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EDITION #29<br />

APRIL <strong>2017</strong><br />

<strong>275</strong><br />

Māngere’s<br />

times<br />

<strong>275</strong> times<br />

Free!<br />

Our stories, our people, our Māngere<br />

Kōrero paki ō tatou, Tāngata ō tatou, Ngā Hau Māngere ō tatou<br />

HELP US FIND TIGI’S GUITAR<br />

This distinctive guitar was stolen from the Māngere East Community Centre car park on 20 March (Photo: Pat Shepherd)<br />

Have you seen or been<br />

offered this Ovation guitar<br />

‘missing’ from the Māngere<br />

East Community Centre?<br />

Legendary reggae performer<br />

Tigilau Ness has used the guitar<br />

for many community services and<br />

causes for more than 15 years.<br />

In the past seven years he’s used it<br />

in his work with fathers and children<br />

at the Māngere East Community<br />

Centre’s parenting programmes, where<br />

his melodies have been especially<br />

effective in soothing autistic children.<br />

Tigi and his guitar have also been<br />

crowd favourites at the Māngere East<br />

community Festivals for many years.<br />

Tigi says that the guitar has “great<br />

sentimental and creative value”<br />

with composing and performing<br />

his heart-felt songs. His son Che Fu<br />

played the same guitar during his<br />

time with the band ‘Supergroove’.<br />

Tigi and his band ‘Unity Pacific’ won<br />

the Best Roots Album (‘Blackbirder<br />

Dread’) at the Vodafone NZ Music<br />

Awards last year – songs created<br />

with his beloved Ovation guitar.<br />

The guitar is dark brown with a<br />

distinctive curved back panel.<br />

Its case is adorned with stickers<br />

including a Palestinian flag<br />

and a picture of Santana.<br />

Tigi says that although our “community<br />

is under threat from those who<br />

would prey on the vulnerable” he<br />

believes that “together we can stop”<br />

anti-social behaviour like thieving.<br />

He is concerned for the wellbeing<br />

of whoever has the guitar, because<br />

“many in the community know it<br />

is missing” and want it returned.<br />

If you‘ve seen the guitar, or know<br />

where it is, please contact the<br />

police or call Crimestoppers<br />

anonymously on 0800 555 111.<br />

The guitar can also be returned to<br />

the Māngere East Community<br />

Centre, 372 Massey Rd (behind the<br />

Library) – or ring 09 <strong>275</strong> 6161 to have<br />

it picked up – no questions asked.<br />

“I just want it back,” says Tigi.<br />

WHAT’S INSIDE:<br />

P3: Speaking up for Libraries P4: Caring for our moana P5: Maramataka


WORLD MASTERS GAMES <strong>2017</strong><br />

The 9th World Masters Games<br />

kick off in Auckland this month.<br />

Sports massage therapist and<br />

Māngere resident, Toni Helleur<br />

(who is the owner and director<br />

of ReleaseWorks), and Māngere<br />

physiotherapist Heiner Otumuli<br />

(manager of the Physio Rehab clinic),<br />

have been chosen to support the<br />

‘mature’ athletes during the games.<br />

Toni told <strong>275</strong><strong>Times</strong> that: ​“We<br />

were approached directly by the<br />

sport representative organiser we<br />

will be helping – which for me is<br />

basketball. Heiner will assist the rugby<br />

players. It was our professionalism<br />

and the experience we have<br />

that gave us the opportunity.”<br />

<strong>275</strong><strong>Times</strong>: The World Masters<br />

Games encourages “participation<br />

in sport throughout life.”<br />

What advice would you give to<br />

‘mature’ would-be athletes who are<br />

thinking about taking up a sport for<br />

the first time, or returning to a sport<br />

after a few years – even or decades?<br />

Toni: Sport is something for anyone<br />

young or old, physically abled or<br />

not – there is no discrimination.<br />

For our ‘mature’ athletes, due to<br />

normal body wear and tear, I fully<br />

encourage you to sort any ‘niggly’<br />

injuries you may have before you<br />

get active again. This is where both<br />

Supporting mature athletes: Māngere's Toni Helleur (above) and<br />

Heiner Otumuli (inset) will be providing on-site health services to<br />

competitors at the World Masters Games <strong>2017</strong>.<br />

