Waatea News Update

News from Waatea 603 AM, Urban Maori radio, first with Maori news

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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Friday, July 28, 2006

Ngati Naho march down new Mercer expressway

About 80 people from north Waikato hapu Ngati Naho today walked from Meremere to Te Paenga or Merce to protest the opening of the newest stretch of expressway.

Spokesperson Joseph Heta says the expressway was built and opened without proper ceremony or consultation with tangata whenua.

He says Ngati Naho wanted to asset its status as mana whenua and as ahi kaa roa, the keepers of the home fires.

BIG PLANS FOR TAHEKE

A Taheke Maori trust wants to turn the mid-North village into a tourist mecca.

Whakatere Kikoranui Trust chairperson Peter Kitchen says the trust bought the Taheke Tavern threee months ago, and it now has plans for a $5 million development alongside.

Mr Kitchen says the complex west of Kaikohe could eventually include accomodation, a restaurant, a plant nursery and an organic orchards.

16 carved pou and tukutuku work will give it a Maori flavour.

Mr Kitchen, who has run tourism ventures in the north for 20 years, says the trust will seek feedback from shareholders tomorrow.

HAKA CRITICISM OZ GAMESMANSHIP

Kapa haka expert Trevor Maxwell says claims the new All Black haka is a danger to society is gamesmanship.

Wallaby Coach John Connolly says Kapa Oopango Haka with its throat-slitting gesture is not an appropriate look for sport.

Mr Maxwell, the tutor of leading Rotorua group Ngati Rangiwewehi, says it's a case of envy rather than constructive analysis:

“To me that's a lot of rubbish and he’s trying to put up a smokescreen. Instead of concentrating on his scrums and things like that, he’s trying to upset the rhythm of the team,” Maxwell said.

MAORI ROLE IN BIOSECURITY

Ngati Hine conservationist Kevin Prime says Maori have an important role to play in the country's biosecurity .

Mr Prime says tangata whenua have lerarned to their cost the threats posed by the accidental or deliberate introduction of organisms and pests like possums, stoats, weasels, hedgehogs.

A major biosecurity hui at Waitangi this week discussed the some of the threats currently affecting the landscape.

Mr Prime says Maori need to become involved in watching for invasive organisms.

PRONUNCIATION GOOD ENOUGH START

You may not need to speak te reo, but at least make the effort to pronounce it properly.

That's the view of Morrie Love from the Wellington branch of the Maori Party.

The branch spent Maori Language Week encouraging people to pronounce Maori place names in the Poneke rohe properly.

Mr Love says even learning the reo may not be possible for everyone, but there are plenty of people making the effort to get the basics right.

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