Kāi Tahu whānui, tēnā koutou!
Nei rā te mihi manahau, te matakuikui hoki o Kāti Māhaki ki Makaawhio ki a koutou katoa! Nei rā hoki kā roimata takiwai o te hapū nei mō rātou kua hika. E auē! Haere atu rā koutou ki te taha o kā mātua tīpuna e tatari ana ki tua o te ārai. Moe mai koutou i waekanui i a rātou, moe mai i te rakimārie. Haere, haere, haere atu rā. Rātou ki a rātou, tātou anō ki a tātou. Tēnā anō tātou katoa!
Te wā o te Kirihimete is fast approaching and as seems to be the pattern at this time of year (they don’t call it the silly season for no reason!) it has been extremely busy and not likely to slow down anytime soon!
Hākari Kaumātua (Kaumātua Dinner) postponed
Unfortunately we have had to postpone our Hākari Kaumātua that was to be held on 1 December. A new date has been set for 2 February 2013 at 4.30pm, Wests RFC, Brittan Street, Hokitika. Please make a note in your calendars and look out for the invites, which will be sent out early next year.
Te Whare Oranga Pai
On Friday 26 October, Makaawhio together with Ngāti Waewae celebrated the opening of Te Whare Oranga Pai. Te Whare Oranga Pai is a Health and Wellness Centre that tailors programmes for Māori to develop healthier habits and make better health and wellbeing choices.
Driving the kaupapa is Marie Mahuika-Forsyth who has been contracted as kairuruku. It has been funded for an 18-month period as an extension of the Makaawhio Mauri Ora programme through Healthy Eating, Healthy Activity Funding. However, both the Poutini Kāi Tahu Rūnaka have committed funding support to Te Whare Oranga Pai beyond the initial 18 months. Already 50 participants have signed onto the programme and we are expecting to see some really positive results!
Te Hui Ahurei o Te Tai Poutini
Competitive kapa haka made its debut at Westland High School on 15 November. Thirteen kura from around Te Tai o Poutini performed and although not all kura were competing, it was a wonderful showcase of our talented tamariki and taiohi.
Congratulations to our winners; Hokitika Primary School who won the aggregate junior section and Greymouth High School who won the senior aggregate section.
Upoko rūnanga Richard Wallace opens kapa haka competition.
Hokitika Primary School.
Te Paerangi workshop
We were thrilled to be able to welcome Te Papa experts to Te Tai o Poutini to run two workshops (Digital Photography and Paper Conservation). Unfortunately participation was lower than originally expected due to a number of clashing engagements, however, participants and tutors were not put off by this and feedback was glowing.
Gavin Reedy, Kate Whitley and Vicki-Anne Heikell were welcomed to Arahura on 14 November and settled down to business, quickly capturing their audience. Practical and hands on, everyone involved came away with new knowledge and are keen for the next workshop and have come away with at least one project in mind. Our thanks to Te Papa and our tutors for making the hīkoi, and to all papatipu rūnaka, we absolutely recommend these workshops!
Te Atakura and Hui-ā-Iwi
Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio were well represented at Hui-ā-Iwi this year. We took a busload from Te Tai o Poutini and were fortunate to stay at the beautiful Wairewa Marae maintaining our whakapapa links there.
We aimed to perform at Te Atakura, a first for the rūnanga and for many of our rōpū (who were first time learners and performers) and were rapt to take to the stage with more than 30 participants! Baby steps. This year, we have managed to gain a good repertoire of waiata, which will be good backup for us if we are caught needing to fill a gap with song, the ā-rika portion of the waiata is a work in progress!
Thanks to the Ngāi Tahu Fund mō te pūtea tautoko, to our taraiwa pahi, Steven McLaren, our kairakuraku, Tutoko Wallace-Jones and whānau for their enthusiasm and commitment. Ka mau te wehi koutou!
Rūnanga office hours
Our office will be closing from Wednesday 19 December through until 7 January 2013.
Before closing, I would like to extend our seasons greeting to you all on behalf of Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio and to wish you all the best for a joyous, peaceful and safe holiday season.
Kia tau te maukāroko ki ruka i te whenua, he whakaaro pai ki kā tākata.
Let there be peace and tranquillity on earth and goodwill to all people.
He mihi manahau, he mihi matakuikui, he mihi mō te Kirihimete me te Tau Hou ki a koutou katoa. Cheerful, joyous, Christmas and New Year greetings to all.
Mā te Atua koutou e manaaki, e tiaki hoki
Mauri ora
Susan Wallace.