Porirua officially became a city in 1965 and this year the council put on a range of activities to recognise the milestone. The 50 Years Awards paid tribute to fifty people who were nominated for their work in the community. Hera Noble has lived in Porirua for sixty eight years and has never lived away, she has fifteen siblings and she attributes her mother as the reason she stayed. Hera is one of the main cooks at Takapuwāhia Marae and was nominated for her work at the Pā which she reluctantly accepted. At the awards dinner she dedicated it to her mother. Hera was a young mum when David Bowie was welcomed onto Takapuwāhia Marae, her mother Hine Wairoro Parata Solomon was running the kitchen at the time, she recalls the 1975 Maori Land March stopping into to stay there before heading to Parliament and the tree that Whina Cooper planted in remembrance of the event. Hera Noble talks to Justine about what changes she seen in the community in her time and juggling work and marae life.
Takapuwāhia hosted a weekly Rangatahi (youth) programme during the holidays, the visited urupa, walked up Rangituhi and learned the history and waiata of the area. Coverage from the rangatahi concert features. Kahu Ropata explains the programme,and young adult Te Waimatao Ropata talks about growing up at the Pā.
Hera Noble, Ringawera at Takapuwahia Marae was recognised for her contribution to the community at The 50 Years Awards. Photo: RNZ/Justine Murray
When I was growing up, I used to work with her (mum) in the kitchen and uncle soul, we used to do a lot of catering and I learned so much from them, I used to say to my mum, why do you go to the marae all the time when it's not our immediate family, she said when you live here in the pa everyone is your family, regardless.
Hera Noble
Tapene at his home at Camp Elsdon, Porirua. Photo: RNZ/Justine Murray
Rangituhi (Colonial Knob) is a scenic reserve in Porirua West, it is home to many native birds and tree's including Kohekohe and Tawa. Only a few metres away from the native forest area is Camp Elsdon a methodist camp established in 1954. There are cabins, portocoms, motorhomes and communal kitchens and ablution areas on the 5.5 hectares of land. It's also home to Tapeni Simmons Nō Tuwharetoa, Taranaki who has lived at the camp for seven years. As a Kaiawhina to young people with disabilities, he says living in his caravan at the camp gives him time to get away from the daily pressures of life, he shares his story.
Made in Porirua runs until early February 2016 Photo: RNZ/Justine Murray
Pataka Art and Museum is located in the heart of Porirua. It began as an amalgamation of the Porirua Museum, and Page 90 Art Gallery. It's first name was Te Marae o te Umu Kai O Hau and later re-named to Pataka. To celebrate fifty years since Porirua became a city, the museum put on two exhibitions, the first was We Built This City about how the town grew literally from, the ground up. The second is Made in Porirua, curated by Alice Masters and undertook three months of research to setting up the exhibition. Porirua is still an industrial area, but during the 1960's there was industry boom, the community was growing at a steady pace, māori families moved to the area from rural towns. Many businesses moved for the short and long term. Chubb Security created huge bank vaults, AWA made electronics and Whittakers made Chocolate. Alice Masters and Rueben Friend take Justine through the space and talk about future innovation projects at Pataka.
You've got new families and long established families here....there is a real sense of struggle in Porirua at the same time......we have gone through that era when we had this big boom of industry and then work was outsourced, and so now there's this really interesting thing that's happening in Porirua, whats next?....whats the future? What I want to do here at Pataka is to make sure we can provide opportunities for our communities to build on this kind of innovation that happened here.
Rueben friend
Dennis Karauna at Te Konohete, Police College, Wellington. Photo: RNZ/Justine Murray
Konohete is the annual non-competitive kapahaka festival for staff of government departments in Wellington. There is a mix of familiar and new māori songs that are performed in fifteen minute brackets. This year The Police College hosted the event,and had their own team perform. Dennis Karauna has been a part of Konohete for a number of years as a staff member of the Ministry of Primary Industries. He talks about its history and kaupapa.
Made in Porirua Photo: Supplied
