275 Times November 2017
Mangere community news. This month: Get to know your MP Aupito William Sio, celebrate with Mangere East, explore Samoan culture, connect for a safer Mangere, check out local artists at MO Arts Jam, and more!
Mangere community news. This month: Get to know your MP Aupito William Sio, celebrate with Mangere East, explore Samoan culture, connect for a safer Mangere, check out local artists at MO Arts Jam, and more!
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EDITION #36<br />
NOVEMBER <strong>2017</strong><br />
<strong>275</strong> times<br />
<strong>275</strong><br />
Māngere’s<br />
times<br />
Our stories, our people, our Māngere<br />
Kōrero paki ō tatou, Tāngata ō tatou, Ngā Hau Māngere ō tatou<br />
Getting<br />
to know<br />
Aupito<br />
Congratulations<br />
to Māngere MP Aupito<br />
William Sio – the new<br />
Minister for Pacific Peoples.<br />
After the new Labour-led Government<br />
was announced, <strong>275</strong> <strong>Times</strong><br />
asked the popular MP about:<br />
Winning Māngere for a fourth term:<br />
“It’s a huge privilege,” he says. “I’m very<br />
grateful to the people of Māngere.”<br />
Aupito describes the win as a<br />
testament to the area’s loyalty to<br />
and belief in the Labour Party. But<br />
he knows that representing Māngere<br />
is also a big responsibility. “I never<br />
take the Māngere vote for granted,”<br />
he says, acknowledging that he has<br />
to “continually earn the respect and<br />
confidence of the people I represent.”<br />
Day-to-day life as an MP:<br />
Although Aupito spends much of his<br />
time in Wellington, he’s usually in<br />
Māngere on Fridays, meeting people<br />
and trying to help solve problems.<br />
In the weekends he attends<br />
community events. “An MP is<br />
constantly in demand,” he explains.<br />
“Even when spending time with<br />
family, or shopping, someone will<br />
come up and ask for information<br />
or assistance. That’s part of being a<br />
representative of our community.”<br />
What help Māngere residents<br />
can expect from him as their MP:<br />
Aupito says he and the staff<br />
in his Māngere Town Centre<br />
office will do their best to assist<br />
anyone by providing highquality,<br />
confidential advice.<br />
They will also advocate for those<br />
who have had trouble dealing with<br />
Government agencies, or recommend<br />
organisations that can help –<br />
especially when children are involved.<br />
“Where children are affected by a<br />
government department’s decision –<br />
for example, a family being evicted by<br />
Housing NZ – I will fight as hard as I<br />
can for them,” Aupito says. “I just hate<br />
it when a government department’s<br />
decision places children at risk.”<br />
Some key goals for the next 3 years:<br />
ÊÊTo have the five main Pacific Island<br />
languages recognised as official<br />
community languages, and to restore<br />
Pacific language bilingual education.<br />
ÊÊTo establish a Pacific Immigration<br />
Plan that recognises Pacific<br />
climate-change refugees (people<br />
displaced from their homes<br />
as a result of climate change)<br />
so they have real options.<br />
ÊÊAnd for our young people to feel<br />
confident and proud that they live in<br />
Māngere. “I want them to believe in<br />
their God-given talents – that they<br />
are beautiful, brainy, bilingual and<br />
gifted – irrespective of their colour,<br />
religion, size, or gender. To use<br />
those talents for good and make a<br />
Celebration time in Māngere East<br />
The annual Xmas festival will rock Walter Massey Park in Hain<br />
Ave, Māngere East from 10am to 4pm on Sat, 18 <strong>November</strong>.<br />
Let’s get together to celebrate our mighty Māngere East<br />
community with a great variety of food stalls, performances by<br />
local schools, cultural groups and live entertainment for all ages.<br />
The festival is hosted by the Māngere East Community<br />
Centre, supported by: Māngere East Business Association,<br />
Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board, Auckland Council Creative<br />
Communities NZ, and <strong>275</strong> <strong>Times</strong>. Bring the family!<br />
Aupito William Sio (left) snaps a selfie<br />
with Jacinda Ardern and Labour Party<br />
supporters during a campaign rally at<br />
Māngere Town Centre in August.<br />
>> continued on page 2<br />
Free!
