Waatea News Update

News from Waatea 603 AM, Urban Maori radio, first with Maori news

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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Refuge needs Maori funding

Former Women's Refuge head Merepeka Raukawa-Tait says Maori organisations should be doing a lot more to fund the refuge movement.

Police figures show domestic violence cases have doubled over the passt decade.

Funding for Refuge has stayed about the same.

Mrs Raukawa-Tait says Maori are big users of refuges, and Maori organisations should aknowledge the damage domestic violence is causing to Maori whanau and communities and pick up some of the tab.

NGAI TAHU SAVINGS SCHEME LAUNCHED

Ngai Tahu has launched its new Whai Rawa savings scheme aimed at getting iwi members to think about their own financial security.

Launching the scheme in Christchurch this morning, Finance Minister Michael Cullen said Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu is restoring mana to the iwi by providing a platform for economic and self determination.

Families and individuals will be able to start paying into Whai Rawa Accounts on October the first.

Rather than paying interest, Whai Rawa will match the first $100 of savings each year.

Runnaga kaiwhakahaere Mark Solomon, says it's about supporting whanau independence and increasing personal wealth.

A Roadshow will start at Arowhenua Marae in Timaru on Tuesday and make its way to the top of the North Island over the coming months.

IWI JOIN FOR KOKAKO RELEASE

Iwi from Tamaki Makaurau and the King Country are coming together to boost the population of a bird prized by Maori.

20 kokako from the Mapara Reserve near Te Kuiti will be released into the Hunua Ranges south of Auckland tomorrow.

Auckland Regional Council scientist Tim Lovegrove, says the birds will add genetic diversity to the Hunua population, which is believed to include 10 breeding pairs.

Mr Lovegrove says the birds will be accompanied by Ngati Maniapoto, who will hand them over to members of Ngati Paoa, Ngai Tai o Umupuia and Ngati Tama Oho

Tim Lovegrove says the song of the kokako varies from rohe to rohe, so recordings of Mapara songs will be played in the Hunua ranges to help the birds settle into their new home.

THOUSANDS WAIT FOR TANGI ENTRY

Thousands of people waited patiently today outside Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia for the chance to pay their respects to Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, who is lying in state on the marae.

Waatea News reporter Mania Clark says about 5000 people went on shortly after 8 this morning, including Prime Minister Helen Clark and members of the Labour caucus, Ngati Porou, Taranaki, Ngati Hine, Kahungunu, Kohanga Reo, Maori Women's Welfare League and others.

Another 5000 people, including a large number of groups from Maori schools, waited outside through the day and did not get called on until after 5 this evening.

Ms Clark says Tainui, with assistance from the army, ensured there was ample food and drink inside and outside the marae.

She says the challenge laid down by Ngapuhi yesterday, that it wanted a say in the selection of Dame te Ata's successor, found little favour with other tribes.

PAHAUWERA ASSERT CUSTOM

Northern Hawkes Bay iwi Ngati Pahuwera has become the third group to lodge an application for a customary rights order under the Foreshore and Seabed Act.

The application covers the area from the Waikare River to the Poututu Stream

Lawyer Grant Powell says the claim seeks recognition of a range of customary activities, including gathering of sand and gravel for growing vegetables and landscaping, gathering of stones for traditional weapons, carvings, hangi and fishing line sinkers, and collecting kokowai or red ochre for a range of cultural practices.

He says the iwi also used seawater for medicinal purposes.

Maori Land Court registrar Shane Gibbons says to establish a customary rights order, iwi need to demonstrate uninterrupted use of a resource.

The court is also considering applications by Whakatohea for the foreshore and seabed near Opotiki and Te Makati for an area in the Catlins at the bottom of the South Island.

MARAE LITERACY ROLE

Marae could be used more to help improve literacy.

Tertiary Education Commission funding advisoe, Dr Pushpa Wood, says marae along with workplaces and community groups are entitled to apply for funding for such programmes.

She says literacy is best taught close to home.

Pushpa Wood says lifting the literacy of one person in a family can lift the literacy of the whole family.

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