We are also mourning the sudden death of Tahuna Minhinnick, aged only 56. We have known Tahuna and his family from Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua for almost thirty years, and worked with them during our 22 years on the Awhitu Peninsula. Tahuna Minhinnick’s death is a tragic loss to his whanau and his iwi. The son […]
Korero Café and the Ranui Community Centre
February 18, 2016 by 1 Comment
After major renovations, the Ranui Community Centre and Korero Café reopened with a dawn blessing on Friday 29 January. Local stalwart Buffie Mawhinney and her team have re-used timber and other materials pulled out of the old building in very creative ways for walls and furnishings . The Auckland Council, Henderson-Massey Community Board and Community Trusts have all […]
An 80-year-old creates a political party…
February 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Charmaine drove to the Awhitu Regional Park on Saturday 13 February for the 80th birthday party of George Flavell, a kaumatua of Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua, the people of the Awhitu Peninsula and beyond. And what a special event it was, too! George had arranged for his guests (more than a hundred of us – […]
Diversity in Dunedin…
December 16, 2015 by 2 Comments
We had a week in Dunedin last month – and managed to find all the ingredients of a fine holiday: catching up with family and friends, lesbian company, cultural activities, conservation projects, and a political visit. We stayed the first night with former Aucklander, Pleasance, in her hilltop villa, and joined a monthly dinner group of Dunedin lesbians. Ann Charlotte, whom we met there, […]
A Fan for Flax..
December 16, 2015 by Leave a Comment
We went to Okahu Bay Domain at Orakei for the final wananga of Te Ara Reo Maori which Tanya has been attending all year at Te Wananga o Aotearoa. Musicians were a big part of the day, including Whirimako Black, Justin Kereama and Pikiteora Mura-Hita and others. Just as we were leaving we saw this number plate […]
Busy as bees last weekend…
November 17, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Saturday 14 November 9.30-3.00 A workshop on Te Tiriti o Waitangi for Earthsong residents and family members. Hilary Star Foged, one of the external trustees on the Earthsong Centre Trust, facilitated a carefully crafted and sensitive process to enable Earthsong people to examine our knowledge about the Treaty of Waitangi (both the Maori and the […]
Towards “A Ukulele Revolution”
October 19, 2015 by 1 Comment
(from left) Joe, Bernard, Tanya and Charmaine with some of Bernard’s beautiful instruments We have an exciting new project – helping to raise funds for a ukulele-making workshop and training centre in Poutasi, on the south-east coast of Upolu, Samoa. This village was destroyed by the 2009 tsunami, partially rebuilt, and then severely damaged again by […]
Celebrating Spring: sites and sights
October 19, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Sites… Heirloom Organics is a wonderful seedling nursery at 951 Coatesville Road, just north of Riverhead Village, open on Fridays and Saturdays. We are especially enjoying our spring visits to choose from their very wide range of herb, flower and vegetable seedlings (including the healthiest tomato plants we’ve ever seen), all sturdy and happy, and at very reasonable prices. The […]
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