Kia ora Kāi Tahu whānau, hope everyone is well and healthy and the bugs have missed you all. It’s starting to warm up now and its getting lighter at night so it’s a sign that we’ll be able to spend more time in our gardens or outside with our tamariki after mahi. I’m looking forward to more sunny weather, but as we say at Te Tai o Poutini, we get a week of fine hot weather and then it will rain down on us for five weeks (let’s hope that doesn’t happen).

Whitebait season has opened and I hope all the whānau are sorted and looking forward to spending time down at the awa.

Rā whānau

Happy birthday to all whānau who have recently celebrated another birthday. I hope you all had a good day. Aroha mai Ant Coakley, who celebrated his birthday on 17 August. Sorry cuz, belated birthday wishes. Happy birthday to: Chantal Tumahai, Terita Mason, El-Alamein Meihana Whittle, Kaleshea Tauwhare, Marlon Price, Chris Lewis, Kereopa Ria, Irai Weepu, Mikayla Tumahai, Kupe Tauwhare, Tania Tauwhare, James Campbell, Moana Lee, Tamaki Tumahai, Chelsea Meihana, Awatea Tauwhare, Tina Weepu, Maighdlin Hinekoau Jones, Miriama Blacktopp, Miriam Downs,David Downs, Gordon Weaver and Hector.

Kapa haka

Hokitika Primary School dominated the stage at Te Hui Ahurei o Te Tai o Poutini on 7 August in Westport.

On the first night of our stay in Kawatiri, we had a lot of sick tamariki who unfortunately had headaches and a vomiting bug. Some even lost their voices from training so hard. The next day they all performed and brought so much discipline and mana to the stage. It was a privilege to be in the audience and to see them take out 11 of the 12 trophies on offer and to also claim the overall title for the third year running.

I have a lot of video footage and still to this day I often cry just listening to their sweet voices and harmonies. Well done kids and to the kaiako who spent a lot of time with the tamariki – All the hard work paid off because they were amazing.

A big mihi goes out to all schools and their competitors and also to the meke judges.

The rangatahi perform.

The rangatahi perform.

Hokitika Primary School kapa haka group.

Hokitika Primary School kapa haka group.

Kaumātua

Our lovely kaumātua are still meeting every Wednesday. They gather to share all their beauty. If anyone is interested in going along please contact Karen Coakley on 03 755 5023 or try her cellphone 027 865 7524.

Rūnanga business

Rūnanga hui are held every second Sunday of each month 11am – 3pm.
Enquires should be forwarded to Te Tari o Arahura phone 03 755 6451 or email us at [email protected]

Contributions

We welcome contributions from whānau for Te Pānui Rūnaka. Please tell us your stories. Send your news and photos to [email protected] or phone 03 755 6451.

Feel free to visit the tari anytime.
Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa.