Waatea News Update

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

My Photo
Name:
Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Friday, August 15, 2008

Parekarangi Trust provides land for lock-up

A Maori land trust says it back the kaupapa behind a new youth justice residence for the Bay of Plenty and Waikato.

Parekarangi Trust yesterday leased Child, Youth and Family a 10 hectare site on the road between Rotorua and Tokoroa for the 40-bed secure facility.

Chairperson James Warbrick says as well as running sheep, dairy and tourism businesses, the trust has a responsibility to its community.

He says the centre has a positive purpose.

“We wouldn't look at a prison. This is youth rehabilitation, its kaupapa is about rehabilitating these young ones, giving them a second chance, turn them around before than last step is an adult prison which we try and curb,” Mr Warbrick says.

Parekarangi Trust members could benefit from employment and training opportunities associated with the facility, which is due to open in 2010.

QUEEN’S FAVOURITE TUNES IN CONCERT TODAY

Tainui is gearing up for next week's coronation hui for King Tuheitia, but today the focus is on the late queen.

Spokesperson Rahui Papa says today's Te Ra Whakamaharatanga mo Te Arikinui will celebrate the life of Te Atairangikaahu, who died two years ago.

He says some of the kapa haka at Turangawaewae Marae will perform songs composed for Dame Te Ata and some of her favourite waiata, like her aunt Te Puea Herangi's E noho e Ata and He Wahine Toa by Ngapo and Pimia Wehi.

“It's a celebration of the 40 years of Te Arikinui so it is a very happy occasion, the time for mourning is past and the time for remembering all of the feats and wonderful things she did in her reign as Te Arikinui, in memory of her reign in those 40 years,” Mr Papa says.

ARTIST BRINGS HEI TIKI TO LIFE

A Ngai Tahu artist is rescuing hei tiki from museum draws and giving them new life.

Fiona Pardington's giant photographs of taonga held at Whanganui Regional Museum feature in a show which opened at Auckland's Two Rooms Gallery this week.

She says while some people find the scale of the work overwhelming, it brings out the individual personalities of the pieces.

“One of my favourite works looks like a modernist sculpture, a bit like Brancusi, so much fun and they’ve all got so much life in them, each individual hei tiki is just so beautiful, it’s like a portrait really. I’m quite addicted to it really. I just want to keep on meeting all of these new hei tiki and making these works,” Pardington says.

Her work is paired with Mark Adams' photographs of sites in the South Island where the pounamu came from.

MAORI ALTERNATIVE POSSIBLE TO THINK BIG POWER PLAN

A Green MP says wind farms on marginal Maori land makes is a better way to deal with New Zealand's energy needs than drilling for gas.

Metiria Turei says Maori trusts are also making their resources available for geothermal power generation, says as the Rotokawa joint venture between Tauhara North Number 2 Trust and Mighty River Power.

She says it's a better approach than the energy policy the National Party released this week.

“National's taking very much a Think Big approach to electricity generation and what we know is it fails and it destroys our natural resources beyond the advantage of getting cheap electricity and what we need is a better planned diversified programme of electricity generation across the country, and by focusing on renewable we can do that,” Ms Turei says

She says National's energy plan is expensive and it won't work.

WEAVING FILM SHOWS MAORI GIFT TO CRAFT

A documentary about last year's national weavers’ hui in Te Whanau A Apanui is going on the road.
Garry Nicholas, from arts promotion group Toi Maori says Whiri Toi, by Fijian producer Lala Rolls, features interviews with newcomers to mahi raranaga and a commentary by Edna Pahewa, the chair of the national collective.

He says it celebrates a unique gift Maori can share.

“There are gifts that we have as Maori that need to be shared to the world and that is our contribution to it, and the weavers are one of those great gifts. They have a philosophy about life and they work with a material that on its own is not that spectacular, but what they are able to make for it epitomises a kaupapa we all look for as a nation of people, and that is being able to weave us together,” Mr Nicholas says.

Whiri Toi is screening at Our City O-Tautahi on Oxford Terrace, Christchurch tomorrow afternoon.

Information on other screenings is on the Toi Maori website.

JOSIE RIKI AGAIN PART OF SONNY DAY LINE-UP

Some of Maoridom's top musical talent is getting ready for Sunday's tribute concert for Sonny Day in Auckland.

The former Sundowner, whose career stretched from the Maori showbands of the 1950s and 60s to his All Stars blues band of the 80s and 90s, died in his Auckland home a year ago at the age of 64.

Singer Josie Rika says she first heard Sonny Day singing a version of Wolverton Mountain when she was 11, so she jumped at the chance to sing with him as an adult.

“Yeah I did work with him in the All Stars with Beaver and the wonderful Tama Renata and Grant Ryan, Neil Edwards, all the boys, had a fabulous time and just a real beautiful man to work with,” Rika says.

Organisers say tickets are almost sold out.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home