Aotearoa Seafoods, Tohu Wines and Ngatahi Horticulture are now known as Kono NZ LP.

Working together as a consolidated business enables us to switch to multi-product marketing rather than single-product selling. This will increase our overall sales and enable us to become a premium food supplier,” Kono Chief Executive Keith Palmer says.

“One focus will be strengthening our relationships with existing customers to expand the breadth of products we supply to them.

“Our values give us a unique cultural connection with Asian businesses.

“This is particularly effective in China. China is potentially the largest market for our seafood and we have established relationships and cultural similarities between our M?ori way of doing business and the Chinese approach,” Palmer says.

The Maori word Kono means food basket and traditionally a kono was used to showcase produce.

“Kono delivers an array of exceptional New Zealand seafood, wine and produce to customers all around the world. Our products are synonymous with the industries of Te Tau Ihu, the top of the south,” Wakatu Incorporation Chairman Paul Morgan says.

“As custodians of our land, Kono is committed to conserving the environment and investing in the key industries that are the lifeblood of our regional economy.

“As well as being nutritionally beneficial, the food is produced sustainably and we are proud to share it with others,” he says.

Hospitality, integrity, long-term relationships and taking care of the natural resources are the cornerstone values which underpin the way Kono operates.

“Often people develop a brand and then present it and work out how to live it. For us, Kono evolved from our cornerstone values and it is a natural progression to unite the food and beverage businesses as one entity,” Palmer says.

“Our traditional Maori values are intrinsic to how we operate. They are the essence of Kono,” he says.

The values are:

• Kaitiakitanga (custodianships of the land and sea)
• Whanaungatanga (the importance of respectful relationships)
• Manaakitanga (hospitality and caring for others)
• Rangatiratanga (self-determination)

Sharing logistics, developing group supply arrangements and collaboration between the business unit chief executives are some of the immediate benefits uniting the Wakatu food and beverages divisions brings, Palmer says.

“The overarching purpose of Kono is to develop the Wakatu Incorporation lands sustainably and to provide a return for our Maori owners,” Morgan says.

“As custodians of our land, Kono is committed to conserving the environment and investing in the key industries that are the lifeblood of our regional economy.

“Our long-term strategy is to build an integrated business, utilising the sea and our land to provide our customers with a quality product. The enduring relationships we envisage with our customers are similar to the inter-generational focus we have to do the best for our owners,” he says.

• For more information, see www.kono.co.nz and www.wakatu.org

Introducing Kono NZ LP

Kono is the food and beverages division of Wakat? Incorporation, headquartered in Nelson, and a premium exporter of New Zealand products. It is a vertically integrated business managing the entire value chain of growing, processing and internationally marketing its products to guarantee quality and food safety.

Sustainable production is a cornerstone value for the company’s business units, considering M?ori have for centuries been the kaitiaki (guardians) of the land and the sea.

Kono’s values give it a unique cultural connection with Asian businesses.

Kono products are synonymous with the industries of Te Tau Ihu, the top of the south, and are the lifeblood of the regional economy.

The company’s owners are descendants of the original Nelson-Motueka-Golden Bay landowners at the time of European settlement in 1841. The Iwi of the original owners and their descendants are Ngati Koata, Ng?ti Rarua, Ng?ti Tama and Te Atiawa. There are now over 3,000 owners holding more than 10 million shares.

Food and beverages produced by Kono are consumed in 25 countries around the world.

Kono Seafood

Toni Grant is the chief executive of Kono Seafood, formerly known as Aotearoa Seafoods.

Wakatu began investing in aquaculture in 1998 and Kono Seafoods is now the largest of Kono’s business units with more than 200 employees.

Kono Seafoods farms, processes and exports greenshell mussels and crayfish and is based in Marlborough. Its key markets are in Asia and all the seafood is exported.

Kono Beverages

Mike Brown is the chief executive of Kono Beverages, formerly known as Tohu Wines.

The wines produced by Kono Beverages come from New Zealand’s premier wine-growing regions of Nelson and Marlborough. The business unit is focusing on its premium Tohu wines from the Awatere Valley and growing the existing, successful Kono export brand.

It is the world’s first Maori-owned wine company and produces around 100,000 cases of wine each year from its three vineyards, which are certified by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. Exports account for 80% of wine sales.

Kono Horticulture

Martyn King is the chief executive of Kono Horticulture, formerly known as Ngatahi Horticulture.