physio and massage work well.<br />

Physio will help with strengthening<br />

areas that are weak, where massage<br />

can help realign muscles and<br />

release tension, which helps with<br />

improved movement and reduces<br />

chances of further injuries.<br />

Stretching would be my second<br />

piece of advice. Before and after your<br />

activity is a must. It’s like an older<br />

car – you have to warm it up a bit<br />

before you use it! These two steps<br />

will prepare you well for any sport.<br />

The World Masters Games <strong>2017</strong><br />

run from <strong>April</strong> 21 to 30 at venues<br />

throughout Auckland. Learn more at:<br />

www.worldmastersgames<strong>2017</strong>.co.nz<br />

Members of Māngere College's Cook Island<br />

group celebrate their win at ASB Polyfest <strong>2017</strong><br />

Māngere College Shines at Polyfest<br />

By Ernestina Maro<br />

At the ASB Polyfest last<br />

month, Māngere College<br />

was the overall winner<br />

of both the Samoan and<br />

Cook Island stages – a<br />

great accomplishment<br />

for the high school<br />

and the community.<br />

The school’s Samoan<br />

group became back-toback<br />

winners – taking<br />

out the competition<br />

for the second year in<br />

a row, while the Cook<br />

Island group returned<br />

to first place with their<br />

incredible Kaparima<br />

(action song), drum dance<br />

and Imene Tuki (singing).<br />

Polyfest gives our<br />

high school students<br />

an opportunity to<br />

embrace and share their<br />

homegrown talent. It’s<br />

a way to help build our<br />

young people into noble<br />

leaders who carry their<br />

roots in everything they<br />

do and believe in – which<br />

will inspire them to<br />

achieve their aspirations.<br />

We are very grateful<br />

to see our awesome<br />

community connect<br />

with the youth that<br />

participate in this event,<br />

as well as the parents<br />

and families of these<br />

talented young people.<br />

We look forward to seeing<br />

what Māngere College has<br />

in store for Polyfest 2018!<br />

2


Naomi Lange (left) with other members<br />

of Māngere East Library’s knitting group<br />

Speaking up for our libraries<br />

Since the recent announcement<br />

of plans to ‘restructure’ Auckland’s<br />

libraries without any community<br />

consultation, long-time Māngere<br />

East community advocates Naomi<br />

Lange and Roger Fowler have<br />

expressed their concerns to the<br />

Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board.<br />

Although library staff have been<br />

instructed not to talk about it,<br />

the cost-cutting plan has already<br />

seen over 70 staff take voluntary<br />

redundancy. The remaining<br />

staff will be forced to ‘reapply’<br />

for 1009 positions across the<br />

Auckland region – 142 fewer staff<br />

than the current level of 1151.<br />

Following these cuts, it is understood<br />

that staff are likely to be shunted<br />

around the regional libraries. It is<br />

feared that these moves will have<br />

a negative impact on the quality<br />

and continuity of services and<br />

open up the possibility of further<br />

cuts and even library closures.<br />

At the Local Board meeting, Roger<br />

said that libraries are “an integral part<br />

of our community” and predicted<br />

that Māngere people will “strongly<br />

resist any detrimental changes.” He<br />

called for the Board, councillors,<br />

library staff and the community<br />

to work together to safeguard<br />

and enhance library services.<br />

Naomi talked about the knitting<br />

group at the Māngere East Library<br />

that has been encouraged by<br />

library staff who have a strong<br />

rapport with users. She explained<br />

that although Māngere East is a<br />

vibrant community, there are “some<br />

vulnerable people,” and that the<br />

library provides a vital “safe haven.”<br />

“I would not like to see our<br />

permanent library staff, several of<br />

whom are local, being moved from<br />

library to library with no continuity<br />

for the library users,” she said,<br />

adding; “I fear these changes are like<br />

