Cook Polly Hall (right) instructs her helpers during the filming of Marae Kai Masters at Waikare Marae. The episode is due to screen on May 27. PICTURE / PETER DE GRAAF
Cook Polly Hall (right) instructs her helpers during the filming of Marae Kai Masters at Waikare Marae. The episode is due to screen on May 27. PICTURE / PETER DE GRAAF
A weekly round-up of news snippets, events and oddities from the Bay of Islands and around the Mid North
Waikare Marae in the Bay of Islands will star in the first episode of the new series of Marae Kai Masters on Maori TV next week.
Presenters Nevak Rogers and Te Kohe Tuhaka spent two days last September at Waikare, on the back road between Kawakawa and Russell.
Each of the 10 North Island marae taking part in the contest will be judged on its cooking and how well it looks after its guests, with the top eight teams going to a second round in Auckland.
The contenders were chosen for their geographical and tribal spread, local specialties and personality. In Waikare's case the focus was on local oysters, pipis, mullet and kahawai.
Kaumatua Sonny George said locals had enjoyed watching the first series so suggested the marae put its hand up to take part. About 100 kuia and kaumatua were invited to the lunch.
Producer Kay Ellmers said the series celebrated the huge volunteer effort that kept New Zealand's marae functioning.
"We get to see the determination, skill, grace and humility they bring to the table, at home and in the competition," she said.
The show screens on Maori TV at 8.30pm on May 27. Prizes for the marae taking part range in value from $1500 to $40,000.
Former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley will speak about inspiring women into leadership at a special event at the Copthorne Hotel in Waitangi next week.
The May 28 event is being hosted by Deputy Mayor Tania McInnes and Annika Dickey of accounting firm Whitelaw Weber, who say they want to inspire and encourage women, especially those in business.
The event will double as the launch of the Bay of Islands Women's Nexus, a breakfast club for business women.
Ms McInnes and Ms Dickey said many Northland women performed an "amazing balancing act" of caring for families while being in business. Many lacked chances to connect with others, engage in lively debate or meet new people.
Former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley
New Zealand's first female Prime Minister, Dame Jenny now runs her own consultancy and chairs companies such as Genesis Energy, China Construction Bank NZ, Oravida NZ and Senior Money International. Her volunteer causes include chairing Global Women NZ and membership of the World Women's Leaders Council.
The event starts at 6pm. Tickets are available from www.eventfinder.co.nz, Far North District Council service centres, i-Sites, and Whitelaw Weber offices in Kerikeri and Kaikohe.
Ready, set, go!
A new athletics club for the Bay of Islands is being launched at Bledisloe Domain, Haruru Falls Rd, from 10am-3pm this Saturday.
Everyone is welcome to play a game of ki-o-rahi or softball, test the new 100m grass track, have a go at shotput or try the high jump. Parents can join the adults' races and sign up their kids.
Weavers will on hand to keep parents or less sport types occupied by weaving flax and pingao into flowers and wrist bands.
From 10am-1pm on Sunday the brand-new club will hold a championship day for children keen to set the club's first records.
The Bay Athletics Club, under the auspices of the KaiMatariki Trust, will initially cater to children aged aged 7-14 but eventually take in intermediate and open grades. Uniquely it will incorporate traditional Maori sports in its athletics roster. It will be open to all, including children with disabilities.
Top runner Imogen Hull of Kerikeri is one of the youth ambassadors backing the new Bay Athletics Club.
Northland youth ambassadors who have pledged their support including Kerikeri running champ Imogen Hull and Northern Mystics goal shoot Elsa Brown.
For more information contact Harko Brown (021 113 8164) or Paul Whatmough and Josh Rewha via the Bay Athletics Club Facebook page.
A small flotilla of Bay of Islands boats is heading to cyclone-hit Vanuatu this week laden with donated clothing and building supplies.
Among them is the 13-metre cutter Dream Away owned by Opua couple Graham and Avril Johnson. They hope to leave this weekend, weather permitting.
Mr Johnson said Kawakawa and Opua residents had donated a large quantity of tools and building materials for the rebuilding effort. They had been told nails in particular were in short supply.
"We've got sacks arriving from every corner of Northland. We've got more than we can carry now, so we've been putting things on other people's boats," he said.
The donations would be delivered to the worst-hit southern islands such as Tanna, Erromango and Aneityum. Cyclone Pam, which hit in March, was one of the worst natural disasters in Vanuatu's history.
Don't forget you have a chance this weekend to buy the freedom - or ongoing confinement - of several prominent Northlanders.
Singer/actor Troy Kingi, Gone Fishin' host Graeme Sinclair, councillors Willow-Jean Prime and Di Maxwell, and community board member Marty Robinson will be locked in a makeshift jail outside The Warehouse in Waipapa from from 11am-2pm this Saturday.
Jailer and police youth aid officer Rob Cameron is prepared to release them but only if the public donates generously to their bail fund. Proceeds will go to the Blue Light charity for at-risk youth.
Six60 plays Kerikeri
Popular New Zealand band Six60, known for hits like Don't Forget Your Roots, is playing at Kerikeri's Turner Centre next Tuesday, May 26. The support acts are Raiza Biza and Mt Eden. Doors to the all-ages show open at 7pm; tickets from the Turner Centre or Ticketek. The band describes its style as a blend of soul, rock, dubstep and drum and bass.
Cat fight looms
The group Paihia Cat Protection is planning a protest on Paihia's Village Green at 1pm this Saturday against council plans to catch and rehome stray cats. The group says only seven ageing cats remain of the colony and should be allowed to live out their lives in central Paihia.
The council, however, has an agreement with the Bay of Islands SPCA to rehome them. The two sides also disagree on how many cats remain with the council believing there are only a few.
The group's founder, Paihia pensioner Betty Chapman, put her case to the nation on the Paul Henry Show last week.
Prints on show
Printmaker Tony Holmquist features in Art at Wharepuke's latest exhibition, which opens with a reception from 4.30-6.30pm on May 20 and runs until June 12. Mr Holmquist won the gallery's third international printmaking competition and will be a resident artist. Art at Wharepuke is on Kerikeri's Stone Store Hill.
Do you have news or an upcoming event you'd like to see in this column? Send it to us, including your full contact details, to baynews@northernadvocate.co.nz.
