Hana Cotter dies age 92

Ngati Kahungunu is mourning the loss of one of its matriarchs, 92 year old Hana Cotter.

While bringing up eight children, Mrs Cotter worked as a shearer, shearing contractor and orchardist as well as representing New Zealand in hockey.

She was active in arts and culture in the Hawkes Bay, writing songs and performing in culture groups, including one which toured the United States in 1963.

She was also active in treaty claims, challenging the closure and sale of Napier Hospital.

Kohanga Reo National Trust chairperson Timoti Karetu says Mrs Cotter's support was vital for the emergence of Maori immersion education in the Hawkes Bay.

“They were the original ones who endorsed the whole idea of the Kohanga Reo concept, sort of just drowning young children in the language the way any young children learn language, she was part of that whole philosophy. And as a native speaker of Kahungunu dialect, she was quite a resource to have around,” Professor Karetu says.

Hana Cotter is lying at Korongota Marae at Bridge Pa south of Hastings, where she will be buried tomorrow (Thursday).

BRASH’S LAST SPEECH STRAINS CRED

The author of a book on the National Party says former leader Don Brash's valedictory speech strained credibility.

Saying his farewell to Parliament yesterday, Dr Brash claimed his views on the Treaty of Waitangi were misunderstood as an attack on Maori.

Nicky Hager, whose book The Hollow Men included a chapter on the origins of the Orewa speech on race relations, says Dr Brash must be hoping people haven't read the book.

“The strategy papers which his staff put together, the discussions that they had, the whole origin of that speech was about how they could raise his poll ratings and lift him up as the new leader before he was attacked by Labour and sagged in the polls, so it was a very deliberate, cynical attempt to use an issue to help him politically,” Mr Hager says.

He says while Don Brash was the front person, the people who advised him and wrote the Orewa speech are still in the party.

GOLDIE ON SHOW AT UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

A Goldie painting of a Hauraki chief is back in Auckland after spending the past 70 years in Canada.

Auckland University pro vice chancellor Maori Jim Peters says the painting, called Planning Revenge, is hanging in the university library.

It was painted in Sydney in the early 1920's and depicts Hori te Ruinga Pokai from Ngati Maru and Ngati Paoa.

Mr Peters says the painting has given those students with whakapapa connections a chance to learn a little more about their ancestor.

“He was there at the signing of the treaty, and for the next 20 years or so he was regarded as being an important person fro Ngati Maru and also of course particularly for Ngati Paoa,” Mr Peters says.

BRASH CYNIC TO THE LAST

Author Nicky Hager says former National Party leader Don Brash will be remembered as an extremely cynical politician who was prepared to attack Maori for political gain.

Dr Brash delivered his valedictory speech in Parliament yesterday, complaining that his views on the Treaty of Waitangi were misunderstood as an attack on Maori, and he was just trying to raise serious issues.

Mr Hager says the emails, speech drafts and briefing documents which formed the basis for his book The Hollow men show Dr Brash and his advisors knew exactly what they were doing with the 2004 Orewa speech.

He says that is Dr Brash's legacy.

“A pretty ordinary man did very very cynical things when he became a politician, including being prepared to put down and dump on the Maori part of the community to raise himself in the polls,” Mr Hager says.

He says if any future National politicians try to play the race card, his book will remind people what a cynical strategy it is.

YOUNG PEOPLE WARNED ABOUT PASSENGER DANGER

Police Auckland Maori liaison officer Glen Makay says many rangatahi don't realise how vulnerable they are as passengers in cars.

Mr Makay says the danger was highlighted by the weekend incident in which a 14 year old girl is now looking at a long stretch in hospital after the 16 year old driver of the car she was in crashed while trying to outrun police.

The driver, who had been drinking, escaped virtually unscathed.

Mr Mackay says it's a warning to rangatahi.

“I can't stress highly enough at this time of the year, if you’re getting in a vehicle with someone, make sure please that they are not under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and that they do know how to drive. We’ve seen it time and time again. It’s usually the guy that’s driving lives, and it’s the passengers that end up dead,” Mr Makay says.

AUTHORS ON LOOKOUT FOR EARLY PHOTOS

One of the authors of a new book on photographs of Maori says there are some extraordinary images still to be unearthed.

Auckland art dealer John Gow and co-author Michael Graham-Stewart based their book Out of Time on photographs of Maori taken between 1860 and 1940, which they have collected over the past 15 years, mostly from Britain.

Mr Gow says while some images by photographers like the Burton borthers and William Partington may be familiar icons of New Zealand photography, most are previously unseen.

He says the 90 images were chosen from a collection of several hundred.

“We were driven to the images by the images. You look at these photos and say is this a great image or is it art. And you make that decision by looking at lots and lots of images. I mean there’s one by James McDonald of Lake Waikaremoana in 1908. It’s just an extraordinary photo showing exactly how the times were. It’s quite magical,” Mr Gow says.

He hopes the book will raise awareness of early photography