Family day huge success at Maketu

Celebrity chef Karena Bird singing at Maketu's Whakaue Whanau Day yesterday. Photo/George Novak

Hundreds of people soaked up the sun and had heaps of fun at Maketu's Whakaue Whanau Day yesterday.

Whakaue Marae was the venue for the family day where the only thing that cost money were the kai (food) stalls.

''It went swimmingly, we had a great day,'' one of the organisers Tony Pecotic said.

MasterChef winners and Maketu sisters Kasey and Karena Bird arrived to give away copies of their award-winning cookbook. Karena even took the mic for a song, while Waiariki's new MP Tamiti Coffey enjoyed himself as the master of ceremonies.

The day featured a talent quest contest that combined kids giving it a go and some serious singers. Judges picked the best five performers and awarded the top prize to nurse Awatea Mahutanga. She took home a greenstone taonga, a fruit tree, a book and movie tickets.

Families were also treated to a visual feast with the wearable arts competition, with Elle Redmond of Maketu declared the overall winner.

Image 1 of 18: Whakaue Whanau Day at Maketu. Stacey Naera, (left), Corine Mihaere, Te Rangipuawhe Mihaere. Photo/Ben Fraser

In between there were heaps of old fashioned fun games like the sack race, egg and spoon race and passing the wet sponge. There were also free waka rides.

Pecotic said the main driver for the day was to get families together to enjoy themselves, after so many loved ones had passed away last year including important people in the tribe.

He said because this year's Whanau Day was held at Maketu, it was themed to connect to the water and the land, and for people to be good guardians of the environment.

Nothing plastic was used by organisers from the Ngati Whakaue Assets Trust, with information stalls about the environment and community education.

There was something for everyone, with card players enjoying a euchre challenge in the whare kai (dining room) and healing sessions in the whare tipuna (meeting house).

An estimated 500 to 600 people attended Whakaue Whanau Day. ''It was really cool,'' Pecotic said.