Old-fashioned dose of Kiwiana
An Opiki woman is welcoming everyone to her family farm for a Waitangi Day picnic tomorrow to celebrate being Kiwi.
The inaugural Picnic on the Pond has organiser Anita Funnell inviting people to her parents’ farm in Poplar Rd, Opiki.
‘‘In a way, it’s kind of sharing my upbringing and experiences of my Kiwiana with everybody else.’’
The afternoon event would be a chance to get out in the rural community, enjoy a relaxed atmosphere and celebrate being Kiwis, she said.
Living in Sydney for two years, Miss Funnell watched our trans-Tasman counterparts embrace Australia Day so loyally she was inspired to foster the feeling back
‘‘The Aussies are so patriotic and really get into Australia Day to celebrate it, then you come here and Waitangi is always a bit strange.’’ Anita Funnell Picnic on the Pond organiser
home. ‘‘The Aussies are so patriotic and really get into Australia Day to celebrate it, then you come here and Waitangi is always a bit strange.
‘‘No-one really celebrates or knows what to do for it, really it’s just a day off work for everyone.
‘‘So I thought, what’s a nice way to celebrate being Kiwi, and, to me, having a picnic is the perfect way to do that.’’
Miss Funnell is putting on music, games and some good home-cooked Kiwi tucker.
‘‘The picnic is bringing the community together as a chance for everyone to chill out and enjoy the day, spend some time with each other doing random Kiwi things.
‘‘There’ll be egg and spoon races, threelegged races, sack races, a tug-o-war competition, a hillside water slide and band called Henpicked playing some sweet folk music, plus the Ukephoria, Palmerston North’s ukulele orchestra,’’ she said.
More than 120 people had already bought tickets, but gate sales are available. The event starts at 12.30pm tomorrow. Tickets and a BYO picnic is $15 per person, otherwise you can buy a filled picnic basket there.
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