operating a bank, not a community<br />

service, and are detrimental to<br />

our Māngere East people.”<br />

Meanwhile, a growing city-wide<br />

campaign has emerged. The ’Love<br />

our Libraries’ Facebook group<br />

encourages library users to show<br />

their “aroha and appreciation”<br />

for Auckland’s libraries and<br />

librarians, and “demand input”<br />

into the planned changes.<br />

Find out more at ‘Love Our<br />

Libraries’ on www.facebook.com.<br />

UPSOUTH INSPIRES<br />

CREATIVE THINKING<br />

A new crowd empowerment<br />

platform that gives people a place<br />

to respond to local challenges<br />

by sharing original ideas – and<br />

earn money – is gathering<br />

momentum in South Auckland.<br />

Developed by The Southern<br />

Inititative (TSI), UPsouth aims<br />

to tap into users’ creativity and<br />

develop “a network of young<br />

people who lead together, support<br />

one another’s development<br />

and is both entrepreneurial and<br />

altruistic,” explains TSI Social<br />

Intrapreneur Fiona Cunningham.<br />

Different organisations and groups<br />

use UPsouth to make a request or<br />

‘callUP’ for ideas – all of which earn<br />

micro-payments from the funding<br />

attached to each callUP, with some<br />

receiving more significant amounts.<br />

UPsouth’s first callUP – asking<br />

people to design a logo for the<br />

platform – inspired a vast range<br />

of imaginative creations from<br />

young South Auckland designers.<br />

Three of the creators who receive<br />

$500 for their efforts are from<br />

Māngere: Ken Vaega, a 23-yearold<br />

dancer, choreographer and<br />

mentor with Affirming Works,<br />

and secondary school students<br />

J’me Li Tuhega and Petra Jelitto.<br />

“TSI was absolutely delighted by<br />

the awesome response to our<br />

logo call-up, and choosing six<br />

to receive a $500 payment was<br />

difficult to say the least,” says<br />

Fiona.“The quality was so high we<br />

paid another 20 artists $50 each<br />

and we will use all 26 fantastic<br />

logos in a variety of ways.”<br />

Anyone can join UPsouth, but<br />

to earn money you need a New<br />

Zealand bank account and an<br />

IRD number. Check out upsouth.<br />

nz to contribute your ideas to the<br />

existing callUPs and keep your eye<br />

on the platform for new ones.<br />

Above: Māngere student Petra<br />

Jelitto’s winning design for the<br />

UPsouth logo competition.<br />

3


CARING<br />

FOR OUR<br />

MOANA<br />

It was no accident that the<br />

first migrants to Aotearoa<br />

made their home around the<br />

Manukau Harbour. Teeming<br />

with bird and sea life, fed<br />

by freshwater springs and<br />

surrounded by land with<br />

rich volcanic soils, the<br />

harbour was an ideal place<br />

for whānau, hapū and iwi<br />

to sustain themselves.<br />

4<br />

By Justine Skilling<br />

Talking Rubbish<br />

ME Family Services<br />

Māngere Mountain Education Centre’s<br />

Waimarie McFarland describes<br />

the area around the harbour as a<br />

“thriving food bowl for those who<br />

made it home.” She tells the story of a<br />

possible origin of the harbour’s name,<br />

when the Tainui waka was carried<br />

from the Tāmaki River via Ōtāhuhu.<br />

The captain asked one of his men,<br />

Taikehu, to see whether there were<br />

any people on the harbour, as they<br />

could hear loud chattering. “E hara i te<br />

tangata he manu kau,” came his reply<br />

(“There aren’t any people, only birds”).<br />

Kaimoana for all<br />

As recently as Waimarie’s<br />

grandfather’s time, kina, mussels,<br />

flounder, mullet, scallop and<br />

oysters could be harvested near<br />

Puketutu Island. Tuna (eels)<br />

and īnanga (whitebait) could be<br />

gathered from the Oruarangi<br />

River and from a freshwater well<br />

in his backyard at Ihumātao.<br />

This was all to come to an abrupt and<br />

devastating end in the mid 1900s,<br />

with the relocation of Auckland’s<br />

sewage treatment plant from Ōrākei<br />

to Māngere. In the early days, raw<br />

sewage was dumped directly into the<br />

harbour, putting an end to the ability<br />

of local iwi and other residents to<br />

collect kaimoana from the harbour.<br />