Getting to know Aupito<br />
>> continued from page 1<br />
positive contribution<br />
to our community.”<br />
Aupito wants the new<br />
government to be a<br />
“government of action”:<br />
one that “values the<br />
protection of Ihumātao”<br />
and takes “a different<br />
approach” towards<br />
building “a better, fairer<br />
society for everyone.”<br />
Son of the<br />
Southside<br />
Born in Samoa, Aupito<br />
has lived in South<br />
Auckland since he<br />
was eight years old.<br />
As a young man, he<br />
managed the family fruit<br />
shop and worked as a<br />
printer and a trade union<br />
organiser. Later, he<br />
became a public servant<br />
in both NZ and Samoa.<br />
He was elected to the<br />
former Manukau City<br />
Council in 2001, and<br />
appointed Deputy<br />
Mayor in 2007.<br />
Aupito has been<br />
Labour’s MP for<br />
Māngere since 2008.<br />
He also holds several<br />
family Matai titles.<br />
Early influences<br />
Aupito says it was his<br />
maternal grandfather<br />
who first suggested that<br />
he become a politician.<br />
He was too young to<br />
take the idea seriously,<br />
but at Hillary College,<br />
his economics<br />
teacher Wayne Smith<br />
encouraged the<br />
class to critique the<br />
daily newspaper, and<br />
Aupito began writing<br />
letters to the editor<br />
on political issues.<br />
He also enjoyed<br />
participating in debates<br />
at college, but, even<br />
then, it never dawned<br />
on him that one<br />
day he would be a<br />
respected politician<br />
just as his grandfather<br />
had envisaged.<br />
CONNECT:<br />
FOR A SAFER<br />
MĀNGERE<br />
By Toni Helleur<br />
‘Māngere Connect’ is a<br />
volunteer-led community<br />
group set up to unite<br />
the Māngere chapters<br />
of several national<br />
organisations – including<br />
Neighbourhood Support<br />
and Civil Defence.<br />
The group’s first goal is<br />
to help local people work<br />
together to tackle issues<br />
like crime prevention<br />
and illegal dumping.<br />
Māngere’s new Community Patrol car<br />
Making a stand for our heritage<br />
As <strong>275</strong> <strong>Times</strong> goes to print, SOUL<br />
(Save Our Unique Landscape) is<br />
preparing to appeal Heritage NZ’s<br />
decision to allow foreign-owned<br />
construction giant Fletcher Residential<br />
to modify and destroy archaeological<br />
and historical sites by building<br />
480 houses next to the Ōtuataua<br />
Stonefields at Ihumātao, Māngere.<br />
Spokesperson Pania Newton says the<br />
manawhenua-led SOUL campaign will also<br />
pursue “other legal and political routes to<br />
prevent this destruction” – including asking<br />
the new Labour-led government to heed<br />
UN advice to review the housing project.<br />
SOUL will also call on the new government<br />
to abandon the proposed housing<br />
project, restore the Oruarangi river, and<br />
redesignate the land as public open space.<br />
“Meanwhile, we will remain here as ahika<br />
and protectors of the land until the day<br />
it is permanently protected,” Pania says.<br />
Māngere MP Aupito William Sio,<br />
who strongly opposes Fletcher’s plans,<br />
told <strong>275</strong> <strong>Times</strong> that he expects the<br />
new government will “bring a fresh<br />
pair of eyes” to the issue and take an<br />
approach “that values the protection<br />
Māngere Connect also<br />
supports local community<br />
gardens and wasteminimisation<br />
projects,<br />
and provides resources to<br />
promote a safer, happier<br />
and healthier community.<br />
Community Patrols<br />
The recent donation of a<br />
