275 Times March 2017

EDITION #28
MARCH 2017
275
Māngere’s
times
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Our stories, our people, our Māngere
Kōrero paki ō tatou, Tāngata ō tatou, Ngā Hau Māngere ō tatou
GUCCI
COMES TO
BADER
INTERMEDIATE
Among the new Year 7s
at Sir Douglas Bader
Intermediate, one student
stands out from the rest.
Gucci is jet black, very
hairy, and has four legs
and floppy ears. Yes, you
guessed it, Gucci is a dog.
Sir Douglas Bader
Intermediate is piloting
an innovative program
that will see Gucci
become an integral part
of the school, working in
classrooms with students.
Gucci has been with the
SPCA Auckland’s Outreach
Therapy Pets programme
for 18 months. In that time
she has visited prisons,
facilities for the elderly,
rehab units, hospitals
and other places where
people need love, affection
and non-judgement. She
has also visited the
Whakatakapokai Child,
Youth & Family care and
protection residence in
South Auckland to assist
young people understand
the importance of empathy.
“Gucci has made an instant
impact with the students
of Sir Douglas Bader Intermediate
and especially
Not just the teacher’s pet: Students Jojo Ouanine, Michael Uruamo and Tangiora Tait with Gucci.
the students in Room 6,”
says Principal Scott Symes.
“The students love having
her as part of the class;
it's been great to see kids
connect and just enjoy
having Gucci close to them.”
Associate Principal Mel
Bland proposed the initiative
early in February, believing
that having an animal
in the classroom would
help students develop a
sense of responsibility.
Among other things, the
kids have learned to change
Gucci’s water, move quietly
around her, and remind
other students of the proper
ways to treat an animal.
They are now demonstrating
these habits daily.
“The calming influence Gucci
has had in the room has
been very noticeable. The
kids have also noticed that
Gucci will seek out certain
students when she senses
things and will go and be
close to them,” says Mel.
Jojo Ouanine, a Room 6
student, says Gucci helps
him when he gets stressed
out. “I just go to her and
take some time out to
pat her. And then I can
get on with my work.”
Michael Uruamo, another
student, says ”It’s a big
responsibility having Gucci
with us and it's taught me
to be more responsible
– and the class!”
As well as helping students
become more responsible,
the initiative is helping
them think outside the box.
Gucci has been welcomed
with open arms and is now
the most popular member
of Bader Intermediate.
WHAT’S INSIDE:
P2: Neighbours Day Aotearoa P5: Maramataka P7: Torranice Campel

2
Takapuna

NEW LEADER FOR HISTORIC SCHOOL
In February, Māngere
Central School welcomed
Jacqualene Maindonald
as its new principal.
By Toni Helleur
A born and raised Cantabrian,
and the eldest of four children,
Jacqualene completed all her studies
in Canterbury – including four years
at the University of Canterbury and
Christchurch College of Education.
She is a former principal of
Richmond School in Christchurch
and Woodhill School in Helensville.
Jaqualene’s husband is also a
principal and they have a teenage
son who has represented Auckland
and Canterbury in football (soccer).
Sport is something the Maindonald
family enjoys most weekends –
either softball, surfing or football.
Jacqualene says she is in her new role
for the long haul. “I will show you a
passion and commitment to match
that which is already here,” she says.
“Whānau is so important to me, and
Māngere Central is my new whānau.”
Proud history
Māngere Central School was the first
public school in the Māngere area
and opened on 1 September, 1859.
In the early 1880s a new schoolhouse
and a “teacher’s dwelling” were built
Passion and commitment: Jacqualene Maindonald, Māngere Central School’s new principal.
to accommodate the growing
community. These buildings
still stand on the Old School
Reserve at the corner of Kirkbride
Road and Naylors Drive.
Back in the early days, children had
to walk large distances to get to
school – although some were lucky
enough to travel by pony or donkey.
Today children from Makaurau
Marae in Ihumātao travel to school
on their very own school bus.
The school is proud to have
produced members of parliament,
principals of other early Auckland
schools, and famous sportsmen and
women, as well as a Crown solicitor
and a NZ Director of Education.
Many of these early students
and their families; the Kirkbrides,
Westneys, Rennies, Masseys and
Robertsons are remembered today
in local street and place names.
Part of the community for 136 years: The
old school hall at the corner of Kirkbride Rd &
Naylors Dr is now a community meeting space.
