10 Wairarapa Midweek Carterton Wednesday, August 19, 2020
Carterton
Tour shares Maori history
Ra Smith shares Maori history with Carterton District Council at the site of the Waiohine Gorge toll bridge.
we travelled on roads we knew, but acknowledged that there were other roads which were there long before that, such as the Ruamāhanga River. “At the end of the tour, I felt like we were leaving on a road together and it was another step towards making our relationship even closer.
“It was a great experience and will help us keep our shared history at the top of our minds as we work with Hurunuio-Rangi marae towards a shared future.” Ra Smith is an expert on Wairarapa Maori history, and the Kahungunu ki Wairarapa iwi representative at
Masterton District Council. “The work we have been doing together with the council is really important to our marae,” he said. The tour of wāhi tapu follows on from a Tangata Tiriti [Treaty people] workshop. Lang said the workshop was “an eye-opening
PHOTO/SUPPLIED
experience and showed us that Te Tiriti o Waitangi [Treaty of Waitangi] was a symbol of peace and generosity from Māori to settlers. “It’s vital as we head towards the future alongside tangata whenua that we don’t forget the past but find a way to move forward together.”
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airarapa-wide
A tour sharing Carterton’s Māori history at sites of significance [wahi tapu] across the district by district councillors and staff led by Hurunui-oRangi representatives forged closer ties between the local authority and the marae, Mayor Greg Lang said. Lang was joined by fellow elected officials and senior staffers on the tour late last month, led by members of the Gladstone marae. Wairarapa Maori history expert Ra Smith, joined by CDC iwi representative Te Rangikaiwhiria Reiri, Rīhi Reiri, and Hurunuio-Rangi kuia Frances Reiri-Smith and Mary Nunn, led the officials around sites including the Waiohine Gorge toll bridge, Taumata Island, Kokotau Reserve, and Kourarau Dam. Lang said many of these sites were already wellknown to councillors and staff but hearing the rich Māori narratives behind these places gave them a much deeper meaning. “There is so much history throughout our district and there are many important stories which need to be retold so they are never forgotten. “Throughout the tour,
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The Carterton Small Business Grants have now been allocated to 11 successful applicants, with many of them using their funds to benefit the wider community. The Carterton Small Business Grant Fund was generously set up by Carterton District Council Chief Executive Jane Davis has given up 10 per cent of her salary for the next year to help small local businesses recover from the economic effects of covid-19. The fund was also topped up by councillor Robyn Cherry-Campbell, who contributed a portion of her councillor remuneration. Anna Beetham from Wairarapa Sports Podiatry was overwhelmed
when she received the letter confirming she had received the $1000 grant she requested. Wairarapa Sports Podiatry had really wanted to support the local community by sponsoring a local sports team, however, were concerned they may not be able to because of the effect of covid-19 and lost income. “It made my week opening that letter and I am so thrilled that I will now be able to sponsor a local team and get signage for my car,” Anna said. “It is so heart-warming knowing that the community is supporting each other through these tough times.” Community services manager Carrie McKenzie said it was fantastic to
support Carterton businesses during this challenging time, and the process was made even more rewarding by the support the business owners were giving others in the community. “The owners of these businesses already do an excellent job of helping the community in their day-to-day work. To see them use these funds to pay it forward to others, as well as keeping people employed and their businesses afloat was inspirational. “The businesses and wider community are really appreciative to receive this kind of support from our council, which wouldn’t be made possible without Jane’s amazing generosity.”
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Grow your own
Wairarapa Word presents
A CONVERSATION
Mushrooms
ON GAZA with Marilyn Garson
Only
$15
bucket
3PM SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 6 Carterton Courthouse, 60 Holloway St. Free/Koha
Marilyn Garson, a specialist in economic development and a Jew, spent four years working in Gaza. Her memoir, Still Lives, is an account of two wars, an unlikely female-led social enterprise, and a people that made her dig deep into the content of her own beliefs. Wairarapa Word
Email: sales@massons.co.nz
59 Kokotau Road, Carterton phone 06 3798699 office@parkvale.co.nz