Development & degradation<br />

The growth of industry, agriculture<br />

and residential development around<br />

the harbour over the past couple of<br />

Above: Students from<br />

Māngere East Primary<br />

help clean up the Māngere<br />

Bridge foreshore.<br />

Right: Some of the<br />

14,000 litres of rubbish<br />

collected around the<br />

Manukau Harbour<br />

during the Sustainable<br />

Coastlines Love Your<br />

Coast Clean up in March.<br />

hundred years have also taken their<br />

toll on the health of our moana.<br />

Although there have been vast<br />

improvements in sewage treatment<br />

processes, and restrictions on<br />

dumping industry waste into<br />

the harbour, the picture is still<br />

far from rosy for New Zealand’s<br />

second largest harbour.<br />

“THE MANUKAU IS AN<br />

AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL<br />

HARBOUR WITH<br />

INCREDIBLE BIRDLIFE.”<br />

Auckland Council deems the harbour<br />

safe for swimming in but Waimarie<br />

still wouldn’t recommend gathering<br />

shellfish from the Māngere area.<br />

Auckland Regional Public Health<br />

Service advises against eating<br />

shellfish gathered in any urban areas<br />

because of the risk from “illegallydumped<br />

contaminants, animal waste,<br />

road runoff, industrial discharges,<br />

leachate from buried materials<br />

and sewage overflows.” Litter and<br />

illegal dumping has also become<br />

a big issue around the harbour.<br />

Helpers get hands-on<br />

This year, the international<br />

environmental organisation<br />

Sustainable Coastlines has selected<br />

the Manukau Harbour as the focus of<br />

its Love Your Coast campaign for a<br />

second year running. “The Waitematā<br />

Harbour gets lots of attention,<br />

but the Manukau is an amazingly<br />

beautiful harbour with incredible<br />

birdlife,” says Sustainable Coastline’s<br />

Programme Manager, Fletcher<br />

Sunde. “It’s become really degraded<br />

compared to the other harbour.<br />

People have turned their backs on it.”<br />

Sustainable Coastlines has been<br />

giving educational presentations<br />

to schools on the effects of marine<br />

litter on wildlife throughout the<br />

past month, and has worked with<br />

Māngere East Primary, Auckland<br />

Seventh Day Adventist College, De<br />

La Salle College, Te Kura Māori o<br />

Ngā Tapuwae and Viscount School


to do beach clean-ups at Māngere<br />

Bridge, Favona and Ihumātao.<br />

During the Māngere East Primary<br />

School clean-up on the Māngere<br />

Bridge foreshore, teacher Malo<br />

said “We’re teaching good habits<br />

here. This is everyday learning<br />

for the kids. Hopefully it’s<br />

transferred to home as well.”<br />

The children were excited to be<br />

outside, hoping to find treasure.<br />

“You shouldn’t litter because it<br />

might get into the sea and kill the<br />

sea creatures,” said one student.<br />

“Then, there’d be no more kaimoana<br />

to eat. The sea is important to life.”<br />

Making an impact<br />

The clean-ups ran throughout<br />

March, but the tally of rubbish<br />

collected at the time of writing was<br />

already an astounding 14,000 litres!<br />

Sustainable Coastlines will audit<br />

and analyse the rubbish and report<br />

back to participating schools to let<br />

them know what was picked up.<br />

During the 2016 clean-up,<br />

over 78,000 pieces of rubbish<br />

(from takeaway food and drink,<br />

households, construction and<br />

fishing) were picked up by<br />

nearly 1,500 volunteers.<br />

Waimarie’s grandfather’s vision was<br />

to one day see his descendants able<br />

to sustain themselves through food<br />

sourced from the harbour again.<br />

That vision is what drives Waimarie<br />

and others of her generation, who<br />

are fighting to hold on to what’s<br />

left. “We need to all be mindful that<br />

we are just as dependent on the<br />

harbour as it is on us. We (humans)<br />

are only one part of the picture –<br />

and the rest of nature also has a<br />

role to play. We need to value our<br />

moana for the life it gives us.”<br />

HOW CAN YOU HELP<br />

CARE FOR OUR MOANA?<br />

