Who Are We?

Debra and eRiQ Quaadgras lived and worked in Tauranga but felt the city had become too big for them and they needed a fresh start. “We’d reached a time of life when we were free to go anywhere, Tauranga had become so busy, the traffic was faster, shopping more crowded and we just needed a change,” said Debra. The couple had looked at towns and cities all over the country, but it was Debra who had spent quite a bit of time on the internet, reading about smaller towns,

4 Who Are We? 6 Road Works 8 Textures of Taranaki 10 MOUNTAIN 12 Reflections of Taranaki Art 14 Hawera Arts in the Park 16 Egmont A&P Show 20 Poet Tree 26 2019 Taranaki Garden Festival 32 2019 Americarna 38 Profile on Cath Sheard 40 The Great Opunake Yarn Bomb 44 Poetry Corner – Justine J. Olckers 46 Covered – Novels by South Taranaki authors

who first thought about Hāwera. “We looked at Taupo, Gisborne, up north and New Plymouth, but when we stopped here in 2018, we looked at each other and eRiQ said ‘We don’t even need to go to New Plymouth’. We both knew immediately Hāwera was the place for us”. It doesn’t take much time talking to these new Hāwerians to learn Tauranga’s loss is South Taranaki’s gain.

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Debra edits the magazine they co-own while eRiQ is an writer/illustrator and photographer; distributing his books online. They have recently published eRiQ’s fi rst novel plus several photo books, including a beautiful album of shots taken at the 2019 ‘Egmont A&P Show’. Both Debra and eRiQ work from home, so it was important to have ultrafastbroadband, a home with enough space and a place to garden. They found and purchased “their place” complete with mountain views, birdlife and a garden; a recently renovated home in close proximity to the park, town and beach. eRiQ said “It’s only an hour either way to New Plymouth or Whanganui, but Hāwera has everything we need. There is always something on, there’s a good cinema, the most beautiful park, walkways, all the services and shops necessary, friendly people - why go out of town for anything?” eRiQ estimates he has moved 35 times in his life - so he knows what he likes. “The history of this area is intense, I’m proud to live in a place that’s comfortable with its culture and its story. There’s a great diversity here, the community is what makes this place so good”.

Ella Borrows, Poutakawaenga Whakawhanake Hapori Community Development Advisor, South Taranaki District Council.

The fairy poet takes a sheet Of moonbeam, silver white; His ink is dew from daisies sweet, His pen a point of light.