Aka Whanganui group cycle to show the positive side of Maori

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 614, 28 November 1995, Page 6

Aka Whanganui group cycle to show the positive side of Maori

By

Amiria

Tekl.

A group of Whanganui Maori spent several recent weekends taking in the Whanganui Ri ver Road and the Parapara on bicycles, to counter recent negative publicity of local Maori. Aka Whanganui is a health and fitness group based in Wanganui who have been up and running as an organisation for some years now. Piripi "Sonny" Menehira, the organisation's instructor, got together with several of the group' s members, and their families, and decided to do

something more positive to capture the attention of the media and general public than what has been more recently portrayed of Maori and they thoughtup the idea of g'oing on a mini-triathlon. The event was not competitive, it was just a way to get together for health' s sake, general fitness and an opportunity to show their children the sights of the Whanganui River area. They wanted to spread the "event" out over several weekends with the idea being to go from Castlecliff beach to Raetihi via the Whanganui River road. The first stage went from

Castlecliff to Kawhaiki, then Kawhaiki to Atene, Atene to Jerusalem (Hiruharama), then Jerusalem to Raetihi. Finally they were to go down the Parapara, stopping at Otoko Marae, then finishing the trip in Wanganui the following day. Ages ranged from 6 years and upwards to about 50. Rawhiti Menehira, the group' s Kaumatua, had an accident a few years ago and broke his neck and has also suffered a stroke. However, he bounced back and, as he puts it, "here I am today thankful to be alive, so I decided tojoin the group

as a supporter, and have been with them every weekend to date". There was another reason for the trip. This year is Te Tau O Te Reo Maori, (The year of the Maori language), so the group thought

it would be a good chance to learn a little more of their language as they went along. It was also a chance to. learn something of the history of the river, its people and to enjoy the scenery within their own area.