TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 GREEN FINGERS: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, supported by (from left) Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP Meka Whaitiri, Ms Ardern’s fiancé Clark Gayford and East Coast candidate and list MP Kiri Allan, are pictured during a tree planting ceremony on Titirangi/Kaiti Hill this morning. The PM met trainees from the Whaia Titirangi restoration programme, visited the Te Maro statue to acknowledge Ngati Oneone tipuna Te Maro, met with Gisborne business ARTWORK owners and Labour supporters, and walked through the CBD to meet the public. Picture by Paul Rickard INSPIRED BY SONGS PAGE 2 RESTORING THE MAUNGA PAGE 5 NEW Arts & Entertainment PBL Pages 24-27 PAGE 3 by Kim Parkinson whanau, however, it’s important people have somewhere to stay until a more EMERGENCY housing has run out in permanent solution is found,” she said. Gisborne and something must be done Ms Hannah-Kingi is seeing new people urgently, says Tairawhiti Beneficiary on a daily basis looking for somewhere Advocacy Trust coordinator Shelley to live, but because of there being no Housing Hannah-King. emergency housing available, she cannot There is a desperate need for emergency offer a solution. accommodation but all “I am worried about their providers are “full-up”, she safety. Some are couch- says. If we can hopping or staying in their “The long-term plan is cars, but some don’t even one thing but I need a ‘now ‘accommodate have a car.” plan’,” she says. thousands for R&V, Tairawhiti Beneficiary “People are living in surely something Advocacy Trust offers cupboard overcrowded housing — support by finding out what living with friends or similar could be set clients are entitled to as far associates — and sometimes up for people who as Work and Income (WINZ) it is unsafe. really need it is concerned. “Some of them have The emergency housing children so that’s what ’ situation has gradually concerns me.” gotten to this stage, she Ministry of Social Development regional says. is bare commissioner Annie Aranui said they “Normally people would get in contact were working with every accommodation and we would refer them to MSD, who supplier willing to engage with them and would find them somewhere.” their clients. The official number of people on the Safety fears as families forced “At times we need to support whanau to Public Housing Register to the end of June consider options outside of the region due was 484 but by her calculations it was now to a lack of available accommodation. as high as 550. to couch-hop or live in vehicles “This is not our preferred option for CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 National’s Plan to Tania Get New Zealand Working. 9 Responsible Economic Management 9 Delivering Infrastructure 9 Reskilling and Retraining our Workforce Tapsell 9 A Greener Smarter Future 9 Building Stronger Communities East Coast Authorised by T Tapsell, 66 Town Point Rd, Maketu. 35371-01 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............12 Television ...........20 The Guide ... 24-27 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............13 Racing .......... 21-22 Sport ............ 28-32 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National .......... 6-11 World...... 14-15, 18 Classifieds .........23 Weather .............31 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Thursday, October 8, 2020 ‘A beautiful collision’ by Mark Peters IN 2018, artist and Toihoukura senior lecturer Erena Koopu took inspiration from songs by East Coast composer Rikirangi Gage for a series of paintings. Koopu has now created a Matariki- themed collection of works inspired by each song on Maisey Rika’s latest album Nga Mata o te Ariki Tawhirimatea. Sharing the same name as Rika’s album, Koopu’s exhibition is made up of nine diamond-shaped paintings. Each painting is a response to each of the nine songs on Rika’s album. Suspended from the ceiling, and in a formation close to that of the Matariki star cluster (known in the West as Pleiades, or the Seven Sisters), the collection is displayed as an installation in the War Memorial Theatre foyer. “I wanted to depict the stars but not to be obvious with the five-point star,” says Koopu. “Each painting tells a different story about Matariki. There are lots of stories around it. All of our research, and Maisey’s songs, were inspired by Dr Rangi Matamua, an astronomer who published a book called Matariki. “I tried to depict the imagery and try to pull the feeling out and put it into the works.” Information boards on the War Memorial Theatre foyer wall outline the inspiration in the song each of Koopu’s works is based on, an outline of a story associated with each star and a brief explanation of elements in the painting. While Pleiades is commonly associated with seven stars, Maori astronomer