Kono Horticulture has 200 hectares in apples, pears, hops and kiwifruit and is one of the Nelson region’s major growers and horticultural employers.

This business unit has a special responsibility as the caretaker of much of the Wakatu ancestral lands around Motueka.

Nau mai haere mai koutou ki runga o Maniapoto, ki Te Nehenehenui!

For the first time since it’s inception, this biennial event will be taken out of the Hamilton area.

Whanau are invited to join Tainui Waka as they acknowledge, and celebrate, the Tainui Waka and one of it’s “Pou.”

From Waikato to Maniapoto!

The performance draw to date for the 2012 Tainui Waka Kapa Haka Festival is:

1. Motai-Tangata-Rau – Raukawa
2. Te Pou-O-Mangataawhiri – Waikato
3. Te Iti O Hauaa – Tainui/Ngaati Hauaa
4. Te Haona Kaha – Waikato/Maniapoto
5. Te Toka Tuu O Waikato – Waikato
6. Ngaa Pou O Roto – Waikato
7. Te Iti Kahurangi – Waikato
8. Ngaati Maahanga Whaanui Kapahaka – Waikato
9. Tamarau – Maniapoto
10. Ngaa Mauri Taniwha – Waikato
11. Totokiore – Maniapoto

** Performance times to be advised.

Glenn Te Miha-Barlow was playing with his sisters on a pile of logs by a Motueka High School rugby field when the accident happened yesterday. He had only started school this week.

Police Sergeant Rob Crawford said a group of children were playing on the log pile about 5.45pm.

“A number of children were jumping up and down on the top of the pile and the deceased was on the ground at the bottom of the pile.

“The jumping dislodged a log that rolled off the top of the pile, killing the boy instantly.”

The boy and his parents, who are from Motueka, were visiting friends at a nearby house, Crawford said.

A family member said Glenn was “absolutely gorgeous and adored by everyone”.

“He was the apple of his Mum and Dad’s eye. He was named after his father’s brother who was killed in Australia.”

The woman said Glenn had three older sisters aged 7, 10 and 12.

His death had devastated everyone and she said trying to explain what had happened to the children was going to be hard.

The woman said Glenn had been playing with his sisters when the accident happened.

It was likely Glenn would be returned to the marae today and be buried on Monday or Tuesday, she said.

Glenn’s grandfather, Fred Te Miha, said he was very close to his grandson.

Kim Ruri, from Te Awhina Marae kohanga reo, was this morning sitting with Glenn, together with her husband, Alf, Glenn’s teacher.

“He’s our taonga,” Ruri said.

“We’ve had him [at kohanga] since he was born, and his three older sisters have all come through the kohanga.”

She said Glenn was a sweet, curious, thoughtful boy who was always looking after others. He enjoyed waiata and kapa haka, where he would often lead with a karakia.

“He was a good leader, he was nurturing,” she said.

“We had babies and he was always there cuddling them, making sure they were all right and getting them toys. He was different to other tamariki we had there. He liked to spend a lot of time with the babies and caring for them.

“He had that mature soul to him. He loved climbing, he always liked to get up on things and see what was over the fence and how far he could get up the tree,” she said.

“He’s the apple of his father’s eye. He was the baby, and the only boy.”

On Tuesday, they had a powhiri for Glenn to send him off to Motueka’s Parklands School, where he was to start his primary school years.

“He was more than ready; going with his sisters was ideal for him, they were going to look after him,” Ruri said.

“We were just starting to see the potential there.”

She said the other children at kohanga reo were “pretty devastated”.

“We had five tamariki recently go off to school and Glenn was the last of the 5-year-olds,” she said.

“We’re all very close. They’ll all remember him dearly.”

Te Awhina marae tumuaki (leader) Ann Martin said the marae was closed today to lend support to Glenn’s family.

“Any child that’s lost is a child too many. All the services are closed down to support the family. Tangi comes first.”

She said the family had close links to the community.

“The family has lived in this community for I don’t know how many years, so they’ve got all those networks.”

At the accident scene, the poplar-trunk pile, which contained about 30 to 40 logs, was about two metres high, with trunks up to a metre in diameter.

The pile was next to shrubs and a fence, which separated the school from the rear of houses in McGlashen St.

Motueka High School board of trustees chairman Ian Palmer said a contractor felled the five trees on Wednesday afternoon.

