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Celebrating Filipino Life in New Zealand
The photo album issue Filipinos love the camera. In the pre-digital 90s, we referred to the paparazzi-like flashes kodakan. Today, we call it the “FB phenomenon” – pag magandang kuha, pang Facebook yan! October has to be the ultimate FB season. KBNZ started the busy month with their Family Day celebration in Auckland. The UP Alumni NZ held their annual Bingo ng Bayan fundraising event. The Singing Priests serenaded a 1,500 seating capacity-full auditorium. apl.de.Ap’s fans met up at the Vector Arena to watch the Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D concert tour. And of course, Pinoys from all over New Zealand traveled to Wellington for the annual Filpino Labour Weekend celebration. This issue captures all the fun, friendship and action in these events. If you are planning a little R&R after such a hectic month, make sure you read Paulo Garcia’s fishing adventures on p4 to 8. Fusce mollis
felis. Iftempus you would like to keep updated on Pinoy events, or to simply browse through Brgy Pinoy’s massive photo collection, make sure you join our group in Facebook or follow us in Tweeter, username MayaNZ. Smile and get ready for your next FB-moment!
Editor Email mayaeditor@gmail.com
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Issue 12| Oct-Nov 09
Issue 12| Oct-Nov 09
An unforgettable fiesta By Sam Dignadice
Philippine Culture and Sports representative Lorene-Anne Whitburn was crowned Bb Pilipinas-NZ 2009
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Bb Pilipinas NZ 2009 winners The Labour Weekend Reunion is the biggest event in the Filipino community’s calendar. Every year, Filipinos from all over New Zealand come together to compete in various sports and to crown their Bb Pilipinas-New Zealand. This year, it was Wellington’s turn! And what a great job Wellington did. The Fiesta sa Wellington 2009 was a success. Various community groups signed up to participate in sports competitions like basketball, volleyball, bowling, golf, table tennis and billiards. As expected, a huge crowd showed up to watch the Sunday night’s beauty pageant. Aspiring opera singer Lorene-Anne Whitburn from Philippine Culture and Sports was crowned Bb Pilipinas-New Zealand 2009. The Labour Weekend Reunion is an initiative of the Federation of Filipino Associations Clubs and Societies of New Zealand, Inc, (FFACSNZ, Inc) the umbrella organisation of New Zealand-based Filipino communities. Each year, a different city is appointed to host the
Celebrating Filipino Life in New Zealand
Lorene-Ann Whitburn with Ambassador Bienvenido Tejano and his wife
reunion and a club in that city is appointed to lead the organisation of the event. Next year, it will be Auckland’s turn to host the national reunion, and the North Shore Filipino Community, Inc will be hosting the event. See you all again in Auckland!
+ FFACSNZ, Inc elected a new set of officers at the AGM held during the Fiesta sa Wellington 2009. The new officers are: President Vice President Secretary Treasurer
Norberto Ricacho Alice Lozano Rolyn Dimafelis Cora Noblejas
Ed’s Note: More photos on pages 22 and 23.
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Gone fishing
By Paulo Garcia
Crisp cool mornings, bright blue skies, the smell of grass wet from the evening dew, a quiet stream, a swift flowing river, a placid lake with glassy waters reflecting the blue of the sky... these form part of the wonderful experience that is fishing in New Zealand – and we haven’t even
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gotten to gearing up, baiting our hooks and making that all exciting first cast.
