Kāi Tahu whānui, tēnā koutou katoa. Nei rā te whakamiha o Kāti Māhaki ki Makaawhio ki a koutou katoa.

Nei rā hoki te mihi poroporoaki ki kā tini mate mai 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. E tika ana kā kupu, kua tae mai te wā makariri ki Te Tai o Poutini.

Winter has definitely arrived and we have been blessed with lots of heavy rain, a few frosty mornings and fresh snow on Kā Tiritiri o te Moana.

Aoraki is looking stunning as you can see from the picture taken at the mouth of the Hokitika River and Tama-nui-te-raki has been trying to take the sting out of the icy air.

Aoraki matatū.

Aoraki matatū.

Kā Tiritiri o te Moana.

Kā Tiritiri o te Moana.

Makaawhio koha at Gallipoli

A little of the mauri of our awa tapu, Makaawhio is now tumbling in the tides of the Aegean Sea at Gallipoli on the very beach where four of our WW1 soldiers from Makaawhio Pā, Pahikore te Koeti and three of his nephews, Kinihe Katau, James Bannister and Tuhuru Bannister fought in 1915.

Department of Conservation South Westland services manager Wayne Costello, who was part of the Gallipoli 100-year commemorations at Anzac Cove, accepted an invitation from Makaawhio deputy chair Kara Edwards to carry a memento of Makaawhio with him to remember our men. He carried a small aotea from the awa and waitai from Māori Beach at Mahitahi. We are grateful to Wayne for so generously honouring our war heroes. E kore kā mihi e mutu, Wayne.

Wayne Costello casting the aotea and waitai into the Aegean Sea at North Beach, Gallipoli.

Wayne Costello casting the aotea and waitai into the Aegean Sea at North Beach, Gallipoli.

Makaawhio movie

Documentary makers filming, Beneath New Zealand, airing on Prime Television, paid us a visit last month.

The documentary explores New Zealand geology, including a Māori perspective and we were invited to provide the creation stories of Aoraki and Kā Tiritiri o te Moana (Southern Alps) and Kā Roimata o Hinehukatere (Franz Josef Glacier).

Our Tumuaki, Susan Wallace inside Kaipō being interviewed for the documentary.

Our Tumuaki, Susan Wallace inside Kaipō being interviewed for the documentary.

Secondary school grants

We are pleased to advise that our annual Makaawhio secondary school grant process has been completed and 30 applicants have received a grant to assist them with school related expenses. The grant is available for members of our rūnanga who are registered and attending secondary school. Applications are generally open during term one of the school year.

Rūnaka contact details

You can follow us on Facebook; makaawhio.blogspot.co.nz; Twitter: @makaawhio; phone 03 755 7885 or 0800 955 007; email [email protected] or [email protected]

Mā te Atua koutou e manaaki, e tiaki hoki. Mauri ora.