Anzac Day
The 100th Anzac Remembrance Day parades in Riverton were well supported with the biggest turn-out to a dawn parade that anyone can remember. The Riverton service and the one at Colac Bay were run by Dene Cole who is a rūnaka member of ours.
to capture and personalise the haunting reality and tragedy of war much more so than a name inscribed on a memorial board. Amongst these crosses are the names of four Ngāi Tahu brothers, who lost their lives in World War I. Trooper David Hunter, Private Harold (Harry) Hunter , Corporal Joseph Walker Hunter and Private William Grey Hunter were sons of well-known local whānau Jane (née Goodwillie) and Joseph Hunter.
To commemorate this significant occasion, The Riverton and Districts Returned Services Association organised a field of crosses, which is situated on the grass area between the troopers monument and Te Hīkoi Museum in the main street of Riverton. These crosses bear the names of each soldier from the district who paid the ultimate sacrifice. There is something very poignant about the crosses, they seem
Several Hunter-Goodwille descendants still live locally and are active rūnaka members, others live throughout Te Waipounamu, Te-Ika-a-Māui and around the world. Moe mai rā i te rangimārie.
The field of crosses.
Aunty Jane Davis, Muriel Johnstone and Ann Wakefield, three generations of nieces of the Hunter whānau at the field of crosses.
Early childhood wānaka
Rangimaria Suddaby, Henare Manawatu, Ellen Pe’a, Muriel Johnstone, Cherie Anderson and Judy McDowall (from Aparima) were invited to present various aspect of their expertise at the wānaka.
Strengthening Early Learning Opportunities (SELO) is a small contract that Ngāi Tahu has with the Ministry of Education (2014-2015). Although Waihōpai Rūnaka won the contract for the Murihiku Early childhood Centres, it made sense that centres in the rohe of Ōraka-Aparima Rūnaka were invited and hosted at Takutai o te Tītī Marae.
There were also participants from the Southland Play Centre, Ōhai Play Centre, Te Puawai ki Murihiku Whānau Rōpū, Wallacetown Play Centre, Riverton Kindergarten, and the Ōtautau Play Centre.
Participants strum their ukulele and learn during Judy McDowall’s facilitation.
Ukulele were used as a way to learn during the wānaka.
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