua then travelling on to the eastern seaboard and stopping in Napier, Gisborne, Waihau Bay and Tauranga before returning home to Mangonui.
Main Feature
Te Ao Māori
Māori Economic Summit
The Minister of Māori Affairs, Hon Dr Pita Sharples, calls for Māori leaders to consider bold initiatives to address the impact of the global economic crisis on Māori and all New Zealanders.
28 Māori Battalion Reunion 2009
The 28 Māori Battalion veterans, whānau and friends gathered in Whanganui for their annual reunion hosted by D Company from 20 to 22 February.
In Business
Tū Māia
Sisters Raina Fowlds and Chris Murray (Mūaupoko, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Apa) are in the business of producing bi-lingual educational resources.
Taylor's Master Valet
Kiri (Ngāi Tahu) and Skot Penfold (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kuri) own and operate a Christchurch dry cleaning business – Taylors Master Valet – that began in 1848.
Building Website Sales
Patrick Porter (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou) and Jade Sievers have their own web business specialising in providing websites that generate sales.
Creative New Zealand
Te Waka Toi Scholarships
If you are a post-secondary Māori student studying in the arts then Te Waka Toi want to hear from you by the end of March 2009.
In Entertainment
Parihaka Peace Festival 2009
More than 12,000 people gathered to celebrate the fourth Parihaka Peace Festival, held in Taranaki.