We are as far away from Hollywood as you can get, but Kaj Tata is developing a viable career for himself through Rāngai, a film production company and university level education facility here in Turanga-nui-a-kiwa, Gisborne. Kaj is a young man with a bright future. Not only is he creative and conscientious, he is wise enough to seize every opportunity offered to him. Kaj was working in a packhouse in Tauranga when he made the decision to move to Gisborne to study Māori arts. But, before he had the chance to sign up, his cousin offered him a role as an extra on the film, The Convert. “It was an awesome experience being on a set and I got paid really well. Way more than I was earning at the packhouse. So, I started asking around, all the different jobs, like camera operators, to see how much money they made, and that’s when I changed my mind about what I wanted to do. Mum pointed out this film school in Gisborne, and that was it for me.” Kaj is in his second year of a bachelor's degree in screen arts with a film major, and not only is he learning the theory, he gets real world experience, on par with a paid apprenticeship. Rāngai work in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development and tertiary providers, like EIT. The company was founded by Shannon Dowsing on the belief that he could focus revenue from commercial work to create better outcomes for students, or ‘Elevate Your Success,’ as the company’s tagline states. It also gives the rohe an alternative industry and economy to the primary industries that we rely on so heavily in the regions. Rāngai produce news, commercials, documentary work, and film local sports, which, last year, was mostly funded by Rāngai as a service to the community to connect people who couldn’t access weekend sports after being cut off by the cyclone. It’s all paid work, and the wages go into the pockets of the students, even if the company are sponsoring it. Last year the students earned an average $8500 each to support their cost of living. Kaj proudly had his first lead story with Te Ao Marama recently, as camera operator working solo capturing the story for the news show. He filmed an interview and establishing shots, prompting the interviewees and making sure they were comfortable as he worked with the control room and crossed over with the main studio in Auckland. His work continues to evolve weekly, being flown to Auckland after previous successful jobs. He filmed the Kī-o-Rahi National tournament, Rāngai providing the opportunity to work with Rotorua based production company Local Geecko, “I was pulled aside and offered more work opportunities. Next minute I got a phone call from Auckland, and they flew me up there to film the Indian hockey tournament. I was the camera operator and I also got the chance to work as a technician in the control room. I was thrown in the deep end but they taught me a lot.” Kaj clearly enjoys his studies and being from out of town means he’s had to make new friends, which is easy at Rāngai. They’re an inclusive bunch, and a good representation of a cross section of the Gisborne community. Students span across the age range, with a mix of cultures, genders and neurodiversity. It feels good to walk into a room full of curious creatives, and the students are only too happy to show me the film props they made in their art department. One of the students jokes that Shannon gives them a hard time, but I can see he has a great rapport with them. Shannon is originally from here, with whakapapa to Ngāti Porou. He didn’t engage well with traditional schooling. “It just wasn’t for me. So I left school and took on an apprenticeship in telecommunications, which meant I was learning on the job, alongside mentors. I learned better that way and it shaped my character.” He strongly believes education should be linked to employment. With that experience he moved to London and found work with a rapidly growing technology company. “We used to say that we were on the bleeding edge of technology. That’s the point you reach when you’re past the cutting edge,” and that’s where Shannon seems to be more comfortable than most. He was in London for 12 years and ended up a shareholder of the tech business he worked for. The work was exciting and varied and he had full creative autonomy. From augmented and virtual reality for the military, building visualisations systems in the Robotic Surgery Center in Qatar, live broadcast of rugby in 3D to UK cinemas, and building holograms in India, Shannon travelled the world... and all of it was through training on the job. Eventually his experience and knowledge led him to being a 3D tech consultant for Frame Store during their post production of the first Avatar movie, alongside Weta. When they completed the successful sale of the company, Shannon moved back to Gisborne, serving on the Gisborne District Council for six years, which was a learning curve he enjoyed. Now he’s focused on other big picture stuff.  Rāngai is unique as a privately owned tertiary education facility in Gisborne, and he doesn’t just offer film making courses. There is game development, animation and character design, too. Next he is also looking at building student accommodation in Gisborne to make it more affordable for students to participate. There is a need in the region for 20+ rooms with a much lower cost than the current housing market. “A student from the coast can't be expected to put 3 years of accommodation on their student loan or they just won’t take the opportunity.” He is also developing another film studio and school in Queenstown at the newly-built Research and Innovation Centre. Not only is Shannon brave enough to dream big, he has the skills, experience and energy to follow through and make dreams a reality for aspiring rangatahi who want to work in a creative field. Rāngai is open for enrolments for the Level 4 Certificate in Communication Media. This is the course for anyone who wants to give it a go and get a taste of what film production involves.  Rāngai courses are fees free. There is no set criteria for entry. If you enjoy the lower level courses then there are pathways to continue into a degree in screen arts where you could major in film, animation, game design or character creation. Get in fast. Enrolments for the certificate are open until 24th June. https://www.eit.ac.nz/programmes/new-zealand-certificate-in-communication-media-level-4/

