“Samba To Wairarapa Matariki

Friday, 25 June 2010, 9:45 am
Press Release: Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc

MEDIA RELEASE - 25 June 2010

Matariki – Herald of Māori New Year

“Samba To Wairarapa Matariki”

The samba beats of Brazil will be part of the international flavour which will help Wairarapa celebrate a mid-winter fair and Matariki at the Clareville Complex this weekend.

Percussion band Wellington Batucada will come over from the capital bringing its unique array of flamboyant Brazilian rhythms to the complex where the Clareville A and P Society and Ngati Kahungunu Iwi plan a day of entertainment to mark the Maori New Year and the winter fair.

Clareville A and P Society representative Ray Beale said he was watching the long-range forecast to make sure fine weather is on the way for the 6000 people expected to attend the big event.

It would include about 40 stalls, from food to crafts, which would open the Sunday event at 9am. The Wairarapa Fern and Thistle Highland band will kick off the entertainment at noon followed by Wellington Batucuda as well as a number of other local singers and performers.

“We usually get a lot of people from Wellington coming over for the day and it’s the third year we’ve combined the fair with Matariki, it’s proved to be a good mix,” Mr Beale said.

“There will be a number of raffles during the day with some good prizes, one of them is a trip to The Mission Concert, values at $700 which will be drawn at 4.30pm,” he said.

Mr Beale said there were also plans for the staff of the Life Flight Trust, which was the charity operator of the national air ambulance service and the Wellington Westpac Rescue Helicopter, to be at the event.

“It’s a gold coin donation to enter for the day and all of the proceeds are going to the Life Flight Trust which will have a display there.

“A representative from the trust is also coming over from Wellington to attend the event and we hope to have one of their helicopters at the complex so people can see it up close.

“We’re also going to have people who have been rescued by the trust, so they can talk to people about their experiences and how valuable the rescue service is to the community,” he said.

A light show will also be a feature towards the end of the day which will climax in a spectacular fireworks display, organised by Ngati Kahungunu Iwi promotions manager Te Rangi Huata.

Mr Huata was planning a number of Matariki events, from Wairoa in northern Hawke’s Bay to Wairarapa, in each of the six areas of the iwi, from June 11 to July 2.

Ngati Kahungunu has allocated $6500 to support groups in Kahungunu which are holding an event to support Matariki. A total of 20 groups were approved for Matariki sponsorship.

ends

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