A test

Does this still work?

Sunday Market

The last day of the school holidays, a nice day, lots of people at the market today.

Tangaroa - Te Moana nui a Toi (Bay of Plenty)

Listening to this song and watching the video transported me back to coastline of my childhood, Whakatane, Ohope, Opotiki...and the lakes, rivers and streams, Whirinaki, Rangitaiki, Whaeo, Lake Taupo, Rotoiti

http://youtu.be/yblB87dpJGc

Made me want to go to the sea here in Wellington

Maisey Rika is one of the most distinctive and beautiful voices in Maoridom today

Lyrics

Te ararau o Tangaroa
E rere ki te papaurunui 
(x3)

Tahora nui ātea
Te manawa o te moana
Te mauri o Tangaroa
Tangaroa whakamautai
Tangaroa whakamautai

Tūtara Kauika
He poutiriao
Te wai o Tangaroa
Te wai o Tangaroa

Te tangi a te tohorā
He tohu nō aituā
Te mau a Tangaroa
Te mau a Tangaroa

He kaitiaki
He taonga 
He tipua
He ariki
He taniwha
He tipua
He kaitiaki
He taonga
He tipua
Tangaroa whakamautai

Nā Maisey Rika i whakapākehātia. 
English translation by Maisey Rika

The various waterways of Tangaroa
Flow back into its voluminous source
(x3)

The vast expanse
The heart of the ocean
The life-force of Tangaroa
Tangaroa commander of the tides

A pod of whales (or in reference to Tūtara Kauika the historical whale guardian ancestor)
A supernatural phenomenon
Evolving from the waters of Tangaroa
The waters of Tangaroa

The cry of the whale
Signals a warning 
The power of Tangaroa
The power of Tangaroa
Tangaroa commander of the tides

A guardian
A precious treasure
A strange / supernatural being
A god
Of the ancient prehistoric realm
A guardian
A precious treasure
A strange / supernatural being
Tangaroa commander of the tides.

Mid - 2013

Ika here with more tales.

4 years ago I started this blog and my life has changed. Satisfying, unsatisfied and often yearning for company is what I seek and yet I am involved with a lot of things that keep me busy and also strangely happy too; the Marae at Martinborough; Tiwhanawhana; Whanau Trust at Makaranui.

Just over 12 months ago I was in Samoa and met up again with JH. It was 4 years ago that I met JH in Wellington before he returned to DC. I miss his company still but have a chat or msm once in a while.

4 years ago I also met another JH in Auckland He's a hard case; seriously cracked, swears like a trooper and we keep in touch regularly while he updates me with who he's swooning over. He joined me for the New Year and we had a great couple days, with friends, on the wild Wairarapa coast.

What's been happening this year.

I started up a tennis GLBT social club in January this; Hot Shots Tennis Wellington. Now I need to work out how to move it from into something more regular and to provide a goal.

Helped organise a family gathering (mums side) at Makaranui - over 100 people turned up

Went back to uni - jumped in as I usually do, and found I enjoyed it.

Started swimming lessons and now about to join the Different Strokes Swim Club.

Tiwhanawhana, the Maori LGBTI community group has been the biggest success.   We're regularly getting 15-20 people along to learn waiata.  We performed a Haka at the passing into legislation of the Marriage Equality Bill at Parliament.  We're now learning the Poi.

The Marae at Martinborough continues to frustrate with its underachievement but the people are great.  A first this year has been to hold a candlelight evening to celebrate the Maori New Year for families, and a big feast will also be held.

I haven't played tennis for a while now, instead I've switched to swimming.  Friends Mark, Te Here and I have decided to do the teams 1/4 Triathlon in Napier, called Iron Maori.  I'm doing the swimming hence....JH from Auckland also decided to join in and he's doing the swimming too.

Coming up; 

off to Antwerp Belgium in a couple of weeks for the World Outgames.  Will attend the conference and do a swimming event. More later.

selling the house in Martinborough this year, so tenants have been given notice and from 1 Oct will prep home for sale.

Thankful for;

My folks continue to support me in everything I do. They are my rock.

My ex partner and I continue to be friends.  I think our relationship is on a good foundation, but sometimes I miss him too.

My sisters - they're so easy to get along with, I love them. I feel for my sister Donna.  She's had a relapse with breast cancer and had to have a mastectomy.  The chemo treatment has been very hard on her body.

