Wow!!! what a day, Mahi Whakaara was officially launched on Thursday 28th April 2022 by our TeTai Tonga MP Matua Rino Tirikatene.   There is only one word to mention about this event it was all done as a TEAM, but some special people warrant acknowledgement who were exceptional workers who helped make this day as great as it was that is – Kylie MacDonald -Smith and Michael Makirere who really gave us 120% of themselves to get us to this day.  Ngamihinui Kylie and Michael and thank you for your love and care to our kaupapa.

The morning started with final touch-ups – some of us in the kitchen getting the crayfish cocktails into their little containers, for others like Trustee Errol MacDonald and Tutor Michael Makirere locking the sign onto the fence ready for unveiling by the MP for Te Tai Tonga Matua Rino Tirikatene.  As the minutes ticked away our MC Butch Bradley arrived finalising his  assessment of how the proceedings will be executed from the unveiling of the sign to the walking of the house to the formal proceedings of speeches and acknowledgements.

Then the hour of delivery arrived 10am, Matua Rino has arrived with a Kaikoura whanaunga (Amelia Taylor) a daughter of our beloved Aunty Romi Taylor.  As we greeted Matua Rino and directed him to stand near the fence – Trustee Powhiri Cooper stood on the other side of our covered tohu-nui to pull down the veil to unveil our tohu Mahi Whakaara.  Matua Rino offered a few words about his role in supporting us to get here today.  From there, our Te Ao Maori tutor Kurt Komene of Te Ati Awa and Ngati Toa heritage and protege of our beloved Koro Huiranga Waikerepuru offers a karakia to our tohu, matou katoa and the day ahead of us.  

At this point our MC Butch Bradley directs all the invited guests to come through the doors to the reception area and walk through the premises and as they do to “touch the walls” and become a part of the whare.  Lead by Matua Rino, the guests gently walked through the whare touching the walls and looking in at our student tutoring room, the Tutor’s room, our programme director’s office and the employment coordinator’s office, ending up eventually at our backyard where seats were all ready for guests to sit and participate in the formal proceedings before a kai.  

From here the formal proceedings involved speeches from the Chairperson – Tarina MacDonald of Te Tautoko Ora Foundation Incorporated Charitable Trust; Matua Rino again, Deputy Mayor Nadine Taylor, Ronnie Riwaka of Te Ati Awa Trust, Dave Johnson of Ngati Kuia, Pete Meihana of Rangitane o Wairau, Te Ohomaurio Cooper (tauira tautoko) and finally the story by Trustees Errol and Powhiri of how it all began.  

Once all the speeches were completed our Te Ao Maori tutor Kurt Komene comes foward again and shares a little of himself to the guests, and blesses our kai for all to enjoy.

Proceedings completed at 11.45am.