Kāi Tahu whānui, tēnā koutou
Nei rā te whakamiha o Kāti Māhaki ki Makaawhio ki a koutou.
Nei rā hoki te mihi poroporoaki ki kā mate huhua o te marama i pahure ake. E heke ana kā roimata takiwai o te hapū nei mō rātou kua hika mai, kua hika atu. E auē! Haere atu rā koutou, haere atu ki te taha o kā mātua tīpuna e tatari ana ki tua o te ārai. Haere, haere, haere atu rā. Moe mai koutou i te rakimārie.
Rātou ki ā ratou, tātou anō ki a tātou. Tēnā anō tātou katoa.
Kua tau te wā o Makariri ki ruka i te papa nei. Winter has definitely arrived here on Te Tai o Poutini, with cooler evenings and mornings, and the huka on Kā Tiritiri o te Moana and our mauka ariki, Aoraki. There’s a definite chill to the air. Further south, it’s been cold and wet and snowy.
Wharemahi
On the wharemahi front, Rachael Forsyth who has been working part-time as our kaiāwhina kaituhituhi (secretarial support), has been taken on as our full-time kaiāwhina (administrator). She is a welcome addition to our small team. The office renovations are almost completed, although some furniture still needs to be purchased; and we are working towards moving onto the Ngāi Tahu IT system.
Our rūnanganui (executive) continue to embrace the use of their tablets at their monthly meetings. The move to electronic board papers has reduced our paper use significantly. We have also moved to an electronic filing system, following a successful trial. This is still much a work in progress, but it will reduce our issues around storage of paper.
Marae
We have had several groups at our marae over the past month. We were particularly pleased to welcome the Hollyford Track Guides, on their first visit. After several years of looking after us on our annual Hīkoi Whakatipu Waitai, we finally had the opportunity to reciprocate and to show our gratitude for the fantastic hospitality the guides always given us.
Whānau who have participated in the hīkoi were invited to help host, cook, clean and entertain, and a number rallied together for this, including one who hitchhiked from Central Otago. It was a great opportunity for whānau to reconnect, share how much the hīkoi meant to them personally and to learn something of the history and whakapapa that ties us to Whakatipu Waitai.
Kāti Māhaki whānau with Hollyford Guides on the mahau of our whare tīpuna, Kaipō.
Membership register closing soon
Each year as we prepare for our Hui-ā-Tau annual general meeting, we close our register to new members, so that those members eligible to vote at our hui can be identified. In line with the constitutional rules of our rūnanga, we wish to notify members that the membership register will be closed to new members from 19 August until and including 22 September 2013. Any registration applications received during that time will be held and processed on 23 September when the register will re-open for new members.
Waiata
We are holding weekly waiata sessions every Wednesday from 3.30pm to 5pm, at the Rata Te Āwhina Trust Rooms in Hokitika. Nau mai, haere mai.
Hīkoi whakapapa
Another date to mark in your calendars is August 23-25. We will be taking a bus trip to complement our hīkoi to Waitaha last year. This time we are planning to take in the sights and kōrero, a little closer to home, in South Westland. So book your space now and see Ka Tangi te Kōkō for more information.
Communication
In addition to our quarterly newsletter, there are now a few ways you can keep in touch, catch up on news or keep abreast of what’s happening. Try our website: www.makaawhio.maori.nz, “friend” our Facebook page, read our blog: makaawhio.blogspot.co.nz or twitter: @makaawhio.
We welcome contributions from whānau, so please send any news or photos to [email protected] or post a hard copy to Po Box 225, Hokitika 7842.
Membership database
We have an increasing list of returned mail and emails. Members are encouraged to contact us on 0800 955 007 to check your address, email address and contact details are up-to-date. If you prefer emails, send through your name, the name of any other members in your household, along with your address and contact phone number to [email protected]
Contact can be made by email [email protected] or phone 03 755 7885 or 0800 955 007.
Mā te Atua koutou e manaaki, e tiaki hoki. Mauri ora.
Māori trades trainees visit Kaiapoi Pā
On Friday 14 June the Māori trades training programme, He Toki ki te Rika, visited Kaiapoi Pā. The visit was part of the He Toki students four-week work preparedness and self-identity programme. In this programme the students learn about the industry and gain knowledge about Ngāi Tahu history. Te Marino Lenihan, a trustee for this sacred site from Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri, talked to the students about the significance of this special place to Ngāi Tahu and other iwi. Shortly after this the students visited another pā site located in nearby Pegasus township, to again be immersed in the deep and profound history of the area. It was there that He Toki students heard of Te Marino’s aspirations as a trustee of the Kaiapoi Pā Trust, to have a traditional Māori fence around both pā. He Toki students were invited to be part of the construction.
He Toki students and staff alike are incredible excited by the proposition to contribute to a project that supports iwi and Māori community this is firmly part of the heart and soul of He Toki ki te Rika.