ÍÍAlways put your rubbish in<br />

the bin and pick up any litter you<br />

see around the streets. (Street<br />

litter goes down our storm water<br />

drains and out into the harbour.)<br />

ÍÍJoin future clean ups at http://<br />

sustainablecoastlines.org/<br />

ÍÍVisit the Māngere Mountain<br />

Education Centre to find out<br />

more about the Manukau<br />

Harbour and its history.<br />

ÍÍJoin the SOUL campaign<br />

to protect Ihumātao http://<br />

www.soulstopsha.org/<br />

DE LA SALLE COLLEGE CLEANS UP<br />

In March, all two hundred Year<br />

7 & 8 students from De La Salle<br />

College took part in a Love<br />

Your Coast Beach Clean-up.<br />

Following a presentation from<br />

marine biologist Fletcher Sunde,<br />

the boys took a bus to Māngere<br />

Bridge for the practical part: a<br />

treasure hunt for rubbish.<br />

Armed with bags and gloves, the<br />

enthusiastic students found an<br />

amazing collection of dumped<br />

waste, including a laptop computer,<br />

a flat screen TV, a muffler, and<br />

a vacuum cleaner, as well as<br />

religious icons, tyres and car seats.<br />

Providing service to the community<br />

is a compulsory part of education<br />

at De La Salle. The Beach Cleanup<br />

gave the boys an opportunity<br />

to contribute their time and<br />

energy to the community while<br />

also learning a great deal.<br />

Above: Students from De La Salle College<br />

collect rubbish under Māngere Bridge.<br />

MARAMATAKA:<br />

<strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong><br />

by Ayla Hoeta<br />

Kia ora tātou,<br />

we’re now in Matiti<br />

Rauangina – the last<br />

phase of summer.<br />

The identifying star<br />

for this period is<br />

Whānui (Vega).<br />

We notice the temperature<br />

cooling and ‘te<br />

angina’ – the rhythmic<br />

dance of the leaves<br />

as they swing and<br />

fall from the trees.<br />

Berries and fruit start<br />

to fill the ngahere<br />

(forest) and we prepare<br />

our jars for preserving<br />

jams, pickles, relishes<br />

and sauces.<br />

For all their hard work the<br />

200 students were awarded<br />

three service-hours each – a<br />

total of 600 service hours<br />

in the local community.<br />

The most important lesson was<br />

developing an understanding of<br />

how to look after our harbour<br />

and how precious it is.<br />

When we leave litter lying around,<br />

it travels out to sea through drains,<br />

streams, estuaries and rivers. Once<br />

in our oceans, rubbish harms<br />

and kills sea creatures, who get<br />

caught in it or mistake it for food.<br />

Toxins from plastics poison our<br />

seafood, and rubbish on land makes<br />

a perfect home for mosquitos<br />

to breed and spread disease.<br />

The students and teachers of De<br />

La Salle College would like to thank<br />

Fletcher Sunde, the volunteers from<br />

Sustainable Coastlines and the<br />

Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board, who<br />

assisted the school in this valuable<br />

community service programme.<br />

Key days and activities<br />

include: Te Rākaunui<br />

– the highest energy<br />

day (10 <strong>April</strong>); Te<br />

ra Oike – a day for<br />

weeding the garden (13<br />

<strong>April</strong>); and Tangaroa<br />

a mua, Tangaroa a<br />

rotoa and Tangaroa<br />

kiokio – the best<br />

fishing and planting<br />

days for the west<br />

coast (17 – 19 <strong>April</strong>).<br />

Now I want introduce<br />

you to another day<br />

from the maramataka:<br />

Te ra Whiro (24 <strong>April</strong>).<br />

The best activity for<br />

Whiro is rest and<br />

reflection. It’s a day<br />

for getting rid of the<br />

old and preparing<br />

to bring in the new<br />

energy promised by<br />

the strengthening<br />

moon phases. It’s<br />

pitch black at night<br />

so take care and carry<br />

a light if you have to<br />

be out in the dark.<br />

If you’d like a maramataka<br />

dial, please<br />

message <strong>275</strong> <strong>Times</strong><br />

on Facebook or email<br />

me: ayla.hoeta@<br />

aucklandcouncil.<br />

govt.nz<br />

5


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“I’m just a young Pacific<br />

