Flaxroot News

Mana (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 5, 1 September 1977, Page 3

Flaxroot News

An injunction has been served on four Bastion Point leaders to appear in the Supreme Court on the 12th September. Derek Pokiha Fox has been appointed to establish the new Radio Station for Maori & Pacific Islanders. It will be operating from Papatoetoe. Maori Cultural Competitions were held recently at Maraeroa Marae, Porirua. The 5 groups who took part in these competitions were, Mawai Hakona, Ngati Poneke, Wainui-o-mata, Nga Rau O Nga Iwi, and Maraeroa. There were two sections, the choral and the cultural. Te Reo Maori Society, Wellington is appealing to the National News Media to give full coverage to National Maori Language Week every day of that week. They are also appealing to all Maori groups and organisations to support this issue, and to also approach the news media independently. For further information write to: Te Reo Maori Society, Maori Studies Dept., Victoria University, Wellington. Steve O'Regan has been appointed as a new member to the Ngai Tahu Trust Board. The National Councils of the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches have agreed to support that the land at Takaparawha (Bastion Point) be given back to the Ngati Whatua people. This decision was made at their National Conference. A “Maori Land Usage” Conference was held recently at Continuing Education Department of the Auckland University. It was organised by Rangi Walker. About 60 children, with some adults and interested local residents from the western districts have gone on a 9 day trip to stay at Korohe Marae, Turangi. This is part of the school holiday programme. The Auckland University Maori Club’s annual trip will be to the Far North, Aug. 29 - 2 Sept. The club hopes to visit different maraes, observe and participate in Marae Kawa and procedure, and also recapture stories of'Nga wahi tupuna i nga rohe o Te Tai Tokerau i Te Hiku a Maui’. Continuing Education gave a grant of $5OO. The trip is for a dual purpose, to learn from

elders and people of the northern communities and also hopefully, to encourage young Maoris and Polynesians to aspire to seeking higher education at the University. The Maori & English version of the Anglican Liturgy was launched at an official service in the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Auckland on August 23. “Golden Harvest” a professional group of 4 Maoris has been entertaining at hotels throughout the country. and is fast becoming one of NZ's main hotel entertainment attractions. Ponsonby voluntary community worker, Fred Ellis, took thirty disabled teenagers on a week-long holiday to z'ihipana last week. The teenagers stayed on the marae at Ahipara and this'is the first time such a trip with disabled people has been organized. Although some organisers travelled with the teenagers, emphasis was put on the group members to help each other. Fred said he was keen to organise such a trip after taking a wheel-chair bound child up to the marae on a previous visit. Auckland City Council canidate, Syd Jackson, topped the polls in last week’s Clerical Workers’ Union’s election. The election saw a large number of youngercandidates fill the union’s executive.