New Zealand is world famous as a top fishing destination – both for salt water and fresh water fishing. Undoubtedly, you would have seen one of the many fishing shows on TV – usually on Saturday afternoons, that showcase mostly saltwater fishing – the fishing type of choice for the kiwi angler. Using high-powered boats with sophisticated technology,
Celebrating Filipino Life in New Zealand
saltwater fishers can go far out to sea with the ability to locate fish and drop their baits to very precise spots. Gear is usually comprised of the quintessential “boat rods” – short, stubby and stiff rods that give the angler plenty of hard core leverage to fight and boat heavy fish quickly. Then there are reels that accommodate high tensile strength lines of braided steel and nylon that are tested to handle heavy fish. One can imagine that with a 5-10 kilo Snapper or a 20-kilo kingfish at the end of the line the boat rod, reel and line will require a strong and skilled angler to manage it. This sort of fishing can be pricey to some. The cheapest way to experience this type of
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fishing is to join a charter trip on a boat that provides the gear. All you have to do is turn up at an appointed time and sail out with a group. The fees start at $80-100 per person. Gear will be on board, baits provided and the boat’s crew will assist you to bait up, land, can even fillet the fish you catch to take home. Although I love all sorts of fishing, budgetary constraints and the desire to make the trip a family adventure make charter boat fishing a prohibitive and an expensive option. Without taking a chartered boat or a friend’s boat out to sea, the only options for salt water fishing would be to fish off the numerous piers and jetties or to clamber onto the rock cliffs of the west coast, some specific areas of the east Celebrating Filipino Life in New Zealand
coast and along the northern coasts as well. Unfortunately, cliff/rock fishing, even fishing off piers can be dangerous and may not be fit for all families – especially when there are young children involved. Another concern is not being able to catch fish – over the size limit weighing in at a minimum of 800 grams to a kilo. It is a must to keep the children “hooked”. I would be thrilled to catch a two to five kilo fish – but that is the stuff that legends are made of. Fish of this weight are not the usual catch when fishing off piers and cliffs in areas in Auckland.
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Enter fresh water fishing.
Fresh water fishing in New Zealand refers to the world famous fly fishing for trophy sized trout that rock stars, American presidents and actors – including Vigo Mortensen – “Aragorn” of the Lord of the Rings have sought in the rivers and lakes of the Central North Island. Further popularised by a young Brad Pitt in A River Runs Through, trout fishing is considered to be the ultimate fresh water fishing experience. But it is not the only fresh water fishing available. Largely focused on trout fishing where a license is required, Kiwis and the anglers of the world troop to famous New Zealand lakes, rivers and streams – many of which are in or are very close to Auckland. Mainly due to a lack of interest from the Kiwi angler, there are lakes and rivers that are not regularly fished and are over stocked with fish. New Zealand Fish and Game in fact penalizes returning some species of fish (grass carp and catfish) to the lake or river when caught. Grass carp and catfish are considered pests in New Zealand. People don’t want them and don’t eat them. Grass carp is however a delicacy in Asia, as are catfish that are highly sought after as a gourmet fish even in the United States. Regardless of whether you want to eat these fish or not, they provide good sport especially in the sizes that they are often caught in New Zealand waters – ranging from one to 30 kilos. Then there are other fresh water fish – the Rudd – known for its fiery red Celebrating Filipino Life in New Zealand
fins and silver bodies and the Tench, which are caught in smaller sizes but are notorious fighters. There are rivers and lakes that offer high-level action for Rudd - the kind where you just won’t have the time to sit and wait. For this kind of fishing, it would be ideal to use what is called “light” or “ultra-light” fishing rods – usually very thin and flexible and small sized reels designed to hold four to eight pound test fishing line. Anglers often use very fine line that when a large sized fish is caught, it requires the angler to make full use of the flexibility of his ultra-light rod to “play” and tire the fish to submission. The desired baits are usually worms or dough using small sized hooks. A largish “landing net” is often a useful tool to add to your basic equipment as there is nothing worse than seeing a two-kilo fish so close, only to swim away from a broken line. These may be purchased relatively cheap from the Warehouse, K-Mart and small fishing shops in local areas (there is one in Henderson and another in Mt Albert).
Fishing is an age-old family building activity. Fathers have often learned it from their fathers, pass on the lessons and share the passion to their sons. Fishing offers great opportunities for conversation between couples, between parents and their children and even between friends. Fishing teaches patience and focus. Fishing gives one time to simply sit and be quiet and to share that solitude with others.
