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The inaugural Mangawhai Waitangi Day celebrations, organised in just three weeks, drew huge crowds and has been deemed an overwhelming success.
The free all-day celebration started with tradition and culture at Mangawhai’s Historical Village, where over 120 people were greeted by kaumatua Ben Hita. After blessing the day with a karakia, Mangawhai Beach School Year 7 student, 11-year-old Jemima Harris welcomed the crowd with a karanga (ceremonial call), followed by talks on local history by Mangawhai Museum Maori liaison officer Roi McCabe and Te Uri o Hau’s Willie Wright.
Kaipara mayor Craig Jepson – decked out in an NZ flag jacket – gave thanks to everyone for “getting stuck in to help” with the event, including members of the Mangawhai Museum, Historic Village and the Daring, as well as Mangawhai Activity Zone and the Learn to Sail crew.
“I’d like to acknowledge Stephen Owles from the Mangawhai Business Association who applied for a grant through Cultural Heritage New Zealand and got a small bucket of money,” Jepson said. “In fact, it was the only funds given out in the north for an event like this. Thank you to Ben for throwing your weight behind all of this, and a special thank you to Mel North who brought this all together. It was one heck of a lot of work to organise.
“Today we acknowledge our history and where we are now as a nation, and celebrate it together.”
More than 300 people took advantage of Mangawhai Museum’s free admission. Other events included a spectacular show of colour and waka ama strength on Mangawhai Harbour. More than 50 vessels took to the water, including catamarans and old classic sailing boats, organised by Learn to Sail tutors Colin Johnson and Craig Whitehead, with the Mangawhai Waka Ama crew showing their skills with a race across the estuary.
As the sun began to cool, around 1500 people armed with blankets and deck chairs headed to Mangawhai Activity Zone for an evening concert featuring Sojourn’s Tony Baker, Mokomokai’s Manu Walters, who attracted a crowd of young fans with his interactive rap, and Loose Covers. Guest artists included Tane Aperahama and kiwi icon Boh Runga. Food trucks lined along the park offered a range of cultural cuisine and proved so popular some ran out of produce.
Event organiser Mel North says she is humbled – and somewhat relieved – by how many people turned up to the three events.
“The crazy thing is my phone didn’t ring once all day with any problems, which was amazing as I was a bit stressed and wondering if I’d done a good enough job. People have stopped me in the streets to thank me too, which is really cool,” she says. “I can’t thank everyone enough for all the support. It was a day of cultural togetherness, a calm and peaceful engagement of how we as a community know how to enjoy the mana of our land. I’m sure the day gave us many memories, a day not to forget.”
Organisers thanked the many individuals and businesses who made the day a success – Mangawhai Museum manager Angela Cook, Learn to Sail Mangawhai members Colin Jackson and Craig Whitehead, Quentin Clough and the Waka Ama crew, Tony Baker, Nina G Photography, Ben Herbert, Susan Rowbotham, Karen Clarke and David Burton.
A big thanks also to the sponsors of spot prizes – Bammers Surf Shop, Mangawhai Butcher, Mangawhai Fishing and Bait Shop, Esther from Wood Street Service Station and Mangawhai Barbershop.
