JJ, one of the students at Impact Northland Trust, working with teacher Brian Heihei to net fish caught in a stone fish trap that's hundreds of years old.
JJ, one of the students at Impact Northland Trust, working with teacher Brian Heihei to net fish caught in a stone fish trap that's hundreds of years old.
BAY NEWS BITES
Students with the Kerikeri-based Impact Northland Trust enjoyed a taste of fishing the traditional way a few weeks ago by using a stone fish trap that is hundreds of years old.
The students and their teachers, Brian and Michelle Heihei, joined with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga staff to seeif the archaeological fish trap at Quince's Landing, about 15 minutes from Kerikeri, still does the job. It does.
It's an ingenious device used by Māori to trap fish at high tide. The upper part of the stream is all but blocked off by a rock wall, with only a narrow opening that allows the water to flow out as the tide goes out. The fish are trapped behind a net as the waters recede.
With the opening blocked by a net or a curtain of brushwood, the fish are unable to escape and once the tide is out, become easy pickings for people using hand nets and even their bare hands.
JJ has a go at filleting a fish caught in the stone fish trap using an obsidian blade.
The students also learned to flake obsidian to make a sharp blade that could be used to scale and gut the fish prior to cooking it on an open fire. According to Brian Heihei, the fish trap has some important lessons to offer today's young people.
"It really was a hands-on learning experience which helped the young see their heritage in action," he said.
Cultural drought comes to an end
After weeks of waiting, the cultural drought brought on by Covid levels 4 and 3 is about to be relieved.
The Ghost Trio, playing at the Turner Centre - Gabriela Glapska (left) on piano, Ken Ichinose on cello and Monique Lapins on violin.
Playing at the Turner Centre will be the Ghost Trio, who are Wellington-based professional musicians Gabriela Glapska on piano, Ken Ichinose on cello, and Monique Lapins on violin.
The group was founded in mid-2019 as one of Gabriela's PhD projects. It was named for Beethoven's famous D major trio, which features themes found in the second movement of his Symphony No. 2.
The trio fairly soon realised they enjoyed playing together and decided to continue working as a trio. All three are accomplished soloists and chamber musicians but with diverse backgrounds, and they have already gained a reputation as one of the most refreshing and enjoyable chamber groups in the country.
They focus on exploring a new approach to some of the greatest music written for piano as well as discovering some of the lesser-known contemporary treasures of the piano trio repertoire.
The Ghost Trio are promoted by the Aroha Music Society, Saturday, October 16 at 7pm as part of the regional series for Chamber Music NZ.
An artist new to the Bay of Islands is a guest artist for this year's KOAST. Crispin Korschen said for her, the timing is perfect.
"It gives me a chance to meet with other local artists and visitors and to get direct feedback at a time when I'm exploring some new themes in my work," she said.
Painting by Crispin Korschen shows her whimsical style.
Crispin Korschen, the artist, will be exhibiting at The Black Gallery for the Kerikeri Open Art Studio Trail KOAST.
KOAST (Kerikeri Open Art Studio Trail) runs during Labour Weekend, Saturday, October 23 to Monday, October 25. Visitors attend artists in their studios and galleries and artists can sell directly.
Crispin has been working as a fulltime exhibiting artist in New Zealand for more than 20 years, and is well known for her magical figurative works.
"For me, painting is about creating the worlds that float around in my mind. I adore colour and the beautiful forms of the natural world, but I also love words and creating characters that personify emotions that we all feel," she said.
She launched Barkingmad, a company creating greeting cards and prints from original art, and became known for her quirky style. In her newer work, she is exploring the human condition through "botanical imagery, landscapes and creations that symbolise and evoke nostalgia and delight".
In the past, she said she had to stick with what was working commercially and her work became popular. But success and necessity can "sometimes limit creative growth and adventure".
She said now is the time to break out and be willing to be a beginner again in fresh territory.
During KOAST Crispin will be with her work at The Black Gallery. For more information: koast.org.nz
Hokianga marine construction under way
Far North Holding Limited, the commercial arm of Far North District Council, says the October completion date for the $2.5 million project to replace Pukenui Wharf has been delayed to later this year due to the alert level 4 lockdown.
Te Karaka wharf on the Hokianga, upgrades of pontoons and gangways due to be completed in October.
Construction of a new concrete wharf at Rangi Point was delayed due to lockdown but is now nearly complete.
Although key preparatory work on a new seawall was completed before lockdown, piling work was halted. It's under way again now.
At Unahi the $1.6 million project to renew the commercial wharf was also delayed. Demolition of the wooden structure will now begin in October.
It's a similar story for four maritime projects on the Hokianga Harbour, but these are now on track for completion by the end of the year. Upgrades to wharves at Te Karaka and Māngungu are nearly complete with pontoons and gangways due to be installed next month.
Construction of a new concrete wharf at Rangi Point is also nearing completion and work to add a pontoon to the Motutī wharf will start next month.
Water bills delayed
Far North District Council water meter readers were prevented from visiting properties under the Covid restrictions in September.
As a result, Kerikeri households and businesses that would normally receive an invoice in September for six months' use, will now receive invoices for 12 months of water use in March.
Chief executive Shaun Clarke said the council did consider providing Kerikeri households and businesses with an estimated account, but for legal reasons they could not do that.
"I want to apologise for any difficulties this may cause and I urge all Kerikeri customers to take account of this in the budgeting," he said.
To help customers manage their budgets and avoid facing a large bill in March, customers are encouraged to consider signing up to the council's Rates EasyPay direct debit agreement. It allows for water bills to be paid by weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments, which will be calculated on two of the previous readings.
Customers with questions about their water account or who want to set up direct debit payments can contact the council on 0800 920 029 and ask for the rates team. Alternatively, they can email ask.us@fndc.govt.nz with "Kerikeri water query" in the subject line.
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