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

Te Kotuku on his Mission!

Some photos of Elder Hakopa on his mission!

this where they meet for church

local refrigerator

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

A letter from Elder Hakopa

He kotuku rerenga tahi

Elder Kotuku Hakopa left to serve a mission for the LDS church
on Thursday 22 October 2009


naaku tenei e mihi atu ra!

Ka hui ki Taupo

Tena tatou katoa
I managed to get up to Taupo a few weeks ago towards the end of Kohitatea; MAGIC weather! Dad is looking good - filled out a little since i saw him in November 08, moving around freely & getting himself around.

Although, i had to take him down to the optometrist to check out his cataracts - now i dont know whether he has any or that he was getting his eyes checked out for them - Rarangi picked him up as i had to take off to Turangi

I (myself and PhD student from Otago) had a hui with Uncle Jim Biddle: good korero about forestry in general

Absolutely stunning weather! got a swim in at the lake for a couple hours - my brother and i had a good korero lake-side.

Short visit, worth while as always!

Anyway, by the time you all read this, Matauria would have turned 50 - it is her birthday apopo - the 14 Feb - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!


Hauiti

Obama Inaugural Speech

Obama Inauguration Speech
20 Jan 2009