The Tasman District Council required the school to fell them because they were rotting.

Palmer did not know who the contractor was but said the school supported the police and Department of Labour’s investigations into the accident.

Crawford this morning said police and the department had completed scene examinations.

“We will be running an investigation alongside each other.”

One of the logs had been removed by 9am, and he said the rest would be removed today.

Motueka High pupils were not allowed on the field this morning.

‘AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN’

A friend and neighbour of Glenn Te Miha-Barlow said the tragedy was an “accident waiting to happen”.

Helen Tuuta today was in disbelief about the loss of one of Motueka’s young sons.

“This was an accident waiting to happen. I can’t believe there was no barriers or signs to let kids know it wasn’t safe. That’s all it would’ve taken was a bit of bright plastic … we have lost one of our kids from this community.”

She wanted answers about why the accident had happened.

The pile of logs was unbalanced with large logs on top of smaller ones.

“What 5-year-old wouldn’t think that was a pirate ship or a spaceship and play on it?”

Heads needed to roll, she said.

When she first heard news of the accident she could not comprehend it.

“I went out the front and the police car pulled up and I knew it was true. It’s like an illusion.”

At the scene this morning, five or six family members and friends had gathered, watching as Neil Jackson Contracting workers began removing the large pile of logs.

Candles and flowers lay at the scene, where they had been placed earlier.

Tuuta said Glenn’s sisters saw the accident and she worried how they would cope.

She said the high school field was the centre of the Motueka community and if children could not play safely there, “where the hell can they go?”

That, and other odd facts about the Oscar-nominated director, came out as he spoke about his upbringing in Doha in TEDx – an independently organised event to spread ideas.

Waititi appeared in it late last year. He said his mother was of Russian and Jewish heritage while his father was a farmer and an artist who between them ”gave birth to a beautiful Asian daughter called Taika”.

He showed old school photos, including one of him as a young boy at Wellington’s Te Aro School, and revealed some of his early artworks such as the doctored one and two dollar bills he exhibited at Deluxe Cafe years back.

As a young boy he was obsessed with Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel and ”drew it and drew it”.

He also discussed a childhood fascination with the swastika which, fearing he would get caught, he changed into a window, and then a house.

Among his bizarre inventions have been the button-down tie, an emery board guitar neck, and ”rugbaby”, which combines his love of rugby and babies.

But Waititi was introduced to the world for his Oscar-nominated film Two Cars, One Night.

The catalyst came when he was featuring as a stripper in a TV show.

I remember sitting around in the green room in my g-string thinking ‘why am I doing this, just helping someone else to realise their dream’.

So what I started doing was writing my own scripts and stuff.”

And the rest is history.

The Globe to Globe Festival, presented by Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London, is the home of the Cultural Olympiad of Theatre.  It is an extraordinary event that will present 37 Shakespeare plays in 37 Languages. The Te Reo Maori production of “Troilus & Cressida,” by William Shakespeare translated by Te Haumihiata Mason “Toroihi raua ko Kahiri” will be performed with a stellar cast at the Globe Theatre London, April 23 & 24 2012, www.shakespearesglobe.com

An invitation from the Festival Director Tom Bird to distinguished Maori Actor Rawiri Paratene has led to the partnering of Paratene’s touring company Ngakau Toa and the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.  Maori have been given the honour of performing on Shakespeare’s birthday April 23 2012,

NZ audiences will get to experience this production first with performances in the NZ International Arts Festival at Te Papa March 9 & 10 and Aotea Square March 22, 23 & 24 presented by The Edge.

This unprecedented Tour is history in the making it is a unique global event that will showcase Te Reo Maori and Te Ao Maori.  The translation is a major achievement supported by Te Taura Whiri the Maori Language Commission.

“Te Haumihiata Mason has done a wonderful interpretation of the script.  The play is now set firmly in Te Ao Maori, the Classical Maori World. This is proving a snug fit with the backdrop of the Greek – Trojan wars against which Shakespeare has set this masterpiece”

Performing alongside Mr Paratene is renowned actor, Waihoroi Shortland, and Te Reo professor, Scotty Morrison.

“It is a privilege to work alongside such exceptional and accomplished individuals as Waihoroi and Scotty, I feel deeply honoured that they are a part of this production, they were there with Don Selwyn in the Maori Merchant of Venice, and now they’re doing it again; this time ‘live’ on the global stage.  For me it’s a privilege to continue Don’s legacy of taking Te Reo Maori to the World.”

