Powerful and sacred
As people enter Western Bay Museum in the next few months, they will get to see an exhibition never attempted by the facility before.
Toki – the edge of tradition aims to take people on a journey of recovering traditional Māori knowledge through one of the culture’s historic, high-status items.
Western Bay Museum’s Pou Matauranga Māori (traditional Māori knowledge lead) Hingangaroa Smith, pictured here with the centrepiece display – a Toki Poutangata created by his father Takirirangi Smith, a well-known tohunga whakairo (master carver) – is behind the new exhibition.
Both Smith and facility manager Paula Gaelic say the exhibition is the first of its kind for Western Bay Museum where the theme, culture and emphasis on is traditional Māori knowledge from a Māori point of view “It is the most powerful exhibition Western Bay Museum has ever delivered and we are
most proud,” Gaelic said For Smith it’s about restoring the mana back into toki. “The purpose of this exhibition is educating people how special and sacred the taonga [treasure] of toki are. ”
Find out more on page 3.
Photo / Merle Cave
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Hop into some Easter fun, Katikati!
Katikati has a variety of events this long weekend for young and old alike to celebrate Easter.
Katikati Lions Club is hosting its inaugural Easter Bonnet Extravaganza on Easter Saturday, April 4, at Katikati War Memorial Hall from 9am to midday Organiser Jo Hurne said while late entries would be accepted on the day, she urged people to register ahead of the event at The Arts Junction
The competition has three categories Little Bunnies is for children aged 10 and under First place wins $50, second $30 and third $20 Creative Teens is for youth aged 11-17 with a single first prize of $200 up for grabs
For adults aged 18-plus there’s the Master Makers category, with the winner taking home $300 Lastly, the Katikati Lions Supreme Award – which any category entrant can win – has a cash prize of $400
Hurne said the Lions were to keen see the most outrageous designs people can dream up! “So get out the feathers, glitter, fabric, colouring pens and any item that would provide structure to a headpiece!”
On Easter Saturday, entrants will need to wear their creations, with three judges set to select winners The event will feature live buskers, local food vendors, and a coffee cart to keep the creative energy high, Hurne said For more information, see Katikati Lions via their Facebook page or phone Hurne on 027 2911440 or email: jo66hurne@gmail com
On Easter Sunday, April 5, the Katikati
Bird Gardens is hosting its 22nd annual Easter egg hunt from midday-4pm
Dozens of coloured balls will hidden around the 10-acre gardens, with children to find them from midday
Children return a ball to the cafe and swap it for a chocolate Easter Egg
There’s also a secret number of pink rabbits in the gardens which children can find and count Those who count the correct tally can enter a draw to win for a giant egg
Binky the Easter Egg Bunny will pose for photos with little ones and families Garden entry prices apply Find out more at: www facebook com/Katikati Bird Gardens
At Waihī Beach, Easter will be celebrated with a relaxed photography challenge that invites locals and visitors to capture the colours of the beautiful coastal community
The Waihī Beach Easter Weekend Colour Hunt is on April 3-6, and entry is free
Those interested are asked to choose a colour from the palette at: https:// waihibeach co nz/event/easterweekend-colour-hunt then spend the long weekend exploring Waihī Beach, Bowentown and Athenree, photographing things in that colour
People need to select six high-quality images and email them to: hello@ waihibeach co nz by Easter Monday evening. The following week, a few lucky participants will win spot prizes. Waihī Beach also have an Easter Pop-Up Market on April 4 from 10am2pm at the community centre on Beach Rd; and a Waihī Beach Holistic Wellbeing Expo on Easter Sunday, April 5, from 10am-3pm is at the community centre too Entry is free to both events
Katikati Lioness Jo Hurne, with her creation, can’t wait to see Easter bonnets fill Katikati’s memorial hall this Saturday, April
Photo / Merle Cave
Toki exhibition offers recovery of Māori knowledge
A new exhibition at Western Bay Museum aims to take people on a journey of recovering traditional Māori knowledge through one of the culture’s historic, high-status items
Toki – the edge of tradition was blessed and opened by local hapū Te Rereatukahia, Otawhiwhi and Tuapiro Marae and Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāi Te Ranginui and Te Arawa iwi last Friday before it went on display to the public on March 28 and will be open for two months.