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I remember fishing for bangus in palaisdaans in Malabon and Bulacan when catching 1 kilo bangus and large tilapia got him hooked from the age of six. In this writer’s case, his mum was a constant challenge as she always used to catch the biggest fish. Now with one’s wife catching the best sized fish and four daughters, all fishing from when they were babies (yes babies laid under coconut trees by lake Caliraya in Laguna, Philippines while dad and mum fished) who know how to gear up and dig for worms and cast with accuracy and unhook and hold the fish they’ve caught,
fishing remains to be the ultimate family activity… the only activity that allows one to forget about worries – where all concept of time seems to be lost in the beauty of the surroundings. Go fish! The ability to stop time is in your hands. If you want to learn more about fresh water fishing in New Zealand, e-mail the writer at paulo.garcia@insightlaw.co.nz.
Bingo ng Bayan Having Fun for a Cause Ang galing talaga ng Bingo ng Bayan! Masaya na, nakakatulong pa! Close to five hundred people turned up in this year’s Bingo ng Bayan for an afternoon of fun and laughter, and they were not disappointed. The afternoon passed by very quickly as lots of prizes were handed out. Carina Ferrer was in her element and led the games in her usual high-energy performance. A group of UP Alumni with some members of The Living Waters Choir gave a moving rendition of “Handog ng Pilipino”, their tribute to the late President Cory Aquino and to the indomitable Filipino spirit which triumphs against all odds. Bingo ng Bayan is initiated by members of UP Alumni NZ to raise funds to support their fellow Iskolar ng Bayan. They are currently supporting Gerundio Millo, a second year BS Mathematics student at the UP Diliman campus.
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Winners of the $500 cash prize Members of UP Alumni NZ turned up in numbers. Some came to help arrange chairs and tables, some to do ushering and ticket selling, some to help clean the place. Some of them turned up for the first time and made new friends. Bingo ng Bayan is truly a community effort. Well done! Ed’s Note: More photos on pages 14 and 15. 9
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apl.de.ap The Adobo Ambassador
By Louella Docot
“
I
kaw ang aking bebot!”
The crowd went wild as apl.de.ap’s clear booming voice enveloped the Vector Arena. As the rest of the Kiwi audience danced to the song’s catchy tune, Filipino migrants from Hamilton Estong and Chelle Peralta’s hearts swell with pride– one of their own is sharing to the world all that is good about the Philippines; familial love, adobo, balut and yes, of course, the lovely ladies. But to us Filipinos, we know that the song is more than a chart-topper. Like most of apl.de.ap’s songs, he talks about life in the Philippines. And it was not an easy ride for him. Born Allan Pineda Lindo in Sapang Bato, Pampanga, his African-American father left his mother shortly after his birth. He spent most of his childhood Celebrating Filipino Life in New Zealand
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working to help his mother. At age 11, a charitable organization brought him to the United States to treat an involuntary rapid eye movement condition. It was after a visit to Disneyland, that he expressed his desire to live in the US. Three years later, an American family adopted him. To learn English, his mother advised him to read an EnglishPilipino dictionary, which he religiously studied. Meeting will.i.am, the founder of Black Eyed Peas, changed his life forever. The band is now one of the world’s most famous and successful musical groups. Their 2009 singles Boom Boom Pow and I Gotta Feeling from their latest album The E.N.D topped the Billboards Hot 100 for 26 consecutive weeks.
“During my trip to New Zealand, I was so grateful for the warm welcome by the fans and my Filipino community… I have just returned from my homeland, the Philippines. I was working with the Department of Tourism and MTV Asia to remind everyone to come home and visit our beautiful country.”
