Waatea News Update

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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Friday, June 02, 2006

NZ Post admits it's licked on kapa haka stamps

New Zealand Post has binned stamps featuring stylised kapa haka performers after negative reactions from Maori, but it's not licked yet.

Chief executive John Allen says the stamps won't be issued because of complaints from the New Zealand Maori Council and arts body Toi Maori.

He says New Zealand Post still wants to celebrate the Maori performing arts.

"Within the Maori community and particularly the Maori performing arts community, quite a few people found the way the individual characters were depicted in the stamps offesnive. That doesn't achjioeve our aim of celebnrating kapa haka and its role in the New Zealand community, so we have made the decision not to issue these stamps and try again," Allen said.

The decision will cost New Zealand Post almost 180 thousand dollars.

CABLE BAY BRIDGE ROUSES NGATI KAHU

Maori in Cable Bay in the far north say they are ready to go head on with a develop who wants to build a pedestrian overbridge between an exclusive condominium development and the beach.

Tina Yates says locals are angry because the Far North District Council did not publicly notify the development or the bridge.

Work on the wood an steel bridge over State Highway 10 has been delayed by legal wrangling, but developer Chris Hook says he can now go ahead at any time.

Ms Yates says local Ngati Kahu people will take direct action to stop construction.

IN: It doesn't suit our enviornment, we don't like the idea of big concrete buildings put oin the hill without our agreement and then a bridge being put over the road onto the beach, onto the foreshore," Yates said.

Tina Yates says the community would prever Mr Hook to put in a pedestrian crossing instead of a bridge.

NGATI POROU LOOKING FOR LOG SCIENCE

The chief executive of East Coast's Ngati Porou Whanui Forests says Maori foresters need to embrace science and technology to get better returns for their timber.

Chief executive Chris Insley says Treaty settlements anmd the drive by Maori to make better use of their land means Maori are taking a greater role for Maori in the forestry sector.

He says for Ngati Porou Forests, science and research as the key to future development.

"It's about how we can use science and technology to find different types of products, remanufactured proiducts or a different set of products, not just relying on harvesting trees and selling logs to generate revenue. So we have formed some substantive relationships with leading science providers in the country."

Chris Insley says he wants to use knowledge he gained at the Harvard School of Business to develop a model to globalise Maori business.


WAITITI FILM GETS US DISTRIBUTION

Taika Waititi's first full length feature is now likely to get a showing in suburban cinemas across the all important United States market.

Industry giant Mirimax Films has picked up North American rights to Eagles and Sharks, which is currently in post-production in Wellington.

Waititi says the deal means there is a good chance the New Zealand Film Commission will see a return for its $1.8 million investment.

Mirimax was shown a promotional reel which included a trailer for the film and copies of his earlier shorts, Two Cars One Night and Tama Tu.

Eagles and Sharks is described as an off-beat romantic comedy, and it should appeal to teens, the lifeblood of Hollywood.

"It's amazing, I didn't set out to make a film that would appeal to that demographic. We had test screenings a few months ago and they tested it on 16-25 year old range and they really liked it which is good but somewhat scary for me to find I can write something they they would like," Waititi said.

HOANI WAITITI BABIES TAKING ON KAPA HAKA GIANTS

\How good are they really?

The kapa haka group from West Auckland's Te Kura Kaupapa o Hoani Waititi have dominated the at Auckland Secondary Schools' cultural competitions for many years.

Now former students will be testing themselves against the region's best adult groups at the Auckland Regional competitions at the Aotea Centre tomorrow.

Nga Tumanako was established to reunite students from the kura, and most of the performers are in their early 20's.

Group member Amomai Pihama says it will be be challenge coming up against well established roopu, such as Te Waka Huia, Te Roopu Manutake, Te Rautahi and Te Manu Huia.

She's confident the new group will do well enough to be one of the three groups chosen to represent Tamaki Makaurau at the nationals next February.

She says either way, the formation of Nga Tumanako has strengthened the whakawhanaungatanga between Hoani Waititi's ex students.

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