Get set for
Neighbours Day
25–26 March
By Toni Helleur
Every connection you have
with a neighbour makes
your neighbourhood more
friendly, fun and safe.
That’s the idea behind
Neighbours Day Aotearoa,
a nationwide event that
aims to get neighbours
talking to each other.
If you want to get involved,
the website is a good place
to start. You can join for free
updates, and while you’re at
it, enter your great idea for
a Neighbours Day activity.
The town and city with the
most registered activities
will be crowned City and
Town of the Year 2017.
There are lots of ideas
on the website, but
simply knocking on your
neighbour’s door to say
“Hi!”and introduce yourself
is a great first step. Or, if you
live in a street where your
kids tend to get together
and play until you call them
in for dinner, why not try
organising a street BBQ?
I’m the Māngere Area
Coordinator for Neighbourhood
Support (NS), so this
year, I’ll be using Neighbours
Day to kick-start the NS
movement. NS is free to join,
and it’s all about connecting
with your neighbours too.
I’m also aiming to help
my neighbours reduce
their household waste
by teaching them how
to use bokashi (a form of
composting) so they’re
ready for Māngere’s
new red bin roll-out.
I think this will be a
great start leading up to
Neighbours Day Aotearoa.
The question is: what
will you plan to do?
Share your ideas, pics
and invites with us on
Facebook.com/275Times
Neighbours Day Aotearoa
is supported by Lifewise,
The Mental Health
Foundation, Neighbourhood
Support NZ, Inspiring
Communities, Christchurch
Methodist Mission and the
Public Libraries of NZ.
http://neighboursday.org.nz
3

REDUCING RUBBISH:
IT’S A FAMILY THING
With the era of black
bags coming to an end,
some of us have been
wondering how we’ll fit
all our rubbish into the
new red-lidded bins.
Waste-minimisation expert
Justine Skilling talked
to one family who have
already made the switch.
Ane Karika-Nuku is Kaitiaki
Manuhiri at the Māngere Mountain
Education Centre. Born and
raised in Māngere, she moved to
Ōtāhuhu eight months ago with
her husband and six children,
who range in age from 8 to 18.
Because Ōtāhuhu was part of the
old Auckland City Council, residents
there have been using the 120-litre
red-lidded wheelie bins for 15 years.
Ane's family has adapted to the
new system and now they barely
manage to fill their 120-litre bin
with rubbish each week.
I asked her how her family
organises their rubbish
at home and how they
manage to create such a
small amount of waste.
Lessons from the
deep South
“After I finished
high school in
Māngere, I moved
to Invercargill.
My family lived
there for many
years before
moving back.
Down there,
we were used
to recycling and
cutting down our
food waste. People
used their own dinner
sets when they had
functions, instead of
plastic plates. (That’s
when having six children
came in handy!)
Invercargill is about the size of
Māngere Bridge. As well as having
a recycle centre, there were dropoff
points around the town for
glass, cardboard and other items.
Houses have big sections, so
everyone grows their own food.
Our food scraps went to the dogs,
the farms, or back in our garden.
Staying on track
When we moved up here again,
our children were really “grossed
out” to see the rubbish bags on
Māngere streets. They wondered
how such small houses could create
so much rubbish. We got a bit lazy
at first too, as it was cheaper to buy
packaged food in the supermarket.
We had eight people living in the
main house and another family
out the back, and each week we
put out two or three black sacks.
When we moved to
Ōtāhuhu, we had to
adjust again and
remember how we
used to do things in
the South Island.
Finding room to grow
We live in a Housing NZ house, so
we can’t have a garden, but we grow
things in containers, and we have
a plot at the Māngere Mountain
Education Centre community garden.
We collect our food scraps and
bring them to our plot to compost.
“IT’S POSSIBLE TO HAVE
BEAUTIFUL, CLEAN SPACES
TO PLAY AND SWIM IN,
IF WE LOOK AFTER
WHAT’S AROUND US.”
Getting the kids involved
Our kids bought pretty bins from the
supermarket and labelled them for
recycling, soft plastics, food scraps,
etc. They squash down cardboard
boxes and tie them together, and
rinse and squash plastic bottles before
putting them in the recycle bin.
We’re not buying as much packaged
food as we used to in Māngere. The
kids prefer homecooked
meals, so
takeaways are an
occasional
treat.
4
Waste-reduction champs:
Ane Karika-Nuku's family of
eight barely fill their red-lidded
rubbish bin each week.