bright yellow Barina has<br />
given the group another<br />
tool to help strengthen and<br />
empower the community<br />
while reducing demands<br />
on local police. Volunteers<br />
will use the new car<br />
to patrol local streets,<br />
giving Māngere Connect<br />
a more visible presence<br />
in the neighbourhood.<br />
The Community Patrol<br />
was officially launched<br />
in September at the Love<br />
Māngere: Yates & Ferguson<br />
Reserve Family Fun Day.<br />
It was an especially<br />
fitting event for the<br />
launch; the aim of the<br />
fun day was to empower<br />
Yates and Ferguson Rd<br />
residents to reclaim their<br />
park after a near-fatal<br />
shooting there in 2016.<br />
The event also gave<br />
Māngere Connect an<br />
opportunity to thank the<br />
donors of its first patrol<br />
car: Philip Watson and<br />
Jag Sidhu, owners of NZ<br />
Cars Ltd and Immigration<br />
Matters NZ in Papatoetoe.<br />
Get Connected<br />
It’s FREE to join Māngere<br />
Connect, just email the<br />
co-ordinator directly:<br />
ns4mangere@gmail.com<br />
You can also keep<br />
informed on Facebook:<br />
@ns4mangere, or sign up<br />
as a Patrol volunteer.<br />
Fighting for our heritage:<br />
Waimarie McFarland and son Motukiwi.<br />
of the Ihumātao lands that SOUL and<br />
the community are fighting for.”<br />
SOUL’s Waimarie McFarland is “very<br />
positive and optimistic” about the<br />
campaign, which she describes as<br />
“capturing the hearts and minds” of<br />
residents of Ihumātao and the wider<br />
community. “The power to stop<br />
this destruction is with the people<br />
– that’s where it’s at!” she says.<br />
Supporters are always welcome to visit<br />
the Kaitiaki Village at Ihumātao and to<br />
join campaign activities and gatherings.<br />
Keep updated through the SOUL<br />
Facebook page: @protectihumatao or<br />
email: saveihumatao@gmail.com<br />
2
EXPLORING<br />
THE RICHNESS<br />
OF SAMOAN<br />
CULTURE<br />
Words & pictures by Shirl’e Fruean<br />
Inspired by a behind-the-scene’s<br />
video, my daughter and I enrolled<br />
in ‘Aganu’u Fa’asamoa 101’.<br />
Aganu’u Fa’asamoa 101 has been helping New<br />
Zealand and Australian born or raised Samoans<br />
“understand the importance and richness”<br />
of their culture for nearly three years.<br />
In that time, creators Tanoa’i Tai’i Reupena<br />
Michael Tanoai and Apulu Tu’u’u Uta’i<br />
Mary Autagavaia of Epiphany Pacific<br />
Trust have led community classes across<br />
Auckland, as well as in Wellington,<br />
Australia, the USA and even in Samoa.<br />
“‘Aga’ means behaviour or customs; ‘nu’u’<br />
means country,” Apulu explains. “So ‘aganu’u’<br />
means the ways and the culture, or the<br />
things that are common in all of Samoa.<br />
“‘Fa’a’ is to be ‘like’ or ‘of’ something,” she says.<br />
‘Sa’ means the clan, ‘Moa’ means the centre,<br />
and ‘101’ are lessons for beginners – which<br />
is why it’s called Aganu’u Fa’asamoa 101.”<br />
On the first day of the programme, you get<br />
to choose one aspect of three customary<br />
scenarios to learn, memorise and rehearse.<br />
Then you perform it live on the last day.<br />
My favourite part was meeting all the<br />
talented and lovely people on the course<br />
– and preparing a traditional feast for<br />
our fiafia (celebration) together.<br />
It was wonderful to scrub our taro and peel our<br />
green bananas happily as a class, then prepare<br />
our umu (earth oven) using traditional methods.<br />
These activities brought back some great<br />
memories of growing up in Samoa. And seeing<br />