Western Bay Museum’s Pou Matauranga Māori (traditional Māori knowledge lead) Hingangaroa Smith said the idea for an exhibition on toki – known as adzes in English – came when he began working alongside manager Paula Gaelic at the facility
“I discovered the museum ’ s collection was full of toki. I thought, ‘Well, quite clearly this northern Tauranga Moana had a lot of toki everywhere that had been discovered by collectors and all types of people’ – so it made sense to bring that forward and build an exhibition around it.”
Educate
Smith said the exhibition aimed to educate the public about traditional Māori knowledge and its recovery through toki.
“Education is definitely a big push behind this exhibition. Our statement on the exhibition’s front wall says: ‘Ki te Whaiāo ki te āo mārama’ which means ‘from the realm of potential to the world of light’ which talks of understanding and clarity”
The exhibition will take viewers – from a Māori world lens – through how Toki were made, and where materials for them came from, including how Māori knew where to find those materials. It also outlines the wide-ranging uses of the tool from early on.
“When you ’ re talking about toki –you ’ re really taking a Māori framework of thinking and seeing the world,” Smith said.
“A lot of the Māori knowledge system stemmed from stories that have been passed down from generation to generation, which dictates tikanga [protocol] and the way Māori live within the natural world in a harmonious way ”
Toki
Smith said with toki being such a big part of Māori culture in pre-Colonial
times some would “almost argue it was their number one tool, which forged a lot of the infrastructure and helped shaped the culture”
“An example is that it was used for carving waka, building houses right down to ceremonial practices There are so many different types of toki with different purposes, ” Smith said
“Even within the realm of ceremonial toki there were different variations of toki used for different things ” For example, a specific ceremonial toki was used for baptisms and cutting of an
infant’s umbilical cord The exhibition also covers the impact on toki of The Tohunga Suppression Act 1907, part of legislated measures to control and lessen Māori culture and practices back then, Smith said “It’s important, in terms of acknowledgement, that carving – Whakairo, the art of toki and adzing – was sort of dying out due the Suppression Act because the act was designed to wipe out those practices ”
However, the exhibition also shows how with the arrival of Europeans to Aotearoa came new materials that would change the way Māori and carved
“Māori were quick to adopt materials such as steel but they still maintained the tikanga, the essence, of the practice,” Smith said
The centrepiece
One display quote ‘He au hou te rino - he ao whakairo tonu ’ means steel brought a new era, but the art of carving endured The tools evolved, but the traditions remained
Smith said the mauri (life force), centrepiece, of the exhibition is a Tok Poutangata create his father Takirira g Smith
“A Toki Poutangata in basic terms is a ceremonial adze. It typically holds a pounamu (greenstone) as its blade ”
Smith said his father, a well-known tohunga whakairo (master carver), had loaned it to the exhibition
“Te Whironui is the name bestowed on this toki from our traditional narratives, in honour of one of the toki used by Tāne in the separation of Ranginui (Sky Father) and Papatūānuku (Earth Mother) in the creation of the world in terms of Te Ao Māori.”
Eye-catching images include those on loan from Te Papa, Aotearoa New Zealand’s national museum in Wellington. “We wanted to capture different environments and aspects of what toki represents, ” Smith said
“O toh ca to w th sha In peo a to Grin Te W Stat weav
One image depicts a hunga whakairo (master arver) using a ceremonial oki. Another is a tohunga whakairo going through e ceremonial process of arpening his toki.”
nteractive features include ople being able to use oki blade on a Hoanga nding Station; and a Whiri Taura Plaiting ion for people to practice ving flax with cord.
