Arowhenua gets fit

Fitness trainers Andrew Holden, Trudy Gilchrist and Robyn Valentine are bringing Performance Training to Arowhenua Marae. Over a six month period they will be holding two fun fitness classes each week with their aim being to raise participant’s cardiovascular fitness strengthen core muscles to help with everyday tasks. The participants will be put through various exercises and class fitness activities to build stronger bodies.

“We hope that, in the six month time frame, we will have taught everyone fun ways to exercise, especially in groups, so they will be at their strongest for their kapa haka training. We believe this is achievable and will do our best to see each and every one succeed.”

Andrew recently qualified as a personal trainer at the New Zealand Institute of Sport. He is bringing new and exciting training techniques and styles into the gym. He can help with weight loss, muscle building, cardio fitness, and can revamp your current training methods to refresh your training sessions. He can also train you in crossfit, a new style of exercise that is taking off around the world. It’s a challenging method of training for both men and women that tests the body physically and mentally, and pushes you to your limit to produce the results you’ve always wanted.
 
Andrew also loves sport-specific training. With a representative history in rugby, cricket and softball, he knows about the demands put on sports players and can help train you to reach your highest potential. He can also customise a training schedule specifically tailored to your sport.
 
With over four years of experience as a fitness instructor and group fitness leader, Trudy Gilchrist loves helping people achieve their goals. Her Netfit qualifications give her a sound background knowledge in fitness training. She specialises in netball training and has played at representative level herself, for a number of years. She has also coached various teams. She looks forward to this new adventure at Arowhenua and to achieving some great results with course participants.
 
Robyn Valentine has been working as a gym instructor for over 15 years and comes to Arowhenua with a wealth of experience in the Les Mills training systems, which are designed for all fitness levels from amateur to advanced. Her enthusiasm shows in the way she performs in a class environment. She will be taking a choreographed class which will be fun and uplifting.

Classes run every Wednesday, 1pm–2pm and every Thursday, 10am–11am.

Karanga: Ngā Reo o Ngā Wāhine Māori – Voices of Māori Women

Haere mai, haere mai, haere mai – ki te whenua i hāroa e Te Kāhu

Welcome to Arowhenua, surrounded by bush and swamp and watched over by the hawk. Ko te tūmanako kia noho te rangimārie o te Atua i runga i a tātou katoa.

Ngā Reo o Ngā Wāhine Māori – Voices of Māori Women is the waka hauora on which women of this rohe will journey towards te pae whakamana – enlightenment. Monthly workshops started last October and will continue until June. Throughout the workshops participants enjoy discussion and development of the art of karanga. The workshops involve a practical study of the Te Pū, Te Wairuatanga, ā, kātahi anō rātou ka puta mai. The origins and history of karanga and the spirituality; finally participants will have the opportunity to experience the role of the kaikaranga.

Nō reira he mihi aroha tēnei ki a koutou e ngā wahine e whai ake ki te panekiretanga ahakoa ko te mea nui, ko te kotahitanga.

A big mihi from Ruth, Suzy and Te Wera to all the wahine who participated, and to Zita Matehe Waaka for ngā taonga he iti pounamu made for the wāhine and tāne who attended – and also for her aroha, manaaki and kōrero pūrākau. Thanks too, to Gwen Bower and Reno Waaka for the awesome preparation and presentation of the kai, he tino reka.

It was great to see so many wahine from Waihao Marae, Te Aitarakihi and Arowhenua Marae celebrating and participating together in our cultural taonga handed down from our tūpuna.

He ika kai ake i raro, he rāpaki ake i raro. As a fish nibbles from below, so the ascent of a hill begins from below.

Every journey starts with the first small step forward Working together must start somewhere.