New Resident Involved in Plenty of Exciting Projects for the Region
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Vol. 35, No. 3, January 31, 2019 52 Ingestre Street, Wanganui. Phone 345 3666 or 345 3655, fax 345 2644, email [email protected] New resident involved in plenty of exciting projects for the region least. Brought up in tions on the Chathams – BY DOUG DAVIDSON Outward Bound type facility at the Mangatiti Kaikoura, educated at “First to See the Sun.” It Jock Lee came to Whanganui from the Landing, past Pipiriki on Christchurch Boys High was complicated. “The Hokianga only 18 months ago “to be closer the Whanganui River. and Canterbury Univer- big issue,” Jock says, to family and to paint and write.” He didn’t Jock describes it as “an sity he then received a “was – who had mana Rhodes Scholarship to whenua, the authority. know anyone but “it was a place to land and environmental warrior concept,” in which teen- go to Oxford University The Moriori were there I knew it was a soft place.” agers will be able to not to do further study on [ However, he hasn’t He says, “Much of the only experience life in economic history. tradition, authority also wasted time getting land is marginal and we the wilderness but also Returning to New Zea- comes via conquest. involved in a number need to develop new earn an income through land, he worked for the “The tribes Ngati Tama of projects using skills ways to transition the trapping and planting as Commission for the En- and Ngati Mutunga in- he has built up over farm to long term envi- well as learning restora- vironment before setting vaded and took over the the years since he was ronmental sustainability. tion skills. He adds, “A R[ Chathams in 1835.” a Rhodes Scholar at Our focus is on convert- close relationship with Public Policy Consul- Jock says, “I realised Oxford University in ing to vegetable protein, the local hapu is vital tancy. Appointments and that this was something England. such as nut trees, while and we have one.” opportunities followed only Chatham Island- He is the leader of adding value to existing The third project is quickly including one ers could determine. Strategic Development meat production.” working with Te Kaihau as Executive Director [ for Mokai Station up Another project he is ƽ of the New Zealand they had addressed and in Taihape, working to involved in with Rod on developing a waka team to the Los Ange- confronted their own future-proof the farm. Trott, is developing an ama base in the Port les Olympics in 1984 history.” They came to area. He says, “The and getting involved an agreement – much focus will initially be on in water and lobster to Jock’s relief. “Oth- local students through exporting. He was also erwise it would have the schools in Castle- involved in the restruc- been a show with no real ƽ turing of Railway assets substance.” The Maori - and in the restructure of tribes conceded the right tion. Our hope is to get Netball NZ. to Moriori, who would ƽ In the late 1990s the [ kids owning more of Minister of Tourism and would take the lead their environment.” gave him the job of on formal occasions. Jock’s background is producing and directing a varied one to say the the Millennium celebra- Continued on page 2 Jock Lee RIVER CITY PRESS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019 - 1 Check out what’s in this week’s RCP Father Don Don moving on to Stratford The problem for me in writing an article about Father Don Don, origi- Zealand. As that priest Q > X " nally from the Philip- was a classmate, Father Father page) was what to leave pines, is moving on as Don Don volunteered. Don Don out. There was too much parish priest in Whan- He admits “I knew noth- ƽ" ganui to Stratford. He has ing about New Zealand work on the Chathams been here for three years, and knew nobody.” He and the projects he is his longest time of service was sent to Napier and doing in the Whanganui since coming to New Zea- his colleague to Palm- region. land ten years ago. His &*[" We have a number name is really ‘Adonis months were not easy. “A of articles about peo- Rancho’ and Don Don be- typical Kiwi speaks too ple in this issue. You came his nickname. fast. I didn’t even want might have known Jo He says, “I received a to answer the phone.” Fa- ther Don Don had learnt Hodder from Women’s Doug Davidson, call from God to enter the Refuge or the Hospice priesthood when I was English since elementary journalist@ school but it was not easy /[ & 2 rivercitypress.co.nz 18.” To prepare for the heading says, “A life- priesthood in the Philip- adjusting to having con- time working in the Most Catholics and pines he was in the semi- versations with native