IMPORTANT EVENTS
It’s evident that Waka Ama Nationals and Te Matatini are the most popular events in the Maori calendar alongside the annual pilgrimage to Ratana and then Waitangi.
Several hundreds of kapahaka performers have been sacrificing weekends and personal time leading up to the premier event Te Matatini to be hosted by Ngati Kahungunu, in Hastings this month.
I amdelighted that Te Iti Kahurangi, Te Pou o Mangatawhiri, Nga Pou o Roto will be joined by 44 member strong group Te Kaaheru Matarau o Hauaa.
The Tainui Waka region will be well represented as a testament to the growing popularity portraying culture, language, history and political discourse through kapahaka.
We have talented tutors who are proponents of te reo Maori and adept in musical and performance composition. We have so much to be proud of in our rohe.
I wish them all well when they take the stage. Overall Tainui waka has been elevated because of the tireless commitment of performers, supporters and whanau.
Mauri Ora!
Education, community, competition, legacy, investment ... words that for me sum up the Home Of Cycling proposal.
I’m confident Waikato Regional Council won’t just look short term but be able to think of the project longevity and the benefits/opportunities HOC will bring.
The regional council leadership in cent months has been fair, honest and considerate to all sides. This is a council with a new strategic direction including a ‘‘competing globally, caring locally’’ vision which very much aligns itself to the proposal. WRC will look at their commitment to our community by ‘‘facilitating regional development’’ and see the parallels within this project.
Over the last five years there’s been a steady increase in Sport Waikato-supported cycling programmes within our regions schools, identifying the sport’s popularity. Do we want to lay foundations inter-regionally now or instead allow this one-off opportunity for progress to slip away?
Sport Waikato has acknowledged its support and also identified the unison that exists between itself and Sport Bay Of Plenty. Let’s not forget the Home of Cycling isn’t just a velodrome but an opportunity for learning, competing; it’s for the community, our future generation.