Opinion - Paul Hickey: Te Wiki o te reo Māori, Rotorua Marathon and more

The 2021 Rotorua Marathon winner was Michael Voss - who will it be this year? Photo / Andrew Warner

What a week it has been. From the sad news of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II to the great news of the abandonment of mask mandates, all while celebrating Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori and a momentous event in our country's history.

The news of the Queen's death certainly made me wake up nice and fast last Friday, and the emotional outpouring was full-on.

The new King has certainly impressed me so far, and I have enjoyed the pomp and ceremony of the traditions that come with the passing of a monarch.

But sadly, some sportspeople and politicians seem to have misread the room and made fools of themselves with their comments.

It has been a little strange adjusting to no masks, as I've been pretty good at sticking to the rules, even if I didn't agree with them in recent times.

I do feel for those in healthcare still needing to wear them, and I do still see people on the street wearing them.

That is now their choice, and let's not berate them for making that choice. Be kind.

To celebrate Māori Language Week, I've had a number of tamariki from Rotorua Intermediate on my radio show with some basic reo lessons which have been well received, and I hope you have tried to learn a little, or speak a bit more te reo this week.

And to wrap up this week, our city welcomes many visitors who will take on one of our iconic events - the Rotorua Marathon.

Good luck to everybody taking part, and I look forward to being on the start and finish line with you all. On the microphone of course!

Local Heroes

The Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards are well regarded across the country, and for the past few years I've been privileged to act as a regional judge for the Kiwibank Local Heroes category.

The Kiwibank Local Hero Award - Te Pou Toko o te Tau - recognises everyday people doing extraordinary things in our local communities over the past year.

This award acknowledges the enormous contribution, sacrifice, and commitment of Kiwis who have selflessly worked to make Rotorua a better place.

This year though, I decided to step away from the judging process and allow somebody else the chance to cast their eyes over these locals and help decide who should be recognised.

I do believe that the judging process has just been completed, so well done to this year's panel, and congratulations to those who may be acknowledged this year.

Daylight Saving

Another sign that the warmer months are arriving is Daylight Saving, and next weekend (September 25 and 26) is when we make the adjustments.

It will be a bit tougher getting up in the dark, but the payoff is the extended daylight at the end of the day to enjoy, whether that be barbecues, entertaining, gardening or walks and bike rides in the forest!

On my radio show next week I'll be reminding everybody to spring forward, and because it is all about time, I'm giving away a brand new Auto Seiko watch worth $699 from Rotorua Jewellers on Hinemoa St.

And because we're also reminded to check our batteries in smoke alarms at Daylight Saving time, I've got bonus daily prizes of smoke detector packs from Mitre 10 Mega.

So listen to me from 9am till 3pm each day to register.

Paul Hickey is your local host on The Hits Rotorua weekdays between 9am and 3pm. Featuring Rotorua news, information, and giveaways, plus trending stories from around the world. Listen on 97.5FM or download the iHeartRadio app. PLUS follow The Hits Rotorua and Paul on Facebook and Instagram.