community”(page 7). Philippinos will be sad nary for ten years. (It is speakers of English. Douglas Roberts’ dra- that Father Don Don, just over six years in New 2" ! ma approach to archive originally from the Phil- %& O* [ ! in Napier he was sent presentations, especially ippines, is moving on to years was studying for a to Waipukurau for six to students, is a breath Stratford (page 2). What degree in philosophy and months, Taradale for one of fresh air. As he says, surprised me was the ! year, Marton for two “Presentations need to length of training to be a focused more on theol- and a half years, New be more than colouring- priest in the Philippines ogy, while working within Plymouth for 18 months in sheets” (page 15). (10 years) and the rapid- a parish doing pastoral and then Whanganui for Schola Sacra has a new ity they are moved from work such as visiting the three years. The position conductor, recently ar- one parish to the next. sick, helping the poor at Stratford, which cov- rived from Auckland. If you have picked as well as doing some ers Catholic churches in / up any painted stones preaching.” Eltham and Kaponga, has much money in con- ]# >+ During their breaks at been vacant for almost a around New Zealand, al- are quite a few working Ohakune on a dairy farm. ducting, Iain Tetley has you can thank Joy Dale the seminary he says, “We year. though probably not in on dairy farms. Father He points out that the had to combine travel (page 5). They are so normally stayed within * # Stratford. Most are in the Don Don’s brother and Palmerston North dio- consultancy and house well done that they are a parish to acquaint our- groups of Philippinos [ his family live south of cese, which covers most painting with his love of worth keeping. selves with what was re- of the central North Is- music (page 15). - Doug Davidson quired of a priest.” After land, has only two semi- serving in the Philippines narians in training. In "!+/ Breakers colouring competition Whanganui each of the River City Press - asked for volunteers to three Catholic parishes – accompany another priest St Mary’s, Holy Family email: [email protected] who was coming to New winners and St Anne’s had their own priests. Now only St Mary’s has. One day he might return full time to the Philip- pines, as he is “on loan” to New Zealand. How- ever, in the meantime he has become a New Zea- land citizen. He says, “I have enjoyed my time in Whanganui - the people and the culture”. He has conducted special ser- vices for the Philippino community here espe- cially over Christmas, us- ing the national language of Tagalog. “It has been a two way process being a priest here. I have learnt from the people and have grown myself.” Colour competition – 2nd - $30.00 Voucher; that entered. winners at Breakers :/>M@ (Grand Hotel): – Combo voucher, caps, * Ella Cavanagh – 1st - towels. New resident involved $50.00 voucher; Congratulations and :2<//# thank you to every one in plenty of exciting projects for the region Continued from page 1 After a stint based in the small town of Colling- wood at the top of the South Island running a boutique back backers and leading an environmental project to preserve the Mangarakau Wetlands, for which the group received an environment award, he headed up to Wellsford, North Auckland to help his twin brother ! " R # ƿ farm. However, it was the Hokianga which “captured my heart. It was an enormous privilege to live among Maori.” He worked with them trying to identify eco- nomic crops especially requiring minimal capital and able to cope with poor soils. Jock is also a poet. His poem ‘Puriri Street’ was writ- ten on the day following the murder late last year and covered underlying issues. He read it to a group and says, “The response was fantastic giving me the cour- age to be open about what I write.” The RCP pub- lished it and received good feedback. He points out that “Up north, Puriri trees were often tapu (sacred) through their use as burial sites and Pu- riri leaves were carried during a tangi (funeral) as a symbol of enduring life.” 2 - RIVER CITY PRESS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2019 A thoughtful documentary on ‘body image’ to screen during La Fiesta As part of La Fiesta, Taryn shifts the focus of by a mother exploring \ {| _ bodies and physical health her own unforgiving self- Street is screening ‘Em- to that of mental health; image in the hope that her brace,’ a 2016 Australian demonstrating that our exploration will help her [ obsession with image, es- daughter avoid such harsh */+ pecially the unattainable, self-judgment.’ (Barbara image activist, on Febru- is doing more damage that Shulgasser-Parker, Com- ary 14.