The Gaeli
e first
ic said this exhibition is the first of its kind for Western Bay Museum where the theme, culture and emphasis on is traditional Māori knowledge from a Māori point of view.
“This exhibition holds so much mana – I invite the whole community to come along and view it, and learn from it.
“It is the most powerful exhibition Western Bay Museum has ever delivered and we are most proud.”
For Smith and his team, “it’s about restoring the mana back into toki”. “The purpose of this exhibition is educating people how special and sacred the taonga [treasure] of toki are. ”
Toki – the edge of tradition will be exhibited at Western Bay Museum, 32 Main Rd, Katikati, for the next few months. See more at: www westernbaymuseum.nz Merle Cave
Above: The Toki exhibition is full of traditional knowledge and d history to learn or rediscover. Right: A Kōruru, created by carveer Simon Madgek, on loan for the exhibition.
Hingangaroa Smith at the exhibition entrance Photos / Merle Cave
Mayoral Relief Fund distributes $205,300
From furniture and food, to helping with clean-up costs, 36 households and businesses affected by January’s severe weather event have received $205,300 in support from the Western Bay of Plenty District Mayoral Relief Fund.
Western Bay of Plenty Council released a statement on March 20, announcing the contribution.
Council said the fund opened with an initial $100,000 contribution from central government, allowing it to offer short-term financial assistance to those experiencing urgent, unmet needs directly linked to the storm.
“An additional $100,000 in government funding was later allocated to the fund, together with $5300 in donations from local businesses and individuals ”
A mix
Recipients were a mix of families, individuals, small business owners and
small-scale orchardists from across the district, with payments ranging from $300 to $16,000, the council said.
Funding was available for temporary accommodation or emergency living costs, essential household items that were uninsured or immediately needed, urgent work to restore safe access to a property, and welfare-related needs caused by displacement or safety concerns.
It did not cover damage covered by insurance or EQC (Earthquake Commission), income-related losses, general maintenance unrelated to the event, or large-scale or long-term property repairs.
Need greater
A total of 45 applications were made to the fund, for more than $800,000. While some of the smaller applications were fully funded, many only received a portion of what they requested.
“The need in our community is far greater than what we had available to distribute, but this fund has helped
provide some immediate relief to those facing really tough circumstances,” said
Western Bay Mayor James Denyer
“Thanks to support from central government and generous local donations, we ’ ve been able to make a real difference for a number of people.
“We know recovery doesn’t end here, but this support has helped people take those first steps – whether that’s replacing essential belongings, or clearing silt and slash from their properties - and we ’ re continuing to look at what more can be done.”
Western Bay of Plenty District Council recovery manager Jo Lynskey said the council was working with more than 80 property owners who were affected by the January weather event.
“We are committed to doing what we can to support recovery, connecting people with the right information, services and support to help them get back on track,” Lynskey said. She said council had a team of specialised case managers, or ‘navigators’,
who were working alongside those affected, providing personalised support and helping people understand their options
‘Navigators’
Navigators connect people with a range of agencies and support services, including financial assistance, temporary accommodation, counselling and help with insurance claims, Lynskey said.
“They act as a single point of contact, guiding people through what can be a complex process, and making sure they aren ’ t bounced between agencies Recovery will take time, but we remain focused on supporting people as they move forward.”
The Mayoral Relief Fund would stay open for donations for another month To donate, use Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s dedicated bank account below Acct no: 01-0434-0180600-000.
Particulars: Name of the donor Reference: Donation
An aerial shot of the flooding around Katikati township Photo / Dallas Meeking
Bo ento n pla ground recei es a refresh
Keep youngsters busy!