My friends...

Well that's enough exposure for today I think....

Hei kona mai

Ps I just discovered I can do the blog on iPad so postings may be more regular, may be...

Pacific Voyagers at Pacific Arts Festival, Honiara, Solomon Islands

The Pacific Arts Festival, a quadrennial event, recently opened in Honiara, Solomon Islands. The Pacific Voyagers Fleet which were in Samoa for their independence celebrations were also at this event.

Reports from the Pacific Arts Festival are amazing.

http://pacificvoyagers.org/photo-gallery/pacific-arts-festival-parade-honiara?pid=1907


Check out the pacific voyagers experiences...


http://pacificvoyagers.org/the-pacific-arts-festival-opening-cermonies

Next Festival is in four years time; Guam will be the host. Will you be there?

Samoa May/June 2012

It's been a while, but I'm back and a bit of a backlog to fill in...

But to the most recent event, 7 days in Samoa to chill out but also to spend some time with JH...

With some raw emotions still on my back, it was a mixed up time but on the whole, doing simple things like watching life on Samoa, its warmth, vitality or just savouring the scenery and peacefulness, it was a fantastic time.  And, as per usual around JH it seems, I return to NZ with more bruises than I took over -  from falling over or being the real slow coach and wheeze bag when climbing hills (man that track to the Robert Louis Stevenson grave is steep) or trekking.  But nonetheless I did get there, albeit with a bruised ego.

Never mind; on reflection, with the odd drama chiming in, it was the best of times...with memories I will always cherish...

Friday
Arrived midday, everything on time except for my pickup who had in less than 12 hours, already switched to Island time (hehe).
Oka - raw fish Lunch @ Paddles **** on the Apia waterfront - Hot and Sunny
Drive along the Main East Coast Road stopping just after Salelesi to take photos of the scenery and boys collecting coconuts and fishing in the lagoon, weather starting to deteriorate, but continued along main road, turning off to drive around the coast as far as Saletele by Fagaloa Bay before turning back because the weather was packing up and we did'nt want to get caught out by flooding on the back road.  Pretty wet and almost torrential.
Sorted accommodation at the Outrigger.
Dinner at The Seafood Bar and Grill ** on Apia waterfront - met up with Elton Raharaha and ??? from NZAids Foundation who were in Samoa for Outreach work with the Samoan Fafafine Association.
Then across to the Siva Afi or Fire Dance Competition - tonights competition was for young men and it was a sight to watch; vigorous, fast and looked pretty dangerous.
Off to the Edge, a new series of bars overlooking the marina, to meet up with Ken Moala, Co-Outgames Asia Pacific board member, domiciled in Brisbane and also a member of the Pacific Sexual Diversity Network (PSDN), and Tara (Resitara Apa) local member of PSDN.  They were settling in for a big night. It was a good night but it had been a long day including an overnight stay at Auckland Airport for the 7am flight to Samoa. Stopped off at the Government building to see if my friend Fetuao Opetaia was still doing security work.  He was'nt, but his dad, Opetaia was there and he said that Fetuao now works at the new Tamasese building and we could catch him there the next day.
That was Friday!

My pick of the photos from day 1

More photos from day 1

Saturday
Up bright and early, lovely and warm although I'd forgotten about the animals that get up really really early, like the dogs, and then when they're finished, the roosters. Had been quite a bit of rain overnight so everything felt fresh.
An early breakfast at the Outrigger***, then off to the Apia Town Centre where a 5km run was taking place.  JH had ideas about going for a run but changed his mind; it never entered mine at all.  But there were hundreds of people by the fales behind the Tourism Authority Centre, warming up to Zumba exercises.  It was cool to watch.  The 5km run and walk started, so we joined in and walked around the harbour a bit.  While walking we noticed some Fautasi waka (40 man crew waka) coming into the harbour and crew/spectators watching, so we did too.  Whilst standing on the sea wall, Rama Durie (First Secretary (Admin) & Consul: NZ High Commission) stopped to mihi to me and whilst he was there I was introduced to the High Commissioner, Nick Hurley and his partner.

My picks from the photos of Day 2

More photos from Day 2
And more tales to come from Day 2

Cuba Mall and the Snow

Snow on Cuba Mall in central Wellington (HD) from Ro Tierney on Vimeo.


Here's a bit more snow (starts from the beginning too so you don't have to wait too long!)

:-)