my daughter experience them for the first<br />
time made me a very proud Samoan mother.<br />
Throughout the course, the tutors<br />
shared their own experiences, weaving<br />
their words of wisdom into the<br />
programme and making it unique.<br />
“Just give it your best”, Tanoa’i told us. “Picture<br />
your parents who are still with us, or gone,<br />
and just thank God for giving us our parents<br />
who tried their best to do what they could do.<br />
“Even our parents who have hurt us,<br />
parents who have left us: forgive them.”<br />
To enrol in Aganu’u Fa’asamoa 101, or<br />
find out more about the programme,<br />
visit www.epiphanypacifictrust.com, or<br />
follow @aganuu101 on Facebook.<br />
REPPING<br />
PUKAPUKA<br />
&MĀNGERE<br />
Kia Orana everyone, my name<br />
is Ernestina Maro. I’m of Cook<br />
Island and African descent.<br />
This year I was selected<br />
to represent my Pukapuka<br />
community at the Miss Cook<br />
Islands pageant, which was held<br />
in Rarotonga in September.<br />
It was the first time in a long<br />
time that Pukapuka has been<br />
represented at the pageant.<br />
There were seven contestants<br />
competing this year. Each<br />
represented a different beautiful<br />
Cook Island – including Atiu,<br />
Aitutaki, Tongareva and Takitumu.<br />
I represented not only my island,<br />
but my Māngere and South<br />
Auckland communities as well.<br />
The support and love I received<br />
from everyone throughout<br />
the event was amazing.<br />
I really enjoyed the experience<br />
– especially going back to my<br />
homeland in the Cook Islands<br />
to speak and perform.<br />
I was fortunate to be placed<br />
second in the competition and<br />
earn the title of “Maine Tapairu”<br />
for <strong>2017</strong>. I also won the chance<br />
to represent the Cook Islands<br />
at the Miss Pacific Islands<br />
pageant in Fiji in December,<br />
where I’ll be joining nominees<br />
from all around the Pacific.<br />
Follow my quest on Facebook<br />
@mainetapairu<strong>2017</strong><br />
Atawai Wolo, Metaki<br />
Maata (Thank You)!<br />
3
MO ARTS JAM ARTISTS:<br />
‘THERE ARE<br />
NO LIMITS’<br />
By Nivique Rasmussen<br />
With more than 20 live<br />
performances, as well as workshops<br />
and demonstrations, this month’s<br />
MO Arts Jam is a chance to celebrate<br />
Māngere and Ōtāhuhu through<br />
arts and culture. And it’s all FREE!<br />
Here are three local acts that<br />
you won’t want to miss:<br />
KEN VAEGA<br />
DANCER | CHOREOGRAPHER | BATTLER<br />
CREATIVE ARTIST<br />
23, Samoan/Māori<br />
Full of passion, energy and light, Māngere local Ken Vaega<br />
is a creative force to be reckoned with. Mentoring South<br />
Auckland youth by day, and pursuing his dance dreams<br />
in his spare time, Ken is all about living with purpose.<br />
He was recently placed second out of more than 500<br />
contestants in the first Kinja Bang World Tournament,<br />
an online dance competition that allows dancers to pit<br />
their video entries against others from around the globe.<br />
Ken’s filmed his original choreography in locations<br />
around South Auckland, including Māngere Mountain.<br />
“I rep nothing but the South,” he says. “It’s a natural<br />
thing. When they see me dance, they see a product<br />
of who I am and everything that I’ve<br />
been through… how<br />
I grew up; my<br />
culture; what<br />
I believe<br />
in.”<br />
Photo: Nivique Rasmussen<br />
4
This latest success is just one of Ken’s many personal<br />
achievements, which include running dance<br />
workshops and camps, and travelling to the USA<br />
