Kia ora whānau. Christmas and New Year is all over for another year and I certainly hope you all had a great holiday – and you are all back fighting fit.

I had a quick six days in Brisbane. Awesome. Didn’t do much – just relaxing with the whānau and friends….. it was all good. I have just started at CYFS as cultural advisor so we will see how that goes. [Read more…]

Ngā mate

Our condolences and aroha to the whānau of Raymon Skerrett and Lewis Dawson, who passed away this month.

Rā whānau

Happy birthday to all the whānau who have celebrated a birthday this month and also a big congratulations to all new pēpi born in the last month – and of course to the parents. Aroha nui.

Eileen Hampstead had her 95^th birthday celebration at Stirling Point with her great-great-grandson Ben and great-great-great-grandson, George. [Read more…]

Kia ora Waihōpai whānau me ngā rūnaka whānau o Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha hoki.

We are into the third month of 2014 already. Man, time is flying along and I can’t keep up. The marae has been a little busy, but some of us are doing a lot of outside mahi as well such as working with the Relay for Life, which a lot of our whānau attended. And may I say you all did yourselves proud.

Congratulations to you all, especially the overnighters because, while the rest of us were in bed snug and warm, our overnight whānau were walking and it was a cold night. There’s no doubt that our Waihōpai whānau are strong people.

Our first Wild Food Festival outing went well by all accounts so well done to all the whānau who went along to support the mihi whakatau, awesome. [Read more…]

Ngā mihi aroha nā te whānau o Waihōpai, tēnā koutou katoa. All is well but time comes and goes so damn fast; before you realise it you’re on the pension man. So where has time gone? One minute it’s Christmas  and New Year and then wham, back to work. We had a weekend of tītī meetings at the marae and whānau got back into the grind. (Some of us still had to be there over the Christmas break but all good). I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year and that you are all eager to get back to whatever it is you do. Cheers. [Read more…]

Kia ora koutou Waihopai whānau, me ngā whānau o ngā rūnaka katoa. To all the whānau who have a new one in their household, a big congratulations to you all, wherever you are. And many happy returns to all the birthday whānau this month.

Well whānau, we haven’t been too busy this month – just the normal everyday things happening here like Thursday roasts, tāua cards afternoon, kapa haka for the over 55s and the a visit from the Kotahi Mano Kāika team.

We have two tikaka wānaka coming up and other little hui as well.

A few of my old school mates will be hitting the retirement age this month and next year, the same for the 1948+ brigade. There’s lots of stuff happening on the marae, right up to Christmas, so we’ll all be busy.

Kia ora Ngāi Tahu whānau in Te Ika a Maui and over the ditch. Hope you are all well and you are not forgetting your whānau here in Te Waka a Māui.

So whānau, which do you prefer the South Island to be called – Te Waka a Maui or Te Waipounamu (bearing in mind the North Island is Te Ika a Maui).

It’s getting exciting now for whānau and children, as Christmas is just about here.
Well, got to go now. I look forward to next month’s pānui. Take care everyone and remember, whatever you do today, try to make somebody smile or laugh.

Nā Squirrell on the Hill.

Kia ora koutou whānau, it has been another busy month, and it’s getting very close to the magical part of the year. How time flies. To all the whānau who had a birthday this month, many happy returns and all the best. And to all whānau who have a new little one in their family, congratulations.

We have a very good nurse’s clinic every Wednesday, which helps people who don’t have access to any medical clinics – and as we all know, doctors can be expensive. The service is very well patronised so far.

As well as the normal hui – rūnaka and marae meetings for example, and our Thursday roast day – we are humming along. As for myself, Mhari, Philomena, and Peter, we have been very busy doing our tikanga programme in the prisons and on the marae. One of our tikanga members had his 70th birthday at the marae and his whānau came down from the north to celebrate. They enjoyed their stay very much.

We have a pōua, tāua, moko afternoon coming up on 19 October and that should be a great day. We also have a  respiratory hui coming up on 11 November. Put that in your diary whānau. And for the tāua,pōua, moko hui we need 12 grandparents and 12 moko – first in, first taken, so be quick Murihiku whānau.

I must also thank all the whānau who turned up to the marae to play a role as movie extras. It was a long day, especially for those ladies who didn’t think they would be there long. Robin, Mhari and Lyn started at 8.30am and finished at 7pm. But it was an enjoyable day so thank you all.

Well whānau, no matter how small the effort, the fact that you made the effort is awesome. Arohanui. To all our Kāi Tahu whānau wherever you are, take care. So long for now whānau. Nā Squirrell on the Hill. 

A big congratulations to whānau who have had babies, and to those who have had birthdays.

Waihōpai also sends their deepest condolences to whānau who have lost loved ones – Arohanui.

Kia ora whānau, here we are again. Another month is up and now we are in number nine – three more to go. How time flies. We have been pretty busy here on the marae and at the rūnaka. We had a great overnight stay from Te Wharekura o Arowhenua – all 100-plus of them and they were very pleased to take part in our Thursday roast lunch. It was a busy day with people everywhere and a performance from the school. [Read more…]

Ngā mate o ngā rūnanga haere, haere, haere atu rā. To the whānau who have lost a loved one, Waihōpai sends its condolences and deepest sympathies to you all. Aroha nui.

To all the people who have, or are having birthdays, have a great day – or, we hope you had a great day; and to all the new mums and dads congratulations on bringing new joy into your lives. Aroha nui to you all.

There’s been lots happening down here in the south. We have been busy on and off the marae. One thing that has captured the imagination is Joanne Pera’s Thursday roast meals. With the help of the marae cooks and whānau, they have become a roaring success. Well done team. Watch this space because there’s more to come from Joanne. [Read more…]