Professor Rangi Matamua taught Rika SOUND AND VISION: Artist Erena Koopu’s installation, Nga Mata o te Ariki Tawhirimatea, is made up of nine suspended Matariki is made up of nine stars that paintings each of which was inspired by each of the nine songs on singer/songwriter Maisey Rika’s most recent album. include Hiwaiterangi and Pohutukawa. Picture by Paul Rickard Inspired by track four on Rika’s album, Pohutukawa is described as an emotional piece based on sound and feel without words. “It’s a depiction of the different voices and sounds calling from the other side when a wairua (spirit/soul) makes its way into the afterlife”. The project came about after Rika saw Koopu’s book Hei o Mo Apanui (food for the people of Apanui). Titled after Koopu’s 2018 exhibition of Gage-inspired works, and released in July, the book’s subtitle is a “visual narrative of lyrical musings”. The concept of music-inspired artworks appealed to Rika, as well as Tairawhiti Arts Festival chief executive Tama Waipara. “Tama got whiff of it and asked if I wanted to do something similar and to launch it at the festival,” says Koopu. “I had 10 weeks to paint the show and painted it in five. It’s a cool concept; I love painting music. “I call it a ‘beautiful collision.” ■ Maisey Rika performs Nga Mata o te Ariki Tawhirimatea, her songs of celebration of Matariki, on Saturday IF FOOD BE THE MUSIC: With a selection of grapes, nuts, pineapple pieces, MUSIC ON THE LAWN: Johelonn Toroa-Taare night, 7pm, at the War Memorial Theatre. juice and a cuppa, Rota Akroyd (left), Margie Barbarich and Te Tuwhera entertains the crowd at Tairawhiti Arts Festival Tickets are available from Gisborne Hikawera enjoy a healthy snack while tuned into live music at Marina Park. hub at Marina Park. i-Site and Ticketek. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell Picture by Rebecca Grunwell LOOKING AHEAD Get your SPORTS Gisborne Herald • Gisborne Speedway Club set for huge season- home-delivered opening meeting. • Premium-quality ield building for NZ golf amateur at Awapuni Links. • Eastern League 2 football title going down to the wire. • All Blacks out to deliver Capital punishment in Bledisloe Cup opener. FOCUS ON THE LAND TOMORROw SATuRdAy The Gisborne Herald, 64 Gladstone Road, P.O. Box 1143, Gisborne • Phone (06) 869 0600 • Fax (Editorial) (06) 869 0643 (Advertising) (06) 869 0644 Editor: Jeremy Muir • Chief Reporter: Andrew Ashton • Circulation: Cara Haines • Sports: Jack Malcolm/John Gillies To nd out more call 869 0620 e-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] • web site: www.gisborneherald.co.nz The Gisborne Herald • Thursday, October 8, 2020 NEWS 3 TECH BUS: Inside the DORA (Digital On-Road Access) bus which is in the district to improve digital literacy, particularly online banking, are TaiTech trustee Matt Clark, TaiTech chair Carolyn Carpendale, Digital Inclusion Alliance Aotearoa operations director Laurence Zwimpfer, Rawiri Haapu and H.B. Williams Memorial Library principal librarian Anna Williamson. The bus, right, will be visiting communities throughout the district. Picture by Liam Clayton All aboard DORA for a digital journey A UNIQUE WiFi-enabled bus called DORA is banking and how to recognise and avoid scams. months. He expected at least another 150 people Zealanders with the skills and confidence to use in Gisborne and is visiting local communities Training is free and open to anyone, regardless in Tairawhiti to benefit in the coming weeks. online banking. to help people improve their digital literacy, of who they bank with. “We have had an especially positive response “The Covid-19 lockdown period created real specifically online banking. DIAA has joined with TaiTech and H.B.Williams from seniors groups, who are encouraging their challenges for people without online access, The Covid lockdown accelerated New Memorial Library to deliver the classes on board members to join a digital banking session,” said and that’s why we are so passionate about Zealanders’ switch to online banking. DORA over the next four weeks at 16 locations Mr Zwimpfer. programmes like Stepping UP, which help people Digital Inclusion Alliance Aotearoa (DIAA) from Hicks Bay to Gisborne. “Organisations like Tairawhiti Positive Ageing build their confidence and skills over time,” said partnered with Kiwibank to develop the Stepping TaiTech trustee Polly Crawford said a lot of Trust and Age Concern Tairawhiti recognise Mr Zwimpfer. UP training module for online banking and with people in Tairawhiti were geographically isolated that older people have a willingness to keep DORA is hosting digital banking classes the help of DORA (which stands for Digital and being able to bank online was one way to up to date and learn new skills, but need up to October 30. People can book a place On-Road Access), more people can get the help better manage their lives.