I work long hours and my
husband works nights, so we do
big weekend cook-ups in hāngi
pots and freeze them. The kids
get meals out of the freezer
in the morning to defrost and
heat them up in the evening,
so we can all eat together.
Reducing & reusing
Because we grow our own
veges, we only need to go to
the supermarket once a month.
We buy in bulk, which also cuts
down on packaging. We look out
for notifications on Facebook or
Neighbourly from local schools
or kindys collecting packaging
for craft, and make use of our
networks in the community.
Our family spends a lot of
time at the Māngere Mountain
Education Centre, and we have
to practice reducing, reusing
and recycling there as well.
Healthy outcomes
Our main motivation for living
this way has been for personal
health reasons. We have allergies,
eczema, asthma, hay fever, lupus
and lactose intolerance in our
family, so we have to cook our own
food to control what we’re eating.
I’m also concerned about how
we’re ruining our environment
by burying our waste and
dumping it. Having lived in the
South Island, I’ve seen that it’s
possible to have beautiful, clean
spaces to play and swim in, if we
look after what’s around us.
My eldest daughter has really
inspired our whole family to get
on board with reducing waste,
as a result of her experiences
volunteering at the recycle
centre in Invercargill. It’s a
family thing. You need to
start when your children
are young so it’s normal for
them, and make it fun!”
ANE’S
TOP
TIPS
HOW TO MAKE
LESS RUBBISH
AT HOME...
1. Cook 2. Recycle
3. Grow some of your own
food 4. Use real dishes for
functions 5. Have separate
bins with labels 6. Get the
whole family involved.
FONUA: The climate
can change – can we?
A uniquely Polynesian call
to action, Fonua is a largescale
theatre production
that addresses the challenge
of climate change from the
perspective of some of the
world’s most affected nations.
Using song, dance, chanting
and physical performance,
the one-hour
show reminds us
that a global
crisis requires
a shift from
individualism
to collective
action.
MARAMATAKA:
March 2017
by Ayla Hoeta
Can you believe it's March
already? We’re now in the fifth
phase of summer, which is called
Matiti Raurehu. This is when
you get a lot more moisture in
the mornings. Sometimes it’s
like a white dew that covers
the ground – although this
phenomenon has been almost
absent for the last two years.
The sixth phase, Matiti Rautapata,
will start around the time of the
full moon. During this phase
the seed pods burst open and
kauri trees drop their cones.
At the end of summer, you’ll
see the leaves dancing as they
fall to the forest floor. This is
called Matiti Rauangina.
In March, Te Rakaunui, the highest
energy day, falls on the 12th. This
is a great day to get things done!
The new tide brings new energy
GET YOUR FREE TICKET
FONUA: 8pm*, 11 & 12 March
Māngere Arts Centre (corner
Bader Drive and Orly Ave)
Cost: FREE (Reserve your
seats through Eventfinda)
Fonua is co-produced by
the Auckland Arts Festival,
supported through the
Auckland Diversity
Project Fund and part
of the Auckland Arts
Festival Whānui
programme.
*Please arrive at
7:30pm for an
8pm start.
and you’ll feel productive and
ready to do it all on this day.
Key planting and fishing days
are 19–21 March. These days
are Tangaroa a mua, Tangaroa
a roto and Tangaroa kiokio.
The Oike day, which is best
for weeding and tidying
the garden, is 15 March.
To set your dial, check the
date of the full moon (13
March). Then turn the small
blue circle until the number
‘12’ lines up with ‘Rakaunui’
on the big orange circle.
Next month we reach the last
phases of summer – Matiti
Rauangina – and move into
the autumn months.
I hope you are enjoying your
maramataka read. If you would
like a maramataka dial visit
275 Times on Facebook. And
if you have any questions
contact me ayla.hoeta@
aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
5

Inspiring talent: Polynesian
diva Lavina Williams.
6
Food . Crafts . Cultural Performances . Bouncy Castle . Free Family Fun!
FOR MORE INFO, CONTACT:
Māngere East Community Centre
372 Massey Road, Māngere East
Email: info@mangereeast.org
Phone 09 275 6161
MĀNGERE EAST
CULTURAL
FESTIVAL
SAT 11 MAR, 10 - 2PM
Village Green (beside the Library)
Massey Rd, Māngere East
Thanks to:
Former Ma-V-Elle
singer Lavina Williams
is back in her zone,
inspiring a new wave
of talent with her
Vocals with Attitude
singing classes, and
co-hosting a brand
new show on RepFM.
by Shirl’e Fruean
Back in the 1990s, Lavina
Williams blew our minds,
won our hearts and kept
us on a high with her
amazing, powerful voice
as part of Ma-V-Elle.