We’re going to get real about something that is rarely talked about in open company but affects men, women and children across all sectors of our community: poor pelvic health. When we’re suffering the symptoms of poor pelvic health, it can be confronting and embarrassing. But thankfully there are a diverse and growing group of physiotherapists in the Tairāwhiti region who have advanced training in the many different areas of pelvic health.  This week is Continence Week, when health professionals shine a light on getting us all to that goal of “continence” and being in control and pain-free. They’re keen to make sure we all know about the available services so we can get on the path to a better quality of life. Pelvic Health Physiotherapists can support people who experience a wide range of symptoms, like bladder leakage when you sneeze or do something physical like pick up your toddler or moko. It can feel like lower back pain, bowel incontinence, and pain during sex… The list of physical ailments that can make day-to-day life challenging, awkward, and painful  is long and applies to men, women and children. But thankfully you don’t have to suffer in silence. You can access this physiotherapy by seeking a referral from your doctor, nurse or midwife or you can self-refer to our community-based physiotherapy practices. (Services and cost structures may vary between clinics and care pathways.) Services include: • ACC MBI (maternal birth injury) recovery • Pregnancy-related pain management • Treatment for pelvic organ prolapse • Incontinence – bladder and bowel • Pre and post-operative care for pelvic and prostate surgeries • Pelvic pain including: endometriosis, painful sex, sexual dysfunction, vaginismus • Pelvic health for children – constipation, painful periods, pelvic injuries Here are your PHiT team contacts: Tairawhiti District Hospital  Pelvic Physiotherapy – services include: men / women / children, ACC MBI, pre/post prostate and pelvic surgery, pregnancy related pain, post-partum care, pelvic organ prolapse, incontinence (bladder and bowel), pelvic pain, complex pelvic health. 06 869 0500 Dynamic Rehab  Danielle Lapointe – men/women/children, ACC MBI, pregnancy related pain, post-partum check up, pelvic and lower back pain, pre/post hysterectomy, incontinence. 06 863 0960 Ruth Fletcher  Physiotherapist + Pre & Post Natal Certified Trainer - Passionate about supporting women to stay fit and active in a safe way during pregnancy and supporting women to return to training/exercise/sport post baby. Also experienced with return to work planning after injuries. She can see you in clinic, at your home, or in a gym.   022 487 4044 ContinenceNZ are bringing awareness to pelvic health with the Pelvic Floor Challenge. Click here to find out more about the challenge and how you can be in to win a $500 prezzy card.

Becoming a new parent comes with lots of surprises - the reality of sleepless nights, the isolation of spending a whole day stuck at home with a baby - but one of the more unwelcome surprises is how quickly your house becomes filled with these garishly coloured, noisy pieces of plastic we call toys. Toys come from well-meaning visitors, hand-me-downs from the cousins, they even come in Happy Meals! A huge amount of energy and organization is needed to stop the toys from taking over every room in the house. After tidying up the toys for the millionth time, parents are desperate for an alternative. Luckily there is the Gisborne Toy Library to the rescue! As part of a national organization with over 200 toy libraries across Aotearoa, the Gisborne Toy Library has been running since 2001. It’s a registered charity whose mission is to provide a wide-range of high quality toys to local families for a low price. Families pay for a yearly membership and then have unlimited access to borrowing toys from the Toy Library. Each toy has a small fortnightly fee, but it’s still a very affordable option compared to buying toys at a big red store or online. Functioning a lot like the book library, a family borrows a toy for two weeks, plays with it, then brings it back and chooses something new. This model is perfect for toddlers who have the attention span of a flea and the constant desire to explore and try new things. Kids’ interests and abilities are always changing so borrowing toys is a perfect solution. For families who are looking for a more environmental approach to play, the Gisborne Toy Library is a great choice. Rather than every family buying the same slide and then letting it sit in the back garden and watching it slowly disintegrate in the sun and rain, the Toy Library gives kids a chance to borrow it, go hard and slide down it a thousand times and then return it so another family can have fun with it. Many of the toys at the Toy Library have been in circulation for over a decade, and some have even been a part of the collection so long that members come to hire it for their grandkids and say “I remember hiring this for my kids!” The Gisborne Toy Library makes it a priority to buy high-quality toys that can be shared for as long as possible before heading to landfill. When you join the Gisborne Toy Library, you’re also becoming a part of a community. The Gisborne Toy Library is a place where parents, grandparents and caregivers can meet while the kids play, and the librarian is always there for a chat or to show off the new toys. While the kids are busy enjoying new toys, a tired adult can sit with a cuppa and have a moment’s peace. The Gisborne Toy Library is run by a small group of parent volunteers who do the mahi to keep the place going and have a lot of fun while doing it. One of the quiet joys of joining our local Toy Library is that we are teaching our children to be part of a community and be a part of a circular economy. When they borrow a toy from the toy library, they are taught to respect it because it’s not just their individual possession, but a treasure to be shared across our community. On toy library day, kids learn to find all the pieces, wipe them down, get them back in the correct box and return it on time, which teaches them those invaluable skills of sharing, caring and responsibility. So why not head down to Innes Street to see the amazing treasure trove of toys waiting to be hired at the Gisborne Toy Library? The Toy Library is open 10 am to 1 pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 91 Innes St. For more info, head to the Facebook page or email gisbornetoylibrary@gmail.com.