The late great Don Selwyn directed the first ever feature of a Shakespeare play in Te

Reo Maori, The Merchant of Venice “Te Tangata Whai Rawa o Weneti.”

Included in the New Zealand performances is the acclaimed Taonga Puoro expert Richard Nunns and James Webster. Mr Webster will also feature in the London performances.

“It great to have such expertise working alongside Director Rachel House, who is one of our foremost  theatricians, a true visionary.  She has bought together an outstanding cast of 18.”

The Minister of Arts Chris Finlayson has been supportive of the production.  “It is a great opportunity to demonstrate the strength of Maori Theatre performance and to showcase Te Reo Maori.”

Support has been given by; Te Waka Toi- Creative New Zealand’s Maori Arts Board, Te Taura Whiri the Maori Language Commission, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, NZ International Arts Festival, Te Puni Kokiri, The Edge,  Auckland City Council Arts Alive and Wellington City Council.

However a production this large requires an enormous budget, Producer Grace Hoet is currently sourcing the extensive funds needed to get a production of this magnitude to Wellington, Auckland and London.

We must be accessible to all New Zealanders therefore performances are entry by Koha.

“There is no money to be made in theatre, you’re lucky just to pay the bills, funding for Theatre and the Arts in NZ is limited, more so with a Te Reo Maori production, therefore we still need financial support”, says Ms Hoet.

Hence the launch of an appeal for general support, we appeal to corporations, organisations and individuals to partner with us in this prestigious endeavour!  He tautoko ki Te Reo Maori! Please come journey with us, support the language, support the arts, watch this production and embrace this historical occasion.

Ngakau Toa respectfully request support for the “Journey to the Globe Appeal”

“$100 awhi from a 1000 people or a $1000 awhi from a 100 organisations is a wonderful contribution towards this Global History making event.”

• Ngakau Toa –“ Journey to the Globe Appeal” 
• Welcomes your support koha can be deposited at any
• KIWIBANK  38-9012-0090593-02

TangataWhenua.com reported yesterday that social networking sites had blown up with concerns that hangi might be banned, John Key’s public Facebook was bombarded with angry posts (most which have been deleted now) and we saw our website inundated with requests for information.

The Office of the Prime Minister has responded to an email from TangataWhenua.com saying:

There is no plan to ban hangi.”

We worked out that much of the confusion has come from the impending Food Bill which will see a restructuring of food regulations and how people go about applying and meeting these requirements.

• If you’d like to know more about this (from a govt perspective) – click here to read Question & Answers related to this piece of legislation.

In a conversation with the Department of Agriculture and Forestry – it was stressed that for fundraising, it was actually going to be easier to organise (as long as you held under 20 hangi fundraisers a year). It was pointed out that the Food Bill is about issues around the selling of food in a commercial sense, it is not about growing or sharing food.

There have always been regulations (this emerged in the comments section of our first story) – suggesting that to sell hangi (for fundraising) permits have been required for some time, under the new guidelines permits will not be required if you meet the 20 and under criteria.

What do you think whanau? Korero mai!

Related Articles

• PM’s office confirms hangi will NOT be banned
• John Key to ban hangi (Facebook/Twitter rumour or fact?) UPDATED 10:57am

Regulations (PDF version)
Application form (Word version)

These Scholarships were established in 2011 and are funded by Two Degrees Mobile Limited in association with the Hautaki Trust programme.

The main purpose of these Scholarships is to encourage and support Maori students who are studying degrees in the area of information and communication technology and who have an interest in the telecommunications industry.
Selection process:

• Maori students who have enrolled and paid the fees, or arranged to pay the fees, for full-time enrolment at any level in a Bachelor of Business and Information Management, a Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), a Bachelor of Science majoring in Computer Science or a conjoint involving any of these degrees.
• The basis of selection will be academic merit, demonstrated financial need and intention to study in the field of information and communications technology.

General Information:

How do students apply?
Applications by way of a form (plus CV and letter) close with the Scholarships Office on 31 March in the year of the award.

• Regulations (PDF version)
• Application form (Word version)

Decision makers
The Scholarships will be awarded by the University of Auckland Council upon the recommendation of a Selection Committee comprising the Pro Vice Chancellor – Maori (or nominee), the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering (or nominee), either the Dean of the Faculty of Business and Economics (or nominee) or the Dean of Science (or nominee) and two representatives of Two Degrees Mobile Limited.