to work alongside YouTube star Brian Puspos.<br />
“That was sick,” Ken says.“I used to watch him growing up,<br />
and to be in one of his videos was super crazy.”<br />
Ken is planning a dance tour in 2018, but to finish this<br />
year strong, he’s going to share more of his behindthe-scenes<br />
training videos online to encourage<br />
other dancers to keep chasing their dreams.<br />
“Seeing how it can really encourage and impact someone,<br />
I feel encouraged to just keep going,” he says.<br />
His bigger message is about “connecting people<br />
with different backgrounds and how that plays a<br />
part in our identity.”<br />
KING<br />
HOMEBOY<br />
BEATBOXER<br />
34, Māori/<br />
Cook Island<br />
Six-time<br />
NZ beatbox<br />
champion, and<br />
current world<br />
record holder<br />
for the longest<br />
individual beatboxing<br />
marathon, the<br />
internationally acclaimed King Homeboy has truly<br />
lived up to his name as king of the beatboxing world.<br />
Photo: Nivique Rasmussen<br />
Hailing from Wellington, King now lives in Māngere.<br />
Using his musical flair in the community, he runs<br />
beatbox workshops at the Māngere Arts Centre to<br />
help aspiring young locals explore the art form.<br />
He encourages his mentees not to be confined by<br />
what he teaches, but to express the techniques<br />
they learn in their own unique way.<br />
“You live your life,” he says. “There are stories<br />
and experiences that only you can grab from<br />
and [they] will be relevant because that’s<br />
you. Only you went through that.”<br />
His motto is to not compete against others,<br />
but to compete against yourself; to be<br />
the best possible version of yourself.<br />
Building on his own creative talents, this<br />
year the successful beatboxer has delved<br />
into the art of dance with the Auckland<br />
Popping Community (APC); competed<br />
in the Freestyle Rap Battle Olympics in<br />
Ōtara; and exhibited his graffiti art from<br />
his own stand at the Armageddon Expo.<br />
King Homeboy’s future plans include<br />
continuing to develop his musical skills<br />
to break down barriers, and fulfilling<br />
his dream of mastering the four original<br />
elements of hip-hop: b-boying, turntablism,<br />
graffiti art and mc-ing or rapping.<br />
ANTONIO ELLIS<br />
(A.K.A MUSIQAL GENIUS)<br />
MUSIC PRODUCER | SONG WRITER<br />
23, Māori<br />
A super-chill, humble and determined Antonio Ellis –<br />
who also goes by the name MusiQal Genius – is gearing<br />
up to make his mark on the New Zealand music industry.<br />
The ex-Onehunga High School student is now an<br />
independent music producer, musician, and song writer.<br />
Antonio has been in the producing game for seven<br />
years. In that time, he’s worked with popular artists<br />
such as Konecs and Lomez Brown, and he currently<br />
manages New Zealand reggae artist Triller.<br />
At the Māngere Community Café’s Open Mic<br />
Nights this year, Antonio has been giving back to<br />
his community by running workshops for those<br />
interested in beat-making or producing.<br />
He reassures his students that there is no set<br />
way to make music. He also advises them<br />
not to be afraid to push the boundaries.<br />
“That’s the cool thing about music: there’s no right<br />
or wrong. There are no limits to where you can<br />
go with it,” Antonio says. “You might not know<br />
where it’s going, but then it becomes something<br />
that you never knew it was going to be.”<br />
Going into the new year, Antonio will be working<br />
on releasing some fresh, original music with his<br />
