Maori cultural contacts

Tu Tangata, Issue 26, 1 October 1985, Unnumbered Page

Maori cultural contacts

WANGANUI

St Peter Chanel

Contact: M T Simon, Community College, Box 7040, Wanganui. Tel: 50-997. Founded by Te Ope Whauarere and others in the 1950 s as a continuation of the original club Maramatanga founded in 1925. Members: 90 plus aged between 1 to 76 years old. Hui arranged participants are divided into midgets, juniors and seniors. The club is comprised of one family going back three generations (husbands, wives, grandparents etcj; the Hapu being Nga Paerangi. Activities during the year include singing at the old folks association and for church groups. In 1977 the club toured Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.

Putiki Maori Club

Contact: Hon Club Secretary, Mrs R Rei, 7 Kells Avenue, Wanganui. Tel: 39-587. Founded by Kingi Ihaka on 12 May 1952. Members: 20 to 25 active members mainly in mid twenties age group, but teenagers catered for. Weekly club nights are held on Wednesday between 7pm to 9pm and regular monthly meetings are held on the Ist of each month. Club nights and meetings are held in the Parish Hall, Anaua Street, Putiki and the affiliation fee to the club is $5.00 per person. The club in non-sectarian and non-political.

The aims of the club are to promote the study and enjoyment of Maori traditions, usages, customs, arts and crafts, haka, waiata, action songs, poi, patere whaikorero and all other traditional interests of the Maori as well as promoting an interest in the public life of the community. The fully constituted club also has a junior section consisting of about 30 children of primary school age. In 1966 Putiki visited Fiji at the invitation of Sir Ratu Edward Cakobau.

TAMAKI MAKAURAU

Te Ringa Awhina

Contact: Judy Cooper, 9 Addison Street, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland. Tel: 675-795 or 817-8634. Members: 30 plus from 5 to 40 years old. Presently engaged in fund raising activities.

Te Roopu o Kakariki Cultural Group

Contact: Judy Cooper, 9 Addison Street, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland. Tel: 675-595 or 817-8634. This club comprises of members of the Green Bay High School combined with the marae work scheme. They performed as noncompetitors at the Birkdale Polynesian Festival on 17-4-83.

Te Roopu Manutaki

Contact: Tame Rameka, 50 Taipari Road, Te Atatu, Auckland. Tel: 836-0744 (day), 834-7906 (evening). The club was founded as a community concern in 1968. Members: 65 regulars and 25 odd floaters of high school age upwards.

Practice nights are held each Thursday between 8-10 pm. The club performs in regional and national competitions and puts on fund raising concerts for different organistions including their own. They also perform powhiri to overseas visitors for government and business firms and on their own behalf. The clubs junior section went into recess in 1982 because of other commitments of the tutors. The junior club had a membership of approx 220 with about 80 floaters. Performances of Te Roopu Manutaki are as follows: 1971 Attended Samoan independence celebrations in Apia 1977 International Year of the Child Festival, San Jose, USA 1979 Rarotonga 1982 Two tours through Australia. They were the New Zealand representatives at the South Pacific Arts Festival at Rotorua and are a member of the Tamaki Makaurau whanau of cultural groups.

TAITOKERAU

Whangarei Girls High School Maori Culture Club

Contact: Mrs Bina Peita, PO Box 5056, Whangarei, Tel: 82-859. Founded by Mrs Johnson, Mrs Rongo Curry and Iritana Paul in 1980. Members: 50 from age 13 to 18. Activities include performing at the junior and senior prize giving ceremonies, cross cultural activities, present at school marae live ins. In 1984 visited seven secondary schools during a tour of Northland. They released a tape containing 23 Maori songs being the first Northland school to do this. Attended the Pei Te Hurinui and Korimako Speech competitions held at Tikipunga and the national one in Christchurch. Fund raising efforts have included two hangis, raffles and a combined culture group social.

Whangaroa College Maori Cultural Club

Contact: Peter W Wensor, PO Box 126, Kaeo. Tel: 167 (Kaeo). Founded in 1972. Members: 45 aged between 11 to 16. The club represents the school at Maori festivals and supports community functions such as basketball socials, unveilings etc. They also powhiri visitors other schools. Recently the club did a week’s tour of Hamilton.

Te Arahi Maori Culture Club

Contact: Martin Rakuraku, cl- Department of Maori Affairs, Private Bag Whangarei. Tel: 71-466. Founded by club members in May 1980. Members approx 20. The club provides a one hour pageant of the history of the Bay of Islands for tourists at Waitangi’s tourist hotel each Sunday from October to April (tourist season). The club is now in its fourth season. Te Arahi is currently the top cultural club in Taitokerau after only its second competition which is held annually. Two club members, Martin and Elsie Rakuraku were part of the Te Maori cultural group which participated at the opening of the Te Maori Exhibition in New York.

Opononi Area School Maori Club

Contact: Manu Aranga, Box 8, Opononi. Tel: 804 Opononi. Founded in 1975 by David Hill. Members 30 to 40 in the 12 to 18 age group. The annual Tai Tokerau Secondary School Festival Competitions began at this school, secondary schools between Wellsford and Te Kao participate in this competition and take it in turns to host it each year. 1985 will mark the tenth anniversary of the competition which will be held at Opononi Area School.

Te Hikitu Whirinaki Maori Culture Club

Contact: Katherine Morunga, Rd 1, Rawene. Founded by Jacob Adams. Members: 16 to 20 in the 7 to 17 age group. Te Hikitu Club members are mainly from the Opononi Area School but living in the Whirinaki Village area approx 6-7 miles from Opononi. The club has annual visits to Auckland, Turangawaewae and Rotorua.

Kamo High School Polynesian Club

Contact: Mrs Queenie M T Ashton, Home Economics Dept, Kamo High School, PO Box 4137, Kamo. Tel: 51-688. Founded by H W Spragg (principal) and Errol Gibson (teacher) in 1972. Members: 40 aged between 13 to 17. The club performs at the Tai Tokerau Secondary Schools Festival, the Tai Tokerau Cultural Competitions at school assemblies and prize giving ceremonies.

Te Kao Area School Maori Club

Contact: Mrs C M Nathan, Rd 4, Te Kao, Tel: 813. Founded by Mrs Nathan in 1980. Members 30, between 12 and 16. The club performs at festivals, at schools in the far north and performs local welcomes and services.