Islander fulfilling a lifelong<br />

dream of writing,<br />

creating and producing<br />

music and travelling the<br />

world ‘cos of it.” – Swiss<br />

by Shirl’e Fruean<br />

Lately I’ve been hearing<br />

a lot of positive feedback<br />

about this influential<br />

musician, so it’s only right<br />

that we shed a bit of light<br />

on the 2013 Pacific Music<br />

Awards’ Best Male Artist:<br />

Swiss (Pepa Manu).<br />

Swiss first gifted us with<br />

his enchanting reggae/R&B<br />

melodies while signed to<br />

Dawn Raid Entertainment,<br />

releasing songs such as<br />

‘She’s Mine’, ‘Slow Wind’<br />

and a cover of ‘Blue<br />

Bayou’ – to name a few.<br />

You may have caught<br />

him live at One Love,<br />

Raggamuffin, Island Reggae<br />

(San José, USA) or Riddim<br />

Fest in Hawai’i. And you<br />

might just find yourself<br />

subconsciously singing<br />

along to his songs on the<br />

radio, too. That’s because<br />

his music captivates us<br />

and makes us feel good.<br />

I first met Swiss at a music<br />

event a couple of years<br />

ago. He came across as<br />

respectful and down-toearth<br />

– and of course<br />

when he sang he definitely<br />

knew how to get the<br />

ladies on the dance floor.<br />

Growing up with a sporty<br />

and religious background<br />

didn’t stop Swiss from<br />

pursuing his dreams to<br />

make it big in the music<br />

industry, and because of<br />

his determination, he’s<br />

had many opportunities.<br />

Even so, he’s stayed<br />

grounded. Humbly residing<br />

in Māngere, Swiss says<br />

the greatest blessings<br />

in his life right now are<br />

his four-month old son<br />

Asher, and his wife of two<br />

years, Tree Vaifale Mau.<br />

His favourite hangout is at<br />

home with his son; Niue is<br />

his favourite destination;<br />

and his favourite food is<br />

my fav’ too. (Although I<br />

haven’t tried his mum’s<br />

ota (raw fish), which<br />

he says is “the best”).<br />

He’s also working hard.<br />

Tree says: “As CEO of our<br />

company he oversees all<br />

the artists – making sure<br />

projects are planned out in<br />

the best way from promo to<br />

release, studio sessions are<br />

run smoothly and everyone<br />

is accounted for – as well<br />

as running the label, and<br />

preparing for a world tour.”<br />

As he balances his music,<br />

career, marriage, and<br />

church life with being a<br />

first-time dad, Swiss feels<br />

blessed to have great family<br />

support from both sides, as<br />

well as an understanding<br />

and supportive wife.<br />

Without her he doesn’t<br />

know where he’d be.<br />

His five-year goal is to<br />

build his Big ‘Lil Kids record<br />

label. Then he hopes to<br />

“hang the mic up and<br />

build on his family.”<br />

Recently returned from<br />

performing in Darwin,<br />

Swiss is now prepping<br />

for a show at Rainbows<br />

End’s Summer Nights. He’ll<br />

be releasing brand new<br />

music this month too.<br />

Add Swiss’ social media sites<br />

to keep in the loop about<br />

his upcoming events!


