Kāi Tahu whānui, tēnā koutou katoa. Nei rā te mihi manahau o Kāti Māhaki ki Makaawhio ki a koutou katoa.
Nei rā hoki te mihi poroporoaki ki kā mate huhua mai i te Muriwhenua ki Rakiura tae noa atu ki kā motu kē o te ao.
Ki a rātou katoa, kua hika mai, kua hika atu, haere, haere, haere atu rā. Haere koutou ki te taha o kā mātua tīpuna ki tua o te ārai, moe mai koutou i te rakimārie. Rātou ki ā rātou, tātou anō ki a tātou.
Tēnā anō tātou katoa, Poutini continues to experience a mixed bag of weather. Everything’s looking really green and there’s been enough balmy, sun filled days to ensure no-one is going stir crazy from being indoors too long.
This month is already gearing up to be busy, with a few rōpū booked into our marae. Our rūnanganui had their hui in Hokitika on 11 April and on 25 April, we held our ANZAC Day service at our marae. This year’s commemorative service was especially special as we acknowledged the 100 year anniversary of the Gallipoli landing, which proved so costly for everyone involved. Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou.
Ngā mate
It is with great sadness that I advise the passing of Talia Wendy Duncraft-Cook, loved and cherished wife of Jonathan Cook. Talia passed at her home in Wellington on 20 January 2015.
She was the eldest daughter of Kaley Hansen and Michael Duncraft, granddaughter of Audrey McLaren and great-granddaughter of Heni Tati Turoa McLaren (née Mahuika) and Danny McLaren. Talia’s service was held in Lower Hutt on 26 January. Ngā mihi mahana, Dyan.
Rā whānau
Whānau and friends travelled from as far as Australia to help Eileen Hutchison celebrate her 80th birthday in Hokitika, a week early on March 21. Although not as agile as she once was on the dance floor, Eileen still gets out and about and enjoys the Makaawhio kaumātua outings. Eileen is the third eldest of 17 children of Ruby (née Wilson/Te Naihi) and Des Cadigan. She was born at Bruce Bay and went to school there with the rest of the whānau. She has lived in Hokitika for the last 55 years or so, and with her late husband Les Hutchison raised a family of four girls. Eileen is now enjoying time as a great-grandmother.
Eileen Hutchison with some of her sisters.
Kaumātua luncheon
On 9 March, a van load of kaumātua were treated to a luncheon followed by a show commemorating the 100 year anniversary of Gallipoli, “Centenary of Gallipoli – Memories are Made of This” at the Greymouth Regent Theatre.
Office reopened
On Friday 27 March, Community Corrections, officially reopened their offices in Greymouth following a major retro-fit. Our Upoko Rūnanga, Venerable Richard Wallace blessed the building, before Ian Bourke, Regional Commissioner, Southern Region, officially opened the building on behalf of Deputy Chief Executive, Christine Stevenson who was unable to make the event due to delayed flights.
Upoko Rūnanga, Venerable Richard Wallace with Ian Bourke.
Upoko Rūnanga, Venerable Richard Wallace with Polly Cunningham.
Communication
Not long now until our new website is finally completed and ready to access whānau.
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Please contact us to check your contact details, address, phone number and email address.
Facebook; makaawhio.blogspot.co.nz; Twitter: @makaawhio; phone: 03 755 7885 or 0800 955 007; or email: [email protected] or [email protected].
Mā te Atua koutou e manaaki, e tiaki hoki. Mauri ora.