I remember her from
her humble early days
growing up in Manurewa.
We were in the same class
when she won the school
talent quest at Weymouth
Intermediate. One of
the judges, Ngaire Fuata
(famous at the time for
her cover of “To Sir with
Love”), acknowledged
Lavina’s special talent
and her incredible voice
and predicted she was
going to go places in
the music industry.
During high school, Lavina
formed the girl band
Belle. They went on to
perform at the Smokefree
Rockquest and Big Day
Out. Later, as Ma-V-
Elle, they released two
albums, Spoken To (1997)
and Angel (1999), and
toured around the world.
They were also blessed
with the opportunity to
open for legends Tina
Turner, Boney M, Macy
Gray and many more.
Lavina was also part
of the Faith City praise
and worship team,
which released a
gospel album called
Everything, alongside
a te reo Māori version
called Ngā Mea Katoa.
I remember her singing at
a popular karaoke bar in
Papatoetoe where I was
working as a bartender.
She sang with her
sister Emily and every
time they sang it was
absolutely magical.
She was then given a
breakthrough opportunity
to play Shenzi the
hyena, in the Australian
production of The Lion
King musical. Lavina
also made it into the top
10 on Australian Idol,
an experience she will
always remember as
one of the best times
in her musical career.
A couple of years later,
she moved to Germany,
where she worked as a
writer and producer for
musical theatre show
Popstars. She toured
France as Deena in the
musical Dream Girls, then
moved back to NZ and
was chosen for the role
of Motormouth Maybelle
in the 2014 production
of Hairspray. She was
also the vocal coach for
The X Factor in 2015.
Today, it’s clear this
Polynesian diva is on a
whole different level, with
so much wisdom, and
the freedom and passion
to help others. She has a
heart of gold and cares so
much for them and wants
them to be the best.
If you would like to know
where Lavina is performing
next, you can find her
on all social media sites.
You can also catch her
most Saturdays on RepFM,
teaming up with me from
7:30pm on our brand new
show “Ladies’ night”. Ladies
tune in! www.repfm.co.nz

COMMUNITY GAME-CHANGER:
Torranice Campel
World Social Work Day (21 March) celebrates
social workers who are working toward social
justice, environmental sustainability and human
rights, globally. Here in Māngere, Torranice
Campel is one social worker doing exactly that.
Sharlene Looker spoke
to the youth advocate
about her latest projects
and what drives her
desire to affirm and
empower today’s youth.
Torranice is known for
tirelessly encouraging
youth to be proud of who
they are, to be centred in
their roots and to aspire to
be the best. But her own
experience growing up in
Māngere was not easy.
From family members
coming to terms with her
transgender identity, to
issues of being looked down
upon as a Polynesian and
dealing with peers who
made her feel ashamed to
be her authentic self, it has
taken years of confrontation
and acceptance to become
the woman she is today.
“Looking back at myself
as a young person I saw
someone whose voice was
silenced because of one,
my identity as a transgender
woman; and two, as a
pacific person…” she says.
For Torranice, it was a lifechanging
move to Australia
in 2011 which gave her the
chance to re-assess her life.
Moving back in 2013 and
surrounding herself with
mentors who uplifted her
gave Torranice the courage
that she needed to step out
and give back by enabling
youth to do the same.
The result of this is a lesson
that has become a mantra
for all those who have
been in her care: “If you
are honest with me, then
I will be honest with you,
and together we can work
on rebuilding your life”.
“IF YOU ARE
HONEST WITH ME,
THEN I WILL BE
HONEST WITH YOU,
AND TOGETHER
WE CAN WORK
ON REBUILDING
YOUR LIFE”.
In all the projects Torranice
has been involved in, her
message has never waned:
work hard, be honest
and believe in yourself.
Passionate about youth of all ages:
Torranice Campel with her 4-year-old
god-son Damon David Tanuvasa.
As well
as working at ME Family
Services as a youth
advocate, and undertaking
a Bachelor of Applied Social
Work, she's been an active
volunteer with the Ōtāhuhu-
Māngere Youth Group
(OMYG) and is a member
of the Otahuhu Rotaract
Club of Ota-Ract 276.