How and when do students learn of the decision?
Approximately six weeks after closing date by letter.

Additional Information

• The Scholarships are tenable by Maori students who are citizens or permanent residents of New Zealand

For guidelines, application forms and more information about this award contact:

The Scholarship Office
The University of Auckland

Private Bag 92 019
Auckland
New Zealand

Phone: (09) 373 7599 -Ext: 87494
Email: scholarships@auckland.ac.nz

Regulations (PDF version)
Application form (Word version)

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Facebook and Twitter went crazy last night with people taking issue with the thought of hangi being banned by Prime Minister John Key, so what’s this all about? We’re trying to piece this all together but think a few things have happened.

1. John Key left the Waitangi Day celebrations without sharing kai hakari with the hosts (a big no-n0 as the symbolism behind it affirms relationships and helps build trust).
2. The impending Food Bill which has dark overtones suggests that being able to grow and sell kai will become overly bureaucratic, filled with rules and regulations that serve no real purpose and harm whanau seeking to grow their own kai via community gardens which some commentators have suggested will mean hangi could be banned (especially in terms of selling hangi for fundraising events).
3. Someone has spread word that as a result of 1 (Key not appreciating hangi) and 2 (the food bill) that hangi could be banned.

But no on the face of it hangi being banned is not on the Key-lead National government’s 100-day policy goals BUT the upcoming Food Bill will result in significant changes in how we grow, share and sell kai at a community and marae level.

With that said, we’ve heard that if a school holds over 100 sausage sizzles in a year, the Food Bill rules will come into effect, so where does that leave our beloved and hangi reka, hmmm too soon to tell.

TangataWhenua.com has contacted the office of the PM and is still awaiting a reply.

We’ll watch this one, so keep in touch and get informed.

• If YOU happen to have more info, please get in touch (email us at panui@tangatawhenua.com)

Tamariki between the years 1-1o  gathered at the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, on 10th November 2011 and enjoyed a special day celebrating with some doodling fun and special behind the scene tours.

It was announced on the day that the best doodles would be voted on by the public, and one winner will be shown on the Google New Zealand homepages (on both the English and Maori versions) for a day, to be viewed by millions of people.

Dennis Hwang, Google’s Webmaster, picked the overall national winner out of the four age group winners.  In addition to having the winners doodle hosted on Google New Zealand and Google Maori for 24 hours, the winner’s school will receive $10,000 worth of technology equipment for their school in addition to the interactive white board that they receive as a national age group winner (each age group winner also won a personal laptop).

• Click here to view all the wonderful doodles our tamariki created

This year’s winner is Liam Platt, congratulations Liam!

“My wish for NZ is a clean unpolluted environment and the protection of our native creatures. Kia ora tonu te ao Maori.”

Liam Platt
Ponsonby Primary

====

Read on if you want to find out how it may have all started:

Facebook and Twitter is all abuzz with rangatahi taking issue with the fact that hangi might be banned by Prime Minister John Key, so what’s this all about? We’re trying to piece this all together but think a few things have happened.

1. John Key left the Waitangi Day celebrations without sharing kai hakari with the hosts (a big no-n0 as the symbolism behind it affirms relationships and helps build trust).
2. The impending Food Bill which has dark overtones suggests that being able to grow and sell kai will become overly bureaucratic, filled with rules and regulations that serve no real purpose and harm whanau seeking to grow their own kai via community gardens which some commentators have suggested will mean hangi could be banned (especially in terms of selling hangi for fundraising events).
3. Someone has spread word that as a result of 1 (Key not appreciating hangi) and 2 (the food bill) that hangi could be banned.

But no on the face of it hangi being banned is not on the Key-lead National government’s 100-day policy goals BUT the upcoming Food Bill will result in significant changes in how we grow, share and sell kai at a community and marae level.

With that said, we’ve heard that if a school holds over 100 sausage sizzles in a year, the Food Bill rules will come into effect, so where does that leave our beloved and hangi reka, hmmm too soon to tell.

TangataWhenua.com has contacted the office of the PM and is still awaiting a reply.

We’ll watch this one, so keep in touch and get informed.

• If YOU happen to have more info, please get in touch (email us at panui@tangatawhenua.com)