FONUA: TURNING THE TIDE ON CLIMATE CHANGE<br />

by To’asavili Tuputala<br />

Edited by Gabriel Faatau’uu<br />

I laughed when my friends Gabe<br />

Faatau’uu and Carmel-Maria<br />

Savaiinaea asked my friend Viola<br />

Johansson and me to join the<br />

Whanui: Fonua theatre show choir.<br />

Viola and I are writers, and<br />

it’s a known fact among our<br />

friends that neither of us can<br />

sing to save our lives.<br />

A few weeks later, Gabe asked if I<br />

was interested in writing poetry<br />

for Fonua. This time, I jumped at<br />

the opportunity. I’d been a fan<br />

of co-director Troy Tu’ua’s work<br />

and felt honoured to work with<br />

him. We discussed the poetry I’d<br />

be writing for the production,<br />

and I started researching and<br />

presenting to the cast.<br />

The Fonua cast was made up of<br />

both first time performers and<br />

professionals. Rehearsals were<br />

more than just learning moves<br />

and lines – we broke surface,<br />

immersed in the history of our<br />

ancestors. We discussed the poetry.<br />

We were in deep – we were the<br />

sand bags, the king-tide waves,<br />

the poetry – we were a cast.<br />

After one rehearsal, Gabe told<br />

me he had a vision of me centre<br />

stage, performing my poetry.<br />

I quickly changed the subject,<br />

telling him that I would be writing<br />

for the show and that was it.<br />

Then, two weeks before the live<br />

production, Troy asked me to<br />

perform. I panicked and tried to<br />

find a way out. I’ve done open mics<br />

and poetry slams; never theatre. But<br />

support poured in from everywhere<br />

– especially from Siosaia Folau, the<br />

musical director. So I stepped from<br />

behind the scenes and onto my own<br />

little island, cast as the older spirit<br />

of Meleseini Tuai, watching her<br />

mother (played by Doreen Huni),<br />

waking to rebuild the seawall.<br />

I can’t begin to tell you how many<br />

doubts I had about taking the role,<br />

but I listened to the calling and<br />

responded with the poetry I wrote<br />

and collaborated on with Viola.<br />

To’asavili Tuputala (top left), on stage<br />

with other members of Fonua’s cast<br />

(Photo: Mishelle Muagututi’a)<br />

The experience was both scary and<br />

exhilarating, but completely worth<br />

it. When you have your loved ones<br />

telling you after the show that<br />

they’ve always heard about climate<br />

change, but never really understood<br />

it until seeing Fonua, you can’t<br />

help but feel like you did your job.<br />

We, as the cast, gave our hearts to<br />

the performance. We even gave<br />

up nights with family to serve this<br />

message. Knowing that people<br />

walked away aware of climate<br />

change and the rising sea levels<br />

doesn’t only let me know we did<br />

our job, it gives me hope that as a<br />

nation, we are capable of change.<br />

Get going<br />

by bike<br />

FREE CYCLE SKILLS TRAINING FOR ADULTS<br />

Come along to our beginner bike and<br />

maintenance drop-in session. You can<br />

learn to ride, improve your skills and<br />

confidence plus learn a few tips to keep<br />

your bike in good condition.<br />

Thursday 13 <strong>April</strong>,<br />

6pm - 8pm<br />

Mangere Community House<br />

141 Robertson Road, Mangere East<br />

Bikes are available for you to use<br />

AT.govt.nz/cyclingevents<br />

7


Community Notices<br />

BOGGUST PARK CULTURAL & EASTER FESTIVAL<br />

The Boggust Park community is hosting its first Cultural<br />

& Easter Festival. Come along and meet your neighbours,<br />

experience the richness of Māngere’s cultural diversity,<br />

enjoy some delicious ethnic food and plenty of colourful<br />

entertainment. Saturday, 8 <strong>April</strong>, 2pm – 5pm, at Boggust Park,<br />

4 Grangewood Close, Favona, Māngere. For more info contact:<br />

Terisa – ph. 021 022 69307 or talavouandt@gmail.com; or Jois –<br />

ph. 022 340 8913 or josinalvanobre85@gmail.com<br />

MOVIES IN PARKS – THREE WISE COUSINS<br />

See ‘Three Wise Cousins’ for FREE on Saturday, 8 <strong>April</strong> at David<br />

Lange Park, Bader Drive, Māngere. Family activities start at<br />

5pm and the movie starts at sunset (approximately 6pm). BYO<br />

blankets, cushions and bug spray!<br />

WASTE-FREE PARENTING WORKSHOP<br />

A fun, inspirational workshop about reducing waste. Learn<br />

about modern cloth nappies, as well as waste-free parenting<br />

ideas and tips. Monday, 10 <strong>April</strong>, 7pm – 9:30pm at the Farm<br />

Education Building, Ambury Regional Farm, 43 Ambury Road<br />

(right at the end of Māngere Bridge). Cost: $10 (+ booking fee)<br />

individual or couple. Attendees get a waste-free parenting pack<br />

that includes cloth nappies valued at $90. Bookings essential!<br />

Ph or text Kate on 027 2211 242 or visit thenappylady.co.nz<br />

EASTER EGG HUNT & PICNIC<br />

Easter Sunday is a day of celebration! Come and join the fun at<br />

Massey Homestead and bring a picnic (hopefully the weather<br />

will be good). Sunday, 16 <strong>April</strong>, 11:30am –12:30pm, Massey<br />

Homestead, 351 Massey Road, Māngere. This FREE event is<br />

hosted by Church in Progress MCC.<br />

FREE CLASSES IN MANGERE EAST<br />

The Māngere East Community Centre runs FREE and lowcost<br />

community education classes in te reo Māori, Samoan,<br />

English, sewing, literacy and numeracy, korowai and tukutuku,<br />

drivers licence theory, tai chi, zumba – and more! Visit www.<br />

mangereeast.org, email: fiona@mangereeast.org, ph. 09 <strong>275</strong><br />

6161 or drop in to the Centre at 372 Massey Road, Māngere<br />

East to find out more.<br />

INCREDIBLE YEARS PARENTING PROGRAMME<br />

Friday mornings 10am – 12:30pm at Māngere East Community<br />

Centre, 372 Massey Road, Māngere East. Starts 20 <strong>April</strong>. FREE.<br />