With school holidays here, Western Bay libraries are offering families a host of free resources with a superheroes to keep little minds and fingers busy
Free superheroes colouring competition and teen competition sheets can be picked up, and‘Take & Make Kits’ to take home. Drop-in craft activities will happen from 10am-12pm at Waihī Beach, Katikati and Ōmokoroa libraries with no bookings required, plus movie sessions. Each library will have a scavenger hunt to participate in too Find out more at: https://libraries. westernbay.govt.nz
Dive into jazz afternoon
A Swin ‘ n Jazz event is on in Katikati on Sunday, April 5, at the Dave Hume Pools, as part of the 2026 Port of Tauranga Jazz festival programme.
Lurline Pummer on 07 5520885 or email: lurline.plummer@gmail.com
U3A meeting coming up
Katikati’s sub-branch of U3A Tauranga has a meeting on April 8 at the hub adjacent to Katikati Library – and visitors are welcome.
Katherine Lucas will speak about the Waikino Battery; and main speaker Christopher Archer will talk on the NZ Mounted Rifles Bridge in Egypt and Palestine in 1916-1919. Meeting entry is $3 per person. For more information, phone Irene Mead on 021 182 6749.
Free Anzac craft session
The Bowentown playground is to get an upgrade e with funding from Western Bay y of Plenty District Coouncil
The council said the upgrade has been shaped by ideas shared by the communityy, who wanted a mix x of active play and natural elements.
“It will include b big swings, baby swinggs, a mini flying fox-style glidder, climbing frame and natural pllay f features l like l logs, rocks and balancing equipment.”
Once completed, the playground will be easier to access, with a boardwalk and ramp, plus a rock seating area for children to gather and play
The upgrade was part of the council’s
ongoing playground renewal programme, with funding allocated from the Long-TTerm Plan 2024-34.
Council reserves and facilities manager Peter
Wattson said playgrounds played a huge role in helping children to build confidence, stay active, connect with others and explore the worrld around them.
“This refresh will help ensure Tui Park continues to be a safe and welcoming place for the community”
The work, which began last week, is being done by Tauranga-based CGC Landscapes It is expected to continue until May, weather permitting.
For more information, visit yourplace. westernbay.govt.nz/tui-park.
Swim ‘ n Jazz will run from 2pm-4pm April 5, with the pools to come alive to the smooth sounds of live jazz, creating the soundtrack for a relaxed afternoon. Alongside music will be food trucks, tasty treats, and plenty of pool floaties to keep the fun flowing. The event costs $15 each or $50 for a family of four – all ages are welcome.See: jazz.org.nz
Line dancing for beginners
The Mural Town Line Dancers group is starting a new class for absolute beginners in Katikati. The class will begin Tuesday, April 7, and run until June 23, at St Peter’s Church hall on Beach Rd Each weekly class will run 9am-10am, with 10am-10.30am offering a higher level. Another class for men and women beginners will run from Thursday, April until June 25 at the same location, from 6.30pm-7.30pm For more details, phone
Katikati Town & Country Market will offer a free Anzac poppy craft workshop on Sunday, April 11. The workshop will run from 10am-midday inside Katikati War Memorial Hall. Find out more at: www.townandcountrymarket.nz
Hot Rod display on the way
Katikati’s Summerset by the Sea and Henry’s Rod Shop is hosting a Hot Rod Display from 9.30am-2.30pm on April 19 at the Park Road Reserve.
The free-entry event is a fundraiser for Katikati Volunteer Fire Brigade, which is open to Summerset residents and the wider community People can expect to see classic cars and hot rods of all makes and models – including the brigade’s old fire truck, a converted 1953 Ford.
Summerset’s café will be open and a sausage sizzle will be on-site.
Organiser Casey Hope said those wanting to display their own classic cars or hot rods on April 19 should email her ASAP at: casey.hope@summerset.co.nz or phone Henry’s Rod Shop on 07 242 4367.
Tui Park playground at Bowentown before its upgrade Below: An artist’s impression of Bowentown’s refreshed playground. PhotoS / Supplied
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