Matariki celebrated with food and fine art
Matariki arrived in Kaikohe amid a bevy of fine art and fine kai.
Te Pu¯ o Te Wheke Community Arts set the scene for a celebration to karanga in the Ma¯ori new year, with Healthy Families Far North community champions showcasing their journey in bucking the food system and making healthier choices.
Amid the glow of recycled objects that had been transformed into art works, marae kai masters Betty Wihongi and Horace Davis were on hand to offer their culinary skills, proving that healthy kai is tasty kai.
They have been leading a revolution from the hub of Kohewhata Marae, nurtured by Healthy Families Far North, to share their learning with the wider community, and this celebration represented the latest notch on their belt as they continue to promote the role healthy food can play in fighting chronic disease, armed only with chia seeds and horopito tea.
Also on hand was Sports Northland community connector Cheryl Smith, who, from her work with Healthy Families Far North, has instigated community kai gardens in the heart of the town.
After a performance by Nga¯ Uri o Ra¯hiri and welcome by Te Pu¯ o Te Wheke Community Arts founder Sash Wilson, guests were free to roam the gallery and graze among Healthy Families Far North’s presentation of the work being done in Kaikohe.
Kitchen Table Talk is an ongoing initiative where Healthy Families Far North engage with several organisations and individuals in the community to identify, test and refine a range of approaches to improve access to healthy and nutritious food for wha¯nau in Kaikohe.
Similarly, Te Puna Ora Papaka¯inga is a wa¯nanga series that employs A¯ huatanga concepts to empower marae to reclaim natural kai sources and engage more effectively with their environment and each other.
Both initiatives have involved a significant degree of input from Kohewhata Marae.
Healthy Families Far North kaiwhakahaere Shirleyanne Brown said collaboration for collective impact was what had enabled both initiatives to take off.
“Although initiated by Healthy Families Far North, both Kitchen Table Talk and Te Puna Ora Papaka¯inga have been seized upon by the Kaikohe community and taken on a life of their own,” she said.
“Leaders have emerged at all levels, and are determined to carry forward the movement of improving the local food system and celebrating good health.”