Te Whanau O Awataha Trust - Northcote

Nau Mai Haere Mai and welcome to "TE NEWS" A comical and sometimes serious look at recent news stories from around the Marae, Motu and the world.

The views and opinions expressed in "TE NEWS" are not those of the Awataha Marae.

AWATAHA FESTIVAL ROCKS THE NORTH SHORE :6 February 2020

Well what we can we say?? The Summer Vibes Waitangi Day Festival 2020 went off with a big bang and everyone on the north shore felt it! If you didn't make it its OK were doing it again next year..but those who turned up (over 5000 of you) were treated to a star studded cast of local, national and international talent. Not to mention a whanau vibe that really permeated the event.

Headlining the day local north shore superstars "Kings" (a Marae baby) and "Savage": brought a real professional show not usually seen at this type of festival. with Shasta laying down her LA vibes with special guest Levani Vosassi on percussion. Not to be out done the ex babes (with local Maori boy RJ), Chubby Fly and Creative Native (ex north Shore native Riqi Harawira) completed the massive line up. A special acknowledgement also goes out to the Chinese dancers who performed.

No argument from anyone..the north shore community showed up in force to support our kaupapa and they were not let down the food and craft stalls were amazing thanks to the wonderful ladies at Coatsville markets. Big ups to the organising team, sponsors, funders and all the volunteers who helped out.

We are looking forward to more people and a bigger event next year!!!



HE AITUA!!! :24 February 2020

Sadly Awataha mourned the recent passing of our Kuia Doreen Farimond at 96 years of age. Nani Doreen was much loved by te whanau whanui o Awataha and is remembered as being one of the OG originals. Staunch, Fearless and sharp minded Doreen was the back bone of the Marae committee in the early years. Many talked about helping but few can claim to have done the hard yards like she did.

Doreen laid in state at Awataha until she was buried in a private ceremony with the whanau pani. Moe mai ra e kui. Haere ki te taha o Arnold, Grey, Titinga, Nani Cash, Betty, Jean, Te Maiti ma..ratou ki a ratou, tatou ki a tatou.

Awataha goes no Hongi!!:11 March 2020

In an attempt to help stop the intentional spread of the COVID-19 VIRUS..Marae elders have placed a temporary restriction (tauparuru) on Hongi and shaking hands. Chairperson Maria Amoamo said with the high volume of visitors we get every year in excess of 10-20,000 people.. it is important that we are seen to be doing the best we can to protect our Manuhiri as well as our own people from contracting the disease.

Although strange to us not greeting in our normal fashion..we are doing our bit to keep everyone as safe as possible. Kia mataara e hoa ma.

AUT Psychotherapy Visit: 12 March 2020

Senior Lecturer Wirimu Woodard is spearheading this years annual visit to the Marae by Masters and new entrants to the programme. Over the years we have had the opportunity to help input to the students understanding of a Maori worldview, something we feel is important considering many of the graduates will go on to work with Maori and pacific peoples.

The visiting circus!! March 2020

After visiting the Summer Vibes Waitangi Day Festival and giving a glowing report card to the Awataha Marae, Dan Bidois local MP dhas now written to the Minister for Land Information with alleged “Community Concerns” about Awataha Marae! He must have forgotten what he said about Awataha only 2 weeks earlier. Anei ra matakitaki mai...

www.facebook.com/summervibesnz/posts/135623867937743

The Marae committee are incredibly angry with Dan and no doubt the over 5,000 people who attended the Waitangi Day festival would find it hard to understand Dan’s position now, given the success of the event.

"How dare he (Dan Bidois) come to the Marae enjoy our hospitality, shake hands with all our guests and tell us to our faces how great it was only to tiko on us later" says long time serving kaumatua Dena Leonard. "We are sick and tired of people using us to gain political points. . We are the ones here every day looking after manuhiri doing the dishes cleaning up cooking the kai, manning the paepae...where the bloody hell are they!! They have no Mana here.

Dan you got it wrong! :(

See letter here; Marae responds to Dan Bidois March 2020
/site/awataha/SC754E0143220031014540.pdf

Awataha pilots community health initiative-Te Ara Taua March 2020

The Marae is piloting a new community health initiative starting this Sunday. A joint community initiative between Ki Ora -Deon Nathan/Carmen Hetaraka and Awataha our plan is to help give our whanau more tools to deal with issues such as PTSD and Alcohol and Drug rehabilitation.

The unique benefit of our initiative is that we approach the issues from a tikanga based perspective. Designed for end users we also want other professionals working in this field to gain better knowledge about tikanga approaches to well being.

This is a community based initiative led by the community for the community.

Everyone is welcome and its free. Please register for your place.

Mauri Ora

Kia Hiwa Ra!!! Kia Hiwa Ra!! Kia Mataara!!!

COVID Lockdown Level 4 Hits Aotearoa

As Covid 19 grips the world Jacinda Adern announces the country will go into lockdown.

For Awataha this means effectively shutting down until we are able to resume or normal activities.

Stay safe whanau and catch you all on the other side. Kia haha kia maia kia manawanui.

North Shore Maori Wardens seek to Breakaway from Maori council rule. 12 June 2020.

At a hui held at Awataha the North Shore Maori Wardens along with many other wardens from the Tamaki region voiced their concerns over the current structure of the wardens under the Maori council. A call for autonomy was voiced and supported.

One attendee said the Maori Council structure is outdated and needs an overhaul. Plus the people running it are a bunch of bullies and are out of touch with our community. Sack them all he said.



  

Te Arataua Goes Off with a Bang: 14 June 2020

Due to Covid Lockdown we had to postpone our launch of Te Arataua. But I'm pleased to say Te Arataua Wananga went off with a Bang on Sunday with over 30 participants attending our very first session. Matua Carmen Hetaraka had everyone glued to their chairs as we listened to his korero. He covered many issues pertaining to our ancient wananga and gave them a relevance in todays context. Many who attended are practitioners in the Mental Health field, addictions and our suicide. A total of 10 sessions for the first part of the wananga are continuing. Get along and listen, everyone welcome. Kai a smile and an open ear is all you need to bring. 

 

Matariki heralds a new future for Awataha Marae; 13 July 2020

It’s Matariki the Maori new year and Awataha is celebrating this along with the outcome of the commissioner for lands decision to renew its perpetual lease with the crown for another 33 years.

“We find the decision both justified and sensible” says CEO Anthony Wilson. Although we have some matters to sort out we thank the commissioner for lands for the decision. The news has come at a very special time of year for us as Maori. A time where we look forward to the future and reflect on the past. “A Tohu or sign”.

We are satisfied that the commissioners review has sought to apply matters of law and common sense in their decision and has put much conjecture and political postering to one side.

The land tenure has always remained the paramount issue for our organization to have resolved so we can develop and utilize the land to its fullest potential and forward our goals and objectives.

Our plans for the future include expanded health and social service facilities, education facilities, completed wharenui, accommodation and dedicated tangihanga space. All of this requires adequate funding.

The granting of the lease renewal is a very positive step towards reaching our goals however the land in fact still remains subject to our own treaty claim along with other tribal interests. Says Wilson.

Our Matariki prayer is “to unite the various interests into a cohesive well informed well resourced representative body as we move forward in the future and reach our goals together”

Something we have been pushing for now, for many years. Says Mr Wilson.

 

• Sunday Star Times - Kings and his Dad