The Governor General, Sir Jerry Mataparae and his wife Lady Janine had a jam-packed itinerary while here on the coast, starting with a pōwhiri at Arahura Marae on 23 February, where Poutini Kāi Tahu jointly welcomed him.
Later in the afternoon he met with students, board members and staff at Westland High School. Students shared their experiences following the Waitangi Day fire, which made national headlines and displaced students and staff, who have been continuing their learning journey across multiple halls and venues in Hokitika. It will be some time before they return to the school. Staff, students and the community have pulled together to meet the challenges presented and most importantly, students do not feel their learning has been compromised.
The next day, Sir Jerry took to the air with Sir Hannibal Hayes, to enjoy the sights, including the amazing Amethyst River and their Hydro Power scheme; and our glacier, Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere. Following that, we welcomed his party in Waiau (Franz Josef) at the Kiwi Wildlife Centre. Sir Jerry and Lady Janine visited the final two hatched chicks for the season, naming a 14-day-old chick, Huru (feather).
The centre plays an important role locally in the ONE Kiwi programme managed by the Department of Conservation. Our rūnanga has been involved in the strategy, introduced to try to save the two most critically-endangered species of kiwi, both found in our rohe – the rowi and the tokoeka. They work in partnership with DOC, taking viable eggs from kiwi burrows, incubating them, raising the hatched chicks until they go to a predator-free island and finally being released back into the wild when they are large enough to fend off predators.
They also paid a visit to the new Department of Conservation offices in the Ngāi Tahu-owned building Te Ao Mārama. We worked on and developed interpretation in the new office, based on Ki uta, ki tai and the stories of our people. Te Ao Mārama will be officially opening next month.
Governor-General visits Kiwi Wildlife Centre in Waiau-Franz Josef.
Māhaki whānau (Left to right) Marie Mahuika-Forsyth, Maria Russell, Rachael Forsyth, (seated) Richard Wallace and Barbara Vaea, Susan Wallace with DOC Managers Wayne Costello and Jo MacPherson with “Te Mata o te whenua,” the pou which anchors the space.
Tawini Governor-General and his party are welcome to Te Tai o Poutini at Arahura Marae.
Governor-General pays a visit to Westland High School.