WHAT'S THE BUZZ

This weekend I attended two quite different but equally invigorating events. Friday night I went up to the powhiri at Parapara marae, the venue for the long-awaited Tangaroa me ana Tamariki hui, and was blown away by a couple of things. First the Pakeha there almost outnumbered Maori. Second, as soon as manuhiri arrived they went into the whare kai to help get the evening meal ready. That told me straight away this was going to be a hui where a number of different groups would work together practically and get to know something about what made the others tick.
This hui came out of korero between the workers of the Doubtless Bay Marine Protection Group, Te Whakaminenga, the Department of Conservation and Te Runanga-a-Iwi-o Ngati Kahu. Now, you couldn’t get a more motley crew if you tried. But they took their shared sense of caring for the sea and everything in it, and they carried on talking to each other. The result was the hui – a bridge if you like. For the sake of Tangaroa me ana Tamariki, me nga iwi katoa, I hope it’s one that will get used and extended often.

Sunday, our whanau joined the throngs down at the local pool to celebrate Children’s Day. There was a good buzz happening right from the off with free sausages and cold water being served on demand plus plenty of cool handouts promoting the love and protection of our Tamariki. When the giant inflatable train / obstacle thingy was floated, the buzz deepened. Moving amongst the myriads of ages, shapes, genders, sizes, races and creeds packed around and in the pool I felt the moment when that buzz shifted from good to primo.

Nah - this is really a pool in China. Look relaxing to you?

Spacifix is a West Auckland hip-hop band who started as a school group three years ago, write and record their own songs, tour extensively and have a TV series. Fresh back from Los Angeles they turned up at Kaitaia on Sunday.

Love that Hair. These guys had energy to spare.

What a coup for the organizers, and what a frisson for the crowd. Yep. Their arrival onstage definitely marked the moment that Children’s Day went primo. And don’t ever believe hip-hop is only for brown boys. Because, quite frankly, this fifty year old nanna reckons we could do with way more events like this one in our town. And, judging by the way he rocked his five month old to sleep bopping to the beat, at least one young Pakeha dad would agree. Way to go REAP, Whakawhitiora Pai, Te Hiku Media and everyone else responsible. More please.

To close – last week Trevor Mallard and Mark Burton (Ministers of State-Owned Enterprises and Treaty Settlements respectively) opted for a common-sense month long moratorium on Landcorp sales while they review the ‘policies’ involved. We’re not out of the woods yet regarding Rangiputa, but we have every base covered and will do everything we can to help the Ministers in their review. If you’re interested in knowing more you’re always welcome to phone or call in to our Parkdale Crescent office any time. Or come to the Runanga hui-a-marama on Saturday 31st at Kareponia marae.

Hei konei. Hei kona.