Rotorua hapu wants airport to move

A Rotorua hapu is rejecting claims there is no alternative to extending the city's airport.

Ngati Uenuku-kopako has lost its latest attempt in the Environment Court to protect its marae and kura, which lie in the path of a runway extension to take international flights.

Spokesperson Te Ruapeka Taikato says the hapu has already lost its land under the Public Works Act and had its whare tipuna destroyed when the airport was built in the 1960s.

He says the hapu has given enough to the airport.

“They can move somewhere else. That’s the alternative. They have spoken about that. If they did move and gave the land back to us, we would keep it as a domestic airport,” Mr Taikato says.

Ngati Uenuku-kopako’s next step is to lodge a claim to the airspace over the marae with the Waitangi Tribunal.

MOKO SKINK IN WAY OF WHANGAMATA MARINA

A tiny native lizard could stymie plans for multi-million dollar marina in Whangamata.

Members of Hauraki iwi were out in force today on the site to urge conservation minister Steve Chadwick to stop the project, which would destroy the habitat of one of the largest populations of the endangered moko skink.

The Whangamata Marina Society had intended to start relocating the skinks today.

Nathan Kennedy, from Ngati Whangaunga, says the recent discovery of the lizard colony came on top of Hauraki's concerns about the marine environment.

“Our primary motivation is they want to cut a huge channel straight through our pipi bed. It’s a very significant pipi bed for Hauraki. When all our other kaimoana has dried up or we have got rahui, there’s always this one here for tangi, for hui, that we can fall back on, so we just can’t allow them to destroy it,” Mr Kennedy says.

Hauraki wants Ms Chadwick to open a further inquiry into the marina.

LADY HENARE’S OLD FASHIONED DIRECTNESS REMEMBERED

A former Kohanga Reo patron is being remembered for the wisdom and leadership she brought to the job.

Rose Lady Henare from Ngati Te Ara and Ngati Hine died yesterday at the age of 96, and is lying in state at Otiria Marae near Moerewa.

She became a patron of the Kohanga Reo National trust on the death of her husband, Sir James Henare.

Iritana Tawhiwhirangi, a trustee and former chief executive, says Lady Henare made an invaluable contribution to the revitalisation of te reo Maori.

“She was typical of the old people I knew when I was growing up. She had that same sort of dignity and purpose and no-nonsense. Whereas some elders will just sit and listen, she was into it and making comment and straightening us out and quite firm about it. This is what she said and this is what you do,” Mrs Tawhiwhirangi says.

NGATI WHATUA REMEMBERS FIRST SCORE

It's 20 years today since the Lange Labour government announced it was accepting a Waitangi Tribunal recommendation to return Bastion Point to Ngati Whatua o Orakei.

That brought to a close a tumultuous decade which started with the arrest of 222 protesters on the land, and set the stage for the hapu taking a larger role in Auckland civic and commercial affairs.

Grant Hawke, the chair of Ngati Whatua, says having something tangible to work with brought the hapu together.

“Prior to that there were three major factions in our hapu: those that sided with the Crown all the way; the ones that were the administrators of the then Orakei Marae, with tauiwi and that; and just the very few Ngati Whatua, But it was the beginning of the reconciliation for us,” Mr Hawke says.

CANCER CALENDAR TO RAISE FUNDS FOR MAORI SUPPORT

Maori cancer survivors are the subject of a fundraising calendar launched in Rotorua.

Michael Naera from Te Kahui Hauora Trust says it was launched at Apumoana Marae last weekend to give whanau of the people involved a chance to celebrate and to tangi those who did not see the calendar's completion.

He says although the topic was grim, the models glowed when they put their korowai on and stood at their marae to face the camera.

Proceeds from the calendar will go to Arohamai, a Rotorua Maori cancer support group.

MAORI FASHION TAKES NEXT STEP DOWN CATWALK

A showcase of Maori fashion has revealed there's more to it than a koru on a tee-shirt.

This week's E Whitu nga Whetu Matariki Fashion Show in Auckland pulled together local designers including Anahau, Jeanine Clarkin and Moa.

Organiser Bethany Matai Edmunds says a highlight was Shona Tawhiao's harakeke corsets worn with streetwear.

She says Maori fashion is ready to compete on an equal footing with other national and international labels.

“We've come out of that tukutuku phase where it’s all quite old and it looks organic so Maori designers are definitely switching it up a level,” Ms Edmunds says.

She could take the show to New York when she moves there to study later in the year.