own artists. He’s also aiming to head to Hawaii<br />
to connect and network with other musicians,<br />
and to continue building his brand.<br />
Ken, King and Antonio will all be performing at MO Arts<br />
Jam on Saturday, <strong>November</strong> 11 at Māngere Arts Centre.<br />
MO Arts Jam is a FREE one-day festival funded by<br />
the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board and delivered<br />
by The Hefty Agency. For more information,<br />
visit www.heftyagency.com/moartsjam.<br />
Photo: Diederich Hettig<br />
5
MARAMATAKA: Whiringa-ā-rangi (<strong>November</strong>)<br />
By Ayla Hoeta<br />
Kia ora e te whānau!<br />
Wow, we’re in Whiringaā-rangi<br />
already. Did this<br />
year fly past or what?!<br />
Those veggie gardens<br />
should be blooming<br />
by now as we head<br />
into the second phase<br />
of summer – Matiti<br />
Hana. That’s when the<br />
puawānanga or puareinga<br />
(clematis) flowers turn<br />
the forest canopy white.<br />
There are seven phases<br />
of summer in all: Matiti<br />
Kura, Matiti Hana,<br />
Matiti Muramura, Matiti<br />
Kaiwai, Matiti Raurehu,<br />
Matiti Rautapata and<br />
Matiti Rauangina.<br />
Each phase is identified<br />
by patterns of flowering<br />
trees, ripening berries,<br />
weather changes and<br />
so on. I’ll tell you more<br />
about each phase as<br />
we move into it.<br />
For now, let’s look at the<br />
tohu for this month:<br />
Ngā tohu o te rangi<br />
(Signs in the sky)<br />
Whitikaupeka (Spica)<br />
will rise at 5:30am<br />
on 4 <strong>November</strong><br />
at approximately<br />
100 degrees.<br />
Ngā tohu o te whenua<br />
(Signs on the land)<br />
The pohutukawa start<br />
to blossom! Most<br />
pohutukawa trees should<br />
be in flower by mid-<br />
December to celebrate<br />
Matiti Muramura – the<br />
third phase of summer.<br />
Ngā tohu o te moana<br />
(Signs in the water)<br />
Like last month, the tohu<br />
for Whiringa-ā-rangi is<br />
‘ngā tama korowhiti o<br />
Tangaroa’ (the leaping<br />
of the mullet).<br />
Kanae (mullet) were once<br />
plentiful in the Kaipara<br />
Harbour. There are<br />
reports of people catching<br />
740,000 back in the 1800s.<br />
That’s a lot of fish!<br />
Kaumatua tell us that<br />
kanae leap into the air<br />
after they’ve laid their<br />
eggs, so watch out for<br />
leaping kanae this month.<br />
For a maramataka dial<br />
contact @<strong>275</strong><strong>Times</strong><br />
on Facebook or<br />
email: ayla.hoeta@<br />
aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.<br />
Have a great month!<br />
KEY DATES IN<br />
WHIRINGA-Ā-RANGI<br />
3 Nov: Rakaunui –<br />
Highest-energy day.<br />
2 & 4 Nov: Oturu<br />
and Rakau Ma Tohi –<br />
High-energy days.<br />
5 Nov: Takirau –<br />
Plant root crops.<br />
7, 8 & 9 Nov: Korekore<br />
Te Whiawhia, Korekore<br />
Te Rawea and Korekore<br />
Piri: Reflecting and<br />
low-energy days.<br />
10, 11 & 12 Nov:<br />
Tangaroa A Mua,<br />
Tangaroa A Roto<br />
and Tangaroa<br />
Kiokio – Fishing and<br />
planting days.<br />
14, 15 & 16 Nov:<br />
Orongonui, Omauri<br />
and Mutuwhenua –<br />
Kai-planting days.<br />
17 Nov: Whiro –<br />
Another low-energy<br />
day, best for reflecting<br />
and planning.<br />
6<br />
Māngere peace drive<br />
Did you know that New<br />
Zealand will spend $20<br />
billion on the military<br />
over the next 15 years?<br />
Can this kind of spending<br />
be justified when so many<br />
families in Māngere live<br />
in overcrowded houses<br />
– and even in cars?<br />
A group of Māngere<br />
residents don’t think it<br />
can. Last month they<br />