In 2016, Torranice was one
of Auckland’s Regional
winners for the Kiwibank
New Zealander of the Year
Local Hero Award – being
nominated by one of the
families she has worked
alongside. The honour
was appreciated, but
accolades are not high
on her list of priorities.
“It brings comfort to me
knowing that they’re being
provided with appropriate
and effective support,” she
says. “And I feel so blessed
to work in a role that
enables young people to
fulfil their full potential in
life…walking alongside
them to independence.”
At the tender age of 27,
Torranice is determined
to keep this walk up. She
is currently working with
OMYG on a project titled:
“A Call for Caregivers”. It
aims to encourage the
public to be involved in
caregiving for those in
situations such as foster
care. Something Torranice
knows well – she is
fostering a teenager herself.
“A Call for Caregivers”
will involve high levels of
commitment but as a youth
worker with a passion
for our young, Torranice
has the stamina (and the
heels) to carry it off.
For more info on “A Call for
Caregivers” visit facebook.
com/OMYG-Otahuhu-
Mangere-Youth-Group
COUNTDOWN
It’s that time again! Schools across
Auckland are counting the days
to the start of the ASB Polyfest.
Southern Cross Campus is no different.
Dezante Tanevesi, who comes from
Makefu on Niue, shares what it means
to be part of the school’s Niuean team:
“I’ve been in the group for three years
now. Every year, we give it our all
at Polyfest to try and win. Polyfest
is important to us because it’s fun,
and we like to show off our culture,
because we aren’t out there like the
other cultures. It also helps spread
TO POLYFEST Left: Southern Cross’ Niuean group at Polyfest 2016. (Photo: Coconut Wireless)
7
Vagahau Niue (the Niuean language),
and our language is really important
for ensuring our culture survives.”
To raise money for their Polyfest
campaign, the group is holding a
Fiafia night at 6:30pm on Tuesday,
14 March at Southern Cross Campus.
The team at 275 Times wishes
all the teams competing the best
of luck for Polyfest 2017!
ASB Polyfest: 15–18 March
Manukau Sports Bowl
www.asbpolyfest.co.nz

Community Notices
FREE DE-SEXING FOR CATS: 13–24 MARCH
SPCA Auckland is working with local vets to offer FREE de-sexing
for cats. Spaces are limited and booking is essential. Cats and
kittens weighing 1kg or more can be de-sexed. Book your cat in
today: call SPCA Auckland on 09 256 7310.
VOLUNTEER MENTORS NEEDED
Are you passionate, motivated, empathetic and fun loving?
Pillars needs you to spend one-on-one time with the children
of prisoners. Empower children to live positive, hope-filled
lives. Help break the cycle of crime. Training is provided, and no
qualifications are required, but you will need a full licence and
a car. To attend the next info session email: admin-auckland@
pillars.org.nz or visit www.pillars.org.nz
POPPY-MAI FOUNDATION’S AMAZING RACE
Complete challenges as you race around Māngere Bridge to
raise money for the Poppy-Mai Foundation. All-ages race starts
10am, 8 July. You can race alone or in a team. Entry is $30 per
person or $50 per team and includes a t-shirt, water, team
lanyard, team photo and certificate. There will be spot prizes,
and medals for the race winners. Registrations close 30 June.
Call Shelley: 021 235 4007 or email: shelleygreco@gmail.com
FREE CLASSES IN MANGERE EAST
The Māngere East Community Centre runs FREE and lowcost
community education classes in te reo Māori, Samoan,
English, sewing, literacy and numeracy, korowai and tukutuku,
drivers licence theory, tai chi, zumba – and more! Visit www.
mangereeast.org, email: fiona@mangereeast.org, ph. 09 275
6161 or drop in to the Centre at 372 Massey Road, Mangere East
to find out more.
HAVING A BABY?
Mellow Bumps FREE antenatal group starts Wednesday, 29 Mar
10am–12:30pm at Māngere East Community Centre. To enrol,
call 09 263 0798 or email: tawera.ormsby@ohomairangi.co.nz
ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT (A2E)
Get assistance with your CV and connect with people who
can help you in your search for a job. The A2E programme is
a relaxed, informal, FREE session held in the Māngere Town
Centre Library at 10:30am on Fridays. Meet other locals and
hear from employers and training agencies. All ages and
backgrounds welcome.
CONTRIBUTORS WANTED
We’d love to hear from local writers, photographers and anyone
else interested in contributing to the 275 Times. Get in touch at
www.facebook.com/275times or email 275Times@gmail.com
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BECOME IT!
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