Kāi Tahu whānui, tēnā koutou katoa. Nei rā te mihi matakuikui o Kāti Māhaki ki Makaawhio ki a koutou katoa.
Kai te mihi atu, kai te taki atu ki kā tini mate kua hika mai, kua hika atu, ki kā whanauka maha hoki kua hīkoi atu ki tua o te ārai. Nō reira, haere koutou ki te taha o kā mātua tīpuna e tatari ana mō koutou. Haere, haere, haere atu rā, moe mai koutou i te rakimārie. Rātou ki ā rātou, tātou anō ki a tātou.
Tēnā anō tātou katoa, Poutini continues to experience the mixed weather that seems to be a feature mō tēnei wā makariri.
Heavy rain and frosts and wintery blasts have kept all of our fires burning, with some relief offered when Tama-nui-te-raki blesses us with his presence.
The upside to this time of year, has to be the stunning sight of Aoraki cloaked in hukapapa and poutini whenua framed by Kā Tiritiri o te Moana. Te ātaahua hoki.
Just like the weather, we have experienced some ups and downs over the past month. We joined the Waiau (Franz) community to celebrate and open the new Kidsfirst Childcare Centre in Franz, an excellent and much needed facility which is already full and has a waiting list; and in stark comparison, we lost one of our kaumātua ahi kā, Uncle Maxie Duncan, to tragic circumstances.
Uncle Max Duncan was commemorated at two services. One service was held one at home in Mahitahi, Bruce Bay and the other at his old stomping grounds at Sheffield. Both were well attended and reflected the breadth and range of relationships he had forged throughout his life.
He brought a unique perspective to everything he did. A hardworking outdoorsy man and an artist in equal measure. He was an active and engaged member of our rūnanga. Uncle Max will be sorely missed.
Nō reira, e te kopara o te take tea, te totara haemata o Karangarua, haere, haere, haere atu rā.