275 Times April 2017
Mangere community news - 275 Times
Mangere community news - 275 Times
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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 />
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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