Taking referrals now. Email admin@ohomairangi.co.nz, or ph.<br />

09 263 0798.<br />

COOKING SOUL FOOD WITH JOSEPH FINAU<br />

Low carb cooking for families. Tuesdays from 10:30am to<br />

12:00pm at ME Family Service Centre, 7 Hain Ave, Māngere<br />

East. FREE – all welcome. Runs until 18 <strong>April</strong>.<br />

MANGERE EAST HOLIDAY PROGRAMME<br />

Tuesday 18 <strong>April</strong> – Friday 28 <strong>April</strong>, 7:30am – 6pm. Cost: $35 a<br />

day. WINZ subsidies available. Awesome excursions including:<br />

movies, wheels day, MOTAT, party day and mystery trips!<br />

Suitable for 5- to 13-year-olds. Enquire today! ph. 09 <strong>275</strong> 6161,<br />

mob. 029 773 0146 or email oscar@mangereeast.org<br />

MANGERE BRIDGE LIBRARY<br />

The theme these holidays is ‘Construction Wizards’. Activities<br />

include: Wizardry and magic: Are you a fan of Harry Potter?<br />

Make your own special wand to test your skills. (Thu 20/4, 11am<br />

– 12pm). Minecraft Club: Bring your device (or use one of ours)<br />

and join in with other like-minded gamers and swap tips and<br />

tricks. (Fri 21/4, 3:30 – 4:30pm).<br />

All things paper: Drop in during the day and enjoy constructing<br />

with paper. (Sat 22/4, 10:30am – 3pm).<br />

Fun with coding: Do you know how to write your name in<br />

coding language? Join us and turn your name into something<br />

special. (Mon 24/4, 10:30am – 12pm) future<br />

Children under the age of 8 must be accompanied by a<br />

caregiver. To book, or find out more, ask at the library, print call 09<br />

636 6797, search @MangereBridgeLibrary on Facebook or email<br />

mangerebridge.library@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz<br />

Maliu and Sabrina Aiturau love cycling, and<br />

remind drivers to “Look Twice for Bikes.”<br />

MANGERE CYCLING ACTION IN APRIL:<br />

Learn to Ride: The next learn to ride and bike maintenance<br />

drop-in cycle training day for adults is from 6pm – 8pm on<br />

Thursday 13 <strong>April</strong> at the Māngere Community House, 141<br />

Robertson Rd. If you don’t have a bike – one can be provided!<br />

Easter Hunt on Bikes Day: Meet at Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Pools,<br />

Māngere Town Centre on Good Friday, 14 <strong>April</strong> at 6pm for a<br />

fun circuit around Māngere’s Future Streets, looking for Easter<br />

eggs along the trail. FREE for all ages. Bikes and helmets can be<br />

provided if needed.<br />

School Holiday ‘Breakaway’ programme: For 11- to 17-yearolds<br />

at the Māngere Community House, Robertson Rd from<br />

11am to 3pm, 18 – 28 <strong>April</strong>. Bike rides and cycle maintenance.<br />

Complete the nine-day programme and receive a bike! Call the<br />

Māngere Community House on 09 <strong>275</strong> 4920 to register.<br />

Sunday Morning Bike Rides: Meet 7:30am each Sunday at the<br />

bus stop opposite Fresh Choice store in Māngere Bridge – open<br />

for all ages.<br />

CONTRIBUTORS WANTED<br />

We’d love to hear from local writers, photographers and anyone<br />

else interested in contributing to the <strong>275</strong> <strong>Times</strong>. Get in touch at<br />

www.facebook.com/<strong>275</strong>times or email <strong>275</strong><strong>Times</strong>@gmail.com<br />

Community notices are FREE for non-profit organisations.<br />

Send us details of your group or event for the next issue!<br />

<strong>275</strong> times<br />

<strong>275</strong><br />

Māngere’s<br />

times<br />

Design: Belinda Fowler Editor: Roger Fowler<br />

Publisher: Māngere East Community Centre<br />

<strong>275</strong>times@gmail.com<br />

www.facebook.com/<strong>275</strong>times<br />

www<br />

www.<strong>275</strong>times.com 09 <strong>275</strong> 6161<br />

Contact: Tuhin Choudhury<br />

Unit 7/17 Airpark Drive

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