TE RARAWA FEST 06 – Celebrating Te Rarawa together

TE RARAWA FEST 06 – Celebrating Te Rarawa together

Media release – late October

With just over a week to go until the launch of one of the biggest events to be held in Kaitaia in recent times, the organisers of Te Rarawa Fest ’06 have an urgent message for anyone still thinking of attending.

Don’t delay any longer!

“Registrations have been pouring in for the last two weeks, and anyone who’s still coming to the week-long festival needs to urgently fill out and send in their registration form,” says Event Coordinator Jean Beazley,” or risk the disappointment of missing out on places for key events.”

She says interest in the event locally and nationally has exceeded expectations, with the festival being the talk of Te Tai Tokerau - via newspapers, radio and television promotions and talkback.

“Although it’s hard to predict just how many will come, the level interest leads us to believe a large number of Te Rarawa whanau will take part in the festival - which celebrates 20 years since the establishment of the iwi authority, Te Runanga O Te Rarawa,” says Jean.

She says many of those whanau attending will be coming home from outside the Far North rohe of Te Rarawa, some from overseas – and some of them, possibly, for the first time.

Meanwhile Jean Beazley says in a major coup, the Auckland War Memorial Museum has agreed to the famous Te Taonga O Kaitaia (Kaitaia Carving) being returned to the Far North for the duration of the festival. Te Runanga o Te Rarawa adopted the carving as its official emblem many years ago.

The carving has only left the museum once, since being housed there in 1921. It is the oldest carving to be found in New Zealand, and the museum has asked for comprehensive insurance and strict security measures. There will be a small, but special powhiri for the return of the carving on Monday the 30th of October, which will be mounted in a purpose-built display cabinet, at Kaitaia’s Far North Community Centre for visitors to view.

The Festival-proper then starts on the morning of Tuesday 31st October with a public opening ceremony at the Ahipara end of Te Oneroa a Tohe, or Ninety Mile beach. Te Rarawa Fest ‘06 runs until Sunday 5th November (Guy Fawkes Day). The festival has a slogan of “Celebrating Te Rarawa Together” and the key aim is to mark tribal developments over the past two decades.

For more information visit the website www.terarawa.co.nz. You can call Victoria Murray for a registration form on (09) 408 1971 or email admin@terarawa.co.nz.

Ends.

Festival Convener
Email: jean.beazley@xtra.co.nz
Phone: 09 4067713
Mobile: 021 0708 118

SPOKESPEOPLE:

WHO CELLPHONE OTHER PHONE EMAIL
KEVIN ROBINSON
Chief Executive. Te Runanga o Te Rarawa 027 4865899 09-408 1971 kevin@terarawa.co.nz

MALCOLM PERI
Acting Chairman, Te Runanga o Te Rarawa 0272500694 09-409 5101 pouoterangi@xtra.co.nz

PAUL WHITE
Te Runanga o Te Rarawa 027 2723525 09-4057505 toreatai@xtra.co.nz

Ends

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