Matteo, (Ngāi Tahu – Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Te Arawa) is a student at St Bede’s College in Christchurch and teina to Maui Brennan.

Matteo, is the bass player in the St Bede’s, seven member Jazz band, which received a bronze award at last year’s Jazz Quest. He also played in the winning team that won the U14 Mainland Football Championship.

Academically, Matteo received excellence in English, languages, religious education, social studies, the arts; and he was first in his year group for music, Spanish and te reo Māori.

Well done Matteo, your whānau are proud of you and all of your achievements to date.

Matteo Pohomare Koroheke Brennan.

Sporting and academic success

Simone Pitama, (18) was the recipient of the CPIT Foundation Rakatahi Award, and along with nine other Māori and Pasifika students, she recently travelled to Auckland to watch the Oprah Winfrey show.

Simone is an all-round achiever. She also received an award from Rangiora High for being the student who most contributed to te reo at her kura.

She is a fan of sports and has played netball, volleyball and basketball. Her other passions include kapa haka.

Simone, who has lived in Rangiora all of her life, often spends time at Tuahiwi Marae and within the marae community.

In an article in the Northern Outlook, published on 23 January 2016, Simone said, “When there’s a funeral (at the marae) I’m definitely in the kitchen helping prep food and trying to take care of people. There’s also te reo workshops…I always try and get to a few of those, to keep up with my te reo and to network with everyone as well.”

Simone also received a First Foundation Scholarship and as part of her scholarship she is working at Spark. She says she will be studying accounting and commerce at university.

Congratulations to you Simone – your whānau and hapū are proud of you.

Writings by Lesel Flutey

FORGIVENESS
There it is stuck in my mind
The very thing I thought I’d left behind
It sticks like glue and hardens like clay
All the things I had no courage to say
Now it’s another day and I am doing my best
But I really need to get this off my chest
I know life is too short to hold a grudge
It does me no good when this won’t budge
I’m going to open up like a budding flower
Need to speak my truth & take back my power
So here is my courage, the softening of the clay
I choose to remove the glue and here is what I’d say

I can’t change the past and need to let this go
I need to move forward to help me grow
No longer needed in my life you can’t stay
I wish you well and send you on your way
I learnt to forgive this started with me
I’m thanking you for setting me free
Because I’m not the person I used to be.
Nā Lesel Flutey.

ROOTS OF THE  ANCIENT GRANDMOTHER TREE
She can sing, dance and show herself bare
She has a lot to offer and a lot to share
Under the roots of an ancient Grandmother tree
There’s hidden knowledge for those who go in and see
The roots are spread wide, long and thick
It started with a seed and grew real quick
Instinct and intuition our ancient coding found
The energies of earth deep within the ground
Embedded within that we carry deep
The roots of experience for us to keep
If we understand ourselves we understand our kin
The strong roots of generations entwine within
Always memories forgotten at one point or another
Stored in our DNA like the ancient tree the Grandmother.
Nā Lesel Flutey.

Our weekly activities are from 10am to 1.30pm depending on what’s happening. Each session includes time for a shared lunch so don’t forget to bring your kai. If you can’t make it to the session, come and join us for lunch anyway.

Starting on 1 September we will be introducing a Wellbeing and Zumba Gold session – a fun way to get some gentle exercise. Other activities for September will include: First Aid, on 1 September; Wellbeing, Zumba Gold, and Rongoā on 8 September; and Living well with Diabetes with Debbie Rawiri on 17 September.

Appointment committee nominations
Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga Society Incorporated will be calling for nominations for the appointment committee at the rūnanga general meeting on Sunday 9 December 2012. If you would like to be a member of the appointment committee, you will need to attend this meeting and submit your nomination. You can contact the Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Office phone: 03 313 5542, fax: 03 313 5542 or email: Tuahiwi.Marae@ngaitahu.iwi.nz for information regarding the criteria for nominations.

Owners of Section 34 Kaiapoi Māori Reserve 873
Owners of Section 34 Kaiapoi Māori Reserve 873 are invited to attend a shared kai and meeting.
When: 27 November, 5.30pm-9.30pm
Where: 36 Rossiter Ave, Redwood, Christchurch.

Opening of our whare

Nāia te tāwhiri, nāia te karanga, tēnei te mihi ki a koutou.

The Tuahiwi Marae Trustees and Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga welcome you to join in the celebrations for the opening of the new whare, Maahunui.

When: Saturday 1 December
Time: 10.30am

Please gather at Tuahiwi Urupā (corner Greens Road and Tuahiwi Road). From there you will be led by the Ngā Pou o te Haahi Ratana band to the marae car park, ready for the blessing.

Immediately after the blessing there will be a pōwhiri to welcome everyone. Celebrations will continue throughout the day with whakawhanaungatanga, entertainment and kai.

Please RSVP to Janine Lancaster at the rūnanga office on (03) 313 5543 or tuahiwi.marae@ngaitahu.iwi.nz:
Nau mai, haere mai, tauti mai rā.

It’s a pretty big job – Tuahiwi Marae update

It’s still all go here at the marae; trucks are coming and going and the final touches are being made before the opening on Saturday 1 December.

A huge ditch has been dug in front of the meeting house, I think it’s for a water feature, but we will have to wait and see. The painters were busy this month, water-blasting the two offices, painting both inside and out and filling in the gaps on our memorial fence. The paving blocks have been put in place around the wharekai and on the veranda. The workers carried the paving blocks one by one, from the wharenui, where the truck dropped them off, to the wharekai and veranda. There were about 2000 blocks, lots of walking, what a great job.

With all the paving finished, the only mystery I can’t figure out is the water feature, or the swimming pool or the lake. No, it’s not a swimming pool for the children. We will just have to wait till it’s finished!

Well we’ve got an ugly tea tree outside our whare, and I have always said cut it down, but no, they just gave it a trim (so ugly).

You should come up and see the new whare, it’s so flash. The gardener is cleaning the front of the two offices so grass can be laid for the lawn. So exciting, looking out from my throne I can see everything going on. Machinery is spreading out the dirt for the lawn, truckloads of stones have been brought in and the water tanks are all getting face lifts to blow the steam around the corner.

All the concrete for the wharenui and the car park has been laid. Also park lights have been put around the marae. Come on down to the opening on Saturday 1 December.

This is my last pānui about the marae, I will not be writing anymore as it will all be finished when you read this. So love to you all and hope that you all enjoyed my writing.

Thank you again
Ka kite
Patricia

Healthy Day at Puāwaitanga

Healthy Day was held by Puāwaitanga. Seven whānau from Tuahiwi and Kaiapoi went down and enjoyed the kōrero and lovely kai.