drove to the annual ‘Arms<br />
Expo’ in Wellington to<br />
voice their concerns.<br />
Roger Gummer, Alan<br />
Worman, Delwyne<br />
Roberts, Rev. Emily<br />
Worman, and Brendan<br />
Corbett joined groups and<br />
individuals from all over<br />
the country to take part<br />
in a peaceful blockade<br />
of the Expo venue.<br />
Alan wanted to raise<br />
awareness of Kiwi businesses<br />
that profit from<br />
weapons. “I don’t think<br />
this is a good look for<br />
New Zealand,” he said.<br />
“I don’t want to watch<br />
bodies of children being<br />
washed up on beaches<br />
on my TV, wondering:<br />
did New Zealand have<br />
a hand in this?”<br />
The group said that<br />
being part of local action<br />
groups had given them<br />
the confidence to join the<br />
protest. They gained new<br />
skills from the experience<br />
that will help them with<br />
ongoing local campaigns<br />
like saving the heritage<br />
land at Ihumātao.<br />
Want to get involved? Find<br />
out more @roccmangere<br />
and @protectIhumatao<br />
on Facebook.<br />
On a mission for peace: Roger<br />
Gummer, Alan Worman, Delwyne<br />
Roberts & Rev. Emily Worman
Old School<br />
<strong>275</strong> PROJECT:<br />
COMPOST<br />
SOLUTIONS<br />
By Justine Skilling<br />
Talking Rubbish, ME Family Services<br />
Is food waste filling<br />
up your red bin?<br />
Residents of the Naylors Drive cul-desac<br />
in Māngere are creating a solution<br />
to this problem for themselves – in<br />
collaboration with the Old School<br />
Community Gardens in Kirkbride Rd.<br />
Local resident Toni Helleur (coordinator<br />
of Māngere Neighbourhood<br />
Support) is leading the Old<br />
School <strong>275</strong> Project, which aims to<br />
establish a bokashi composting<br />
bin and a small household-waste<br />
drop-off depot at the gardens.<br />
Neighbours helping neighbours<br />
Toni came up with the idea after<br />
connecting with Talking Rubbish<br />
(ME Family Services) last year, and<br />
finding synergies with her plan to<br />
start a Neighbourhood Support<br />
group for residents in her area. She<br />
was also keen to encourage her<br />
neighbours to “visit the amazing<br />
facility of the Old School Gardens that<br />
was literally right next door to us.”<br />
“When I heard about the new red<br />
bin roll-out and what actually<br />
happens to our waste, I needed<br />
to let as many people know about<br />
this as possible,” says Toni.<br />
Community workshops<br />
With funding from Auckland<br />
Council’s Waste Minimisation and<br />
Innovation Fund, and support from<br />
Talking Rubbish and other groups,<br />
Toni organised a series of wasteminimisation<br />
workshops for the<br />
Toni Helleur: helping her neighbours deal with food waste<br />
Naylors Drive community, and helped<br />
to create the ‘Love Māngere’ event<br />
at the Cook Island Development<br />
Agency (CIDANZ) in August.<br />
The event provided a fun way for<br />
locals to learn about composting,<br />
recycling, gardening and biking<br />
– as well as an opportunity to<br />
sample locally made products.<br />
Bokashi bucket challenge<br />
Next up is a series of composting<br />
and bokashi workshops from The<br />
Compost Collective, followed by<br />
some one-on-one support for 20<br />
Naylors Drive families who want to<br />
start bokashi systems at home.<br />
“Bokashi is a great way to deal with<br />
food waste for homes that don’t<br />
have big backyard gardens,” says<br />
Toni. “By connecting residents with<br />
the Old School Gardens, the project<br />
will enable people to get rid of the<br />
