Monday, October 25, 2010

Goals: a Family Ritual

Goal setting has been one of the constants in our family life over the past 10 years.  It began as a simple family ritual to encourage communication; it now plays a major role in shaping the destiny & direction of my children. It is one of the primary tools  I use to grow my children into great native trees; to become "agents of change". 

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Hawai'i and Back



Kia ora Whanau!On Tuesday August 3, my three girls and I headed over to Hawai'i for a holiday!
We left Dunedin on the 7am flight - temperature around 3 degrees C and arrived in Honolulu at around 10pm Monday night to a temperature of 25 degrees!!

Lovely and hot - everyday all day!! Ideal place to swim and surf!

We stayed at the Ocean Resort on Paokalani Avenue, in Waikiki - near the Zoo

Highlights:
  • Driving around the island and visiting the beaches along the way - stunning scenery!
  • Malasada from Leonards
  • Pali Lookout!
  • Learning an Hawaiian string figure from Kalani (Orion - Tautoru for us!)
  • Meeting up with my cousin Aroha French at the PCC and watching the kapa haka group from home practice!
  • The Planetarium at the Bishop: learning about the stars in the Northern Hemisphere
  • The Ku display at the Bishop
  • Kahanamoku (The Duke) on the strip & at the Bishop!
  • Hawaain food from ONO!!
  • The PCC, canoe pageant and the night show HA (fire-dancers are amazing!)
  • The Samoan Village/Show - making fire!
  • The SWAPMEET at Aloha Stadium
  • Ala Moana Foodcourt and Mall!
The pig - Luau
Ali'i luau at the PCC - lovely food!
Part of the canoe pageant at the PCC!
The PCC
The PCC -
Awesome place to visit! The Samoan village was funny as! - fire-making and milk from Coconuts! Did i say that it was hot? The sweat was trickling down from head to toe! The canoe pageant was well done - but the night show was just awesome!

The Pali Lookout: what a sight/site! Awe-inspiring -battle site! One can only imagine what that battle was like!
Pali lookout
Pali lookout
Pali Lookout

Around the island!


Bishop Museum: KU display!

Malasada from Leonards on Kapahulu!


Iolani Palace



    The DUKE - Kahanamoku - from whom Aunty Lottie received her name Lotomua

Can't remember the name of this place!



BYU Hawai'i Campus

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Te Kotuku on his Mission!



Some photos of Elder Hakopa on his mission!

this where they meet for church


local refrigerator

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Ha-Waihi


E nga mokopuna o Te Uira raua ko Te Kotuku Horima Hakopa Tena no koutou katoa!

On the weekend of 11-13 June 2010, the Hakopa Whanau converged on Waihi, the home of Turumakina, Hapu of Ngati Tuwharetoa to celebrate the 80th birthday of Te Tawiri o te rangi Hakopa, the last of the children of Te Uira and Horima Hakopa.

Whanau came from all over the motu and from Australia to be there; the last time we were all together for such an occasion was when dad turned 60 - he was none too happy then - but this time, it seems that the years have mellowed him and he was absolutely thrilled to be among whanau.

Twenty years ago we had among us Aunties: - Whiungarangi, Hine, Haumoetahanga (Lotty), Rita and Wai - Uncle Moffit - the photos were stunning! - and the mokopuna were so young! (Have i forgotten anyone??)

Twenty years on only Aunty Wai is alive and the mokopuna have grown and increased in number!



It was an absolute pleasure to be with the whanau throughout the weekend. It gave us all an opportunity to connect and reacquaint ourselves with Waihi and to set in place some tentative plans for renewing our relationships with Moawhango and Oruamatua!!


hei kona whanau
naaku noa
Hauiti