Ngā mate
Our condolences and aroha to the whānau of Raymon Skerrett and Lewis Dawson, who passed away this month.
Rā whānau
Happy birthday to all the whānau who have celebrated a birthday this month and also a big congratulations to all new pēpi born in the last month – and of course to the parents. Aroha nui.
Eileen Hampstead had her 95th birthday celebration at Stirling Point with her great-great-grandson Ben and great-great-great-grandson, George.
Eileen Hampstead with her great-great-grandson Ben and great-great-great-grandson, George.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Riki Cheerington (Ngāpuhi) on being awarded the Order of New Zealand Merit. This is significant acknowledgement from the community for his many years of service to Māori in Murihiku.
Congratulations too, to Cyril from all the whānau at Waihōpai Rūnaka for his achievements. He has been recognised nationally for his voluntary work by the Corrections Department.
News catch-up
Everything is going great here in Murihiku, with hui after hui; and our Thursday roast lunches with our cook Aroha and her team are all good. Our mutton birders are home safe and sound too.
I attended the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu meeting and thought to just pop in to say hi. Everyone was looking happy. Ka pai. I’m away to Auckland for a Community Law hui and I’m home one day and then away again. I’ve been to Bluff as manuhiri twice and onto Te Rau Aroha Marae. But it’s great to go home once in a while.
Our kapa haka 55-plus group is going well and they have been asked to perform at a number of different occasions. I was invited to a 70th birthday for one of our tāua; all the ukulele ladies were going hard out and what an awesome night it was.
Well folks, that’s me for now, I hope you are all well. Whānau please take care and look after one another. There’s too much strife out there and we need to look after our whānau. Aroha nui all.
Nā Squirrell on the Hill.
Additional news from Waihōpai
The rūnaka are looking at August dates to start our hui, wānanga series on Waihōpai Ngāi Tahutanga. The topics are being finalised and we will keep you informed.
We are progressing our capital development plan for the marae. We will be redeveloping the whare kai and looking at opening it up slightly. Michael, Cyril, Peggy and Mhari are on the working party and we are looking forward to receiving our first set of draft plans from the architect.
The University of Otago local College of Education has started a project on the marae kōwhaiwhai. The whānau have had their first meeting with the students and are looking forward to a final presentation at the end of the year. The book on the marae pou is in its final stages before printing. This will be a great resource for whānau.
The marae waharoa will be up at the end of July, with James York working hard on completing this for us. Everyone is looking forward to attending the opening of Ngāti Waewae whare and hui-ā-tau in Hokitika. This, added with the new waiata we have for Te Matatini, should make it a fun journey.
Smelter visit
We have a couple of photos of our whānau visiting Tiwai Aluminium Smelter with other Murihiku rūnaka whānau.
Ora Barron and Mateka Pirini at the Tiwai visit.
Murihiku Rūnaka recently visited Tiwai Aluminium Smelter.
Maranuku B – Māori landowners’ meeting
A meeting of owners will be held at Kaka Point Community Hall on Sunday, 31 August at 1pm, to discuss and agree to an occupation order to occupy 1200 square metres for a whānau whare on the above land. This meeting has been called by J Bain, Maranuku B owner.