contents of their bokashi bucket<br />
once it’s full and ready to go.”<br />
Positive changes are already being<br />
seen. “We’ve had lots of great<br />
feedback from people attending the<br />
workshops. Now that we have our<br />
red bins, only five out of 200 homes<br />
on our street are needing extra<br />
help, which is fantastic!” she says.<br />
“The awareness of waste disposal<br />
has increased, and the desire from<br />
the community to have their own<br />
gardens shows that a new (but<br />
old!) trend is starting in Māngere.”<br />
Finding answers<br />
in our own backyards<br />
Toni encourages people from<br />
other areas of Māngere to look for<br />
solutions to the challenges they’re<br />
facing with rubbish by “connecting<br />
with neighbours and talking more,<br />
as you’ll find everything you<br />
need is right here in Māngere.”<br />
Her hope is that more of us will<br />
“visit a local community garden,<br />
start gardening, and continue to<br />
think about where our rubbish<br />
ends up at the end of the day.”<br />
The next FREE composting<br />
workshop is on 16 Nov, 6–8pm at<br />
Old School Hall on Kirkbride Rd.<br />
To register, visit:<br />
www.compostcollective.org.nz<br />
ENROL<br />
NOW<br />
for 2018<br />
free PARENTING PROGRAMMES<br />
Hoki ki te Rito<br />
O – ranga wha _ nau<br />
Mellow Mums & Dads<br />
Mellow Bumps<br />
Antenatal sessions<br />
Incredible<br />
Years<br />
For Parents<br />
Wh – anau<br />
4Wh – anau<br />
Whakat – okia<br />
te Rongomau<br />
Day & evening programmes begin in February 2018<br />
Ma _ ngere East Community Centre, 372 Massey Rd, Ma _ ngere East<br />
ph. 09 263 0798 | e. admin@ohomairangi.co.nz | www.ohomairangi.co.nz<br />
7
Community Notices<br />
MA – NGERE EAST SUMMER NIGHT MARKETS<br />
Food, arts & crafts, fresh local produce, entertainment. Every<br />
Thurs in <strong>November</strong>, 5–9pm. Māngere East Village Green (next<br />
to the library, 370 Massey Rd). Ph. 09 <strong>275</strong> 6161, email: hone@<br />
mangereeast.org or follow @MangereEastVillage on Facebook.<br />
FREE VEGETARIAN DINNERS<br />
Life Vision Society is offering free Indian vegetarian dinners to<br />
those in need. Mondays, 6:30–7:30pm at 39 East Tamaki Rd,<br />
Papatoetoe. Ph. 027 777 4477 or visit Lifevision.nz for more info.<br />
TARARATA CREEK CARETAKING DAY<br />
Volunteers are needed to help weed around the 2,000 plants<br />
that were planted in August. Sat, 25 Nov: 1–4pm. Wear covered<br />
shoes and bring a drink bottle. Gloves, sunscreen & a snack will<br />
be provided. Access from Elmdon Rd bridge, Māngere. Find out<br />
more at: www.facebook.com/groups/1947178058889289/<br />
MA – NGERE ‘HAVE A TRY’ TRYATHLON<br />
For 9- to 12-year-olds who can swim, run & ride a bike, and who<br />
want to give triathlon a go! 17 Nov, 9am–1pm, at Moana-nui-a-<br />
Kiwa Pools, Māngere. 150m swim, 4km ride, 2km run. BYO bike,<br />
helmet, togs & running shoes. Registrations close 10 Nov. Email<br />
brendanb@cmsport.co.nz or ph. 029 437 0873 for more info.<br />
MA – NGERE BRIDGE LIBRARY WRITERS’ GROUP<br />
Friendship, support & encouragement for writers who want to<br />
improve their skills. New members welcome. The group meets<br />
on the third Sat of every month. Join them at Māngere Bridge<br />
Library, 18 Nov at 10am. Ph. 09 636 6797 for more info.<br />
Community Notices are FREE for community groups.<br />
To list your group or event in the next issue, just send<br />
us a 50-word summary by 15 <strong>November</strong>.<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 />
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