Navigation for Te Ahi Kaa

Tu Ora, Tu Kaha, Tu Mana, Tu Māori

Be healthy, be fit, be proud, be Māori.

Historic Rehua Marae
Māori Trade Training in the 1960s.  Photo supplied by Te Whatu Manawa Māoritanga o Rehua.

He Toki Scholarship Event at Rehua Marae performing He Toki Haka
The current form of Māori Trade Training, He Toki ki te Rika students, Rehua Marae 2012. Photo: Dr Terry Ryan.

During the 1960s and 1970s, many young Māori  men left the comforts of their home and headed to Christchurch to learn a new skill as part of Māori Trade Training.  Established by elders of the Weslayan Church, Kaumatua of Ngai Tahu and Christchurch Polytechnic, by the mid 1960s over 150 boys had been recruited into the programme.

Harry Westrupp is the Manager of Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) Centre for Māori and Pasifika Achievement; he is at the frontline of He Toki Ki Te Rika, an iwi lead training course based on the legacy of Māori Trade Training. A former trainee during the 1970s, Harry provides an historical and current perspective of māori choosing a trade as a career in a post-earthquake environment. Dr Terry Ryan spent forty years as the secretary of Rehua Marae and works as part of the Whakapapa (Genealogy) unit at Te Rūnanga o Ngai Tahu; he talks about the people who lead the charge of setting up the hostels at Rehua Marae, Te Kaihanga in Riccarton, Te Aranga and Roseneath.

He Toki ki te Rika is a collaboration lead by Te Tapuae o Rehua, stakeholders include Ngai Tahu, Hawkins Construction, CPIT, Otago University and Canterbury University. Programme Manager Hemi Te Hemi says since 2011 there have been over 800 applicants, he talks about the new phase of Māori Trade Training.

He Toki Students with Prince Charles
HRH Prince Charles with He Toki ki te Rika students, 2012. Photo supplied by Dr Terry Ryan

Parihaka Papakainga Trust received funding this year from Massey University’s Energy Research Centre to look into different methods of self-sustainable and low energy infrastructure measures for the people of Parihaka. The funded project, Taiepa Tiketike, Passive Resistance to Climate Change at Parihaka refers to the fences that surrounded gardens at Parihaka to act as a barrier for harsh winds. The Trust and Parihaka residents will work alongside a researcher to look at the community infrastructure in its present form and how this will adapt and change to suit the future needs of the community. Justine Murray sits down with Amokura Panoho, the Chair of Parihaka Papakainga Trust to discuss those plans which include low energy housing, effective power generation and a Whare Tāonga (Collection house).

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Chair of Parihaka Papakainga Trust, Amokura Panoho.

In the second to last show for 2014, Justine Murray presents a few of her favourite stories covered this year, which included a sail on-board the traditional Waka Hourua, Te Matau a Maui and attending the 150th Battle of Pukehinahina (Gate Pa) commemorations.

Pawanui
Crew members of Te Matau a Maui and pictured right, Te Awanuiārangi Black.

Nā reira tēnei te mihi ki a koutou katoa mo ōu tautoko ki tēnei momo pakipūmeka o Te Ahi Kaa. Kia pai ai tōu koutou waa o te kirihimete me te tau hou e haere ake nei. Enjoy your holiday and have fun in the sun! Nāku nei na, Justine Murray.

Pohutukawa flower Photo CC BY SA Avenue

 

Waiata featured: ‘Special’ performed by Six60 from The Kiwi Hit Disc, 176 (2014), ‘Sweet Division’ performed by Del Rey System from the album Del Rey System (2004). ‘Hoki Mai’ as performed by the Modern Māori Quartet.