Sunday, 10 June 2012

"Kua tae ki te waa e huri ai o tātou whakaaro ki te Ipu Ahuwhenua, he taonga tuku iho nō o tātou tipuna ki a tātou"

As we think about the Ahuwhenua trophy we salute our forebears who established this kaupapa, and those who carry it on today

This week’s  whakatāuki is explained by Kingi Smiler nō Ngāti Kahungunu

Te Roroa kaumatua Daniel Ambler is man of many parts – a reverend,  poet, philosopher and in his own words a dreamer.  On her trip to Te Tai Tokerau in April, Daniel Ambler accompanied Maraea Rakuraku to Waipoua Forest to visit the great kauri tree -Tanemahuta.

Left: Reverend Daniel Ambler, Waipoua forest, April, 2012.
Right: Tanemahuta

As Kaitakawaenga (Māori liaison Officer) of the Hutt City Council  Alma Andrews’ role varies from supporting local community events, to assisting Māori working within a local government framework.  One of the projects that she’s helped pull together is emergency evacuation planning for some marae in the Hutt Valley region.  Alma has a chat with Justine Murray.

Young farmers will be recognised for their achievements at this year’s Ahuwhenua Excellence in Māori farming awards. Chairman of the Ahuwhenua management committee Kingi Smiler,  explains the new addition to the ceremony alongside this year’s main award for dairy farming.

Waiata featured: ; Roimata Toroa performed by Paddy Free and Richard Nunns from the album Karekare: Te reo o te whenua (2008);  Whiti te Marama performed by Majic Paora from the album He Rangi Paihuarere: A tribute to the late Dr Hirini Melbourne (2012); Letting go performed by Maisey Rika from the EP Maisey Rika (2009)