What is amazing about apl.de.ap is his commitment to give something back to the Philippines despite his unfortunate childhood experience. In fact, he organizes an annual fundraising event in Los Angeles to help deprived children in the Philippines. “I have just returned from the Philippines, I was working with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and MTV Asia to remind everyone to come home and visit our beautiful country. This will help create jobs and the economy.” Like many Filipinos around the globe, he is also doing his bit to help Ondoy typhoon victims. “ My family and friends helped orchestrate a concert to benefit the typhoon victims. All these artists came together to give their time… I am in deep gratitude for everyone’s willingness to help. We will continue to help our brothers and sisters who have been left without food or shelter.” apl.de.ap is an inspiration. To Estong and Chelle, to hear him sing, “Pinoy ka? Sigaw na sige!” (Are you Filipino? If so, shout!), they could not help but chant and be proud, “Filipino! Filipino!”
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1 Estong and Chelle De Peralta 2 Auckland, Hamilton & Wellington fans meet
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Absolutely, Positively Wellington! Wellington is the vibrant capital city of New Zealand. The Beehive is its most recognisable landmark and being the seat of government, it is not unusual to see well-known politicians walking its streets or enjoying their coffee in one of the many cafes scattered around the city. The Philippine Embassy in New Zealand is also located in Wellington. Ambassador Bienvenido Tejano and his family have called Wellington home since his appointment. It is also home to a growing number of Filipino migrants. They have formed a tight-knit community and this year, they hosted Filipinos from all over New Zealand for the Labour Weekend reunion.
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Editor’s Fave Spots FREE Beehive Tours Explore Parliament grounds and learn about the parliamentary system and its history. Hourly tours start at 10am. Guests are encouraged to register 15 minutes before the tour. Cable Car $3.50 one-way, $7 return fare. We recommend taking the cable car on the way up to see Wellington’s stunning top spot, and walking back to the city centre through the Botanic Garden’s downhill path. Make this a leisurely trip. If you have time and are interested in engines and history, watch FREE video presentations and see the displays at the Cable Car Museum.
The Beehive
Botanic Garden Amazing 25 hectare garden with several plant and floral displays. Our favourite spots include the Sculpture Trail, the Treehouse, Begonia House, and Lady Norwood Rose Garden. City Gallery Museum A definite must-visit for art lovers. Currently on display is Yayoi Kusama’s avant-garde works, which runs until February 2010. Ms Kusama is known for her obsession to polka dots. You will not miss the building as the entire façade is covered in multi-coloured polka dots! Rooms have also been fitted to display Ms Kusama’s multidimensional art. $10 per adult, $25 family pass.
Botanic Garden
City Square and Waterfront A massive public space with interesting art installations and sculpture trails. If there are kids in the group (or young-at-heart!), grab FREE Art Explorer Sheets from the City Gallery Museum. These are activity sheets, which make art exploration fun and exciting. Te Papa Museum A destination for the entire family. There are displays about NZ’s history, the environment, Maori cultural treasures, and a comprehensive art collection. FREE entry to most displays except seasonal shows and some multimedia/interactive rides. Celebrating Filipino Life in New Zealand
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Nagkita-kita sa pinakamasayang bingo bonanza‌
BINGO NG BAYAN ‘09 Maraming salamat po sa inyong pagdalo! Celebrating Filipino Life in New Zealand
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KBNZ //FAMILY DAY Katilingbang Bisaya sa NZ
North Shore Auckland
Celebrating Filipino Life in New Zealand
www.kbnz.org.nz
BISAYA & PROUD
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Brgy Pinoy @ The Singing Priests Concert //Remuera, Auckland
Photos by Louis Tan
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Photos by Louis Tan
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Brgy Pinoy @ the Bb Pilipinas-NZ pageant night //Filipino Labour Weekend, Wellington
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I ! NZ
Wellington Botanic Garden
Maya is a free electronic newsletter distributed to the Filipino community in New Zealand. To submit photos, community-related announcements, feedback and requests for subscription, email mayaeditor@gmail.com. We’re on Twitter, username mayanz; and Facebook: Maya Magazine New Zealand. Maya Magazine would like to thank the following organisations for their support and contribution: AKLnzPINOYS, Council of Auckland Philippine Orgnisations (CAPO), Samu’t Sari Philippine Cultural Society and the University of the Philippines Alumni NZ.
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