Are you passionate about more planet- and people-friendly transportation in our townships and city? If you close your eyes, can you envision all the ways our communities would be better if we could make better use of our cycle and walkways? Do you believe that what’s good for our aged mobility and Whaikaha communities are good for everyone? If you can see why it’s so important to remove barriers to active travel so that all Tairāwhiti whānau are able to enjoy walking and cycling opportunities then the full time role of Kaiarataki Arawhenua | Walking and Cycling Programme Lead at Gisborne District Council might be just the mahi you’re looking for! Reach out to Tyler Kirk, the Liveable Spaces Planning Team Leader. Or apply online. Kaiarataki Arawhenua | Walking and Cycling Programme Lead Job Description Walking and cycling are an essential part of our regional transport options, and recreational opportunities. This role is key to ensuring that Council can increase its pace of delivery of projects that improve walking and cycling opportunities. This is an important leadership role for active travel at GDC. The purpose of this role is to drive and oversee the delivery of active travel, and recreational walking and cycling projects, ensure appropriate resource and partnerships, and advocate for the importance of walking and cycling in Te Tairāwhiti. Beyond walking and cycling, this role will improve outcomes for all active travel, including aged mobility and the Whaikaha community. Better, safer active travel networks are critical to a more accessible city and townships. This role will play a key role in implementing our regional strategic direction. Council has commenced an Active Travel Strategy which will be completed in 2024. This role will be responsible for ensuring the funding, capacity, partnerships and planning to deliver the strategy. This role will also drive the partnerships required to ensure efficient planning and delivery between council- and community-led projects. You’ll recognise the importance of the role as a Treaty partner and understand how that underpins Gisborne District Council’s work. Success in this role will be in using the multiple levers to remove barriers to active travel so that all Tairāwhiti whānau are able to enjoy walking and cycling opportunities. Reporting to the Liveable Spaces Planning Team Leader, working in the greater team of 20 people. Duties include Establishing and overseeing the programme of Council walking and cycling projects. Developing and maintaining the partnerships necessary to accelerate and unify Council’s walking and cycling work programme. Fostering meaningful relationships with Iwi, Hapū and Whānau that ensure the council’s commitment to Māori is put into practice in this work. Advocating for walking and cycling outcomes on behalf of, and within Gisborne District Council. Skills and experience required Good understanding and working knowledge of Te Reo me ōna Tikanga o Te Tairāwhiti. Ability to think strategically, understand complex relationships and systems thinking. Demonstrated experience of complex partnership and teamwork across a range of internal and external stakeholders. Demonstrated experience of establishing and leading networks of positive and productive partnerships. Demonstrated experience of community engagement and project activation Ability to work cross-functionally across a department and wider division. Ability to deal with ambiguity and make quality decisions in a dynamic and challenging setting. Experience in project management disciplines (e.g., planning, resource allocation, budgeting, and legal compliance). Strong customer service ethic and a sense of personal ownership and responsibility. Highly organised – plans and prioritises well and manages time to focus self and others on the most important activities. Proven experience of delivering results and innovation in a high public profile environment. Demonstrated experience in turning strategy into project delivery. Positive, established working relationships with Tairāwhiti hapū and Iwi. Benefits Flexible on start and finish times Hybrid working (home and work) Allocated training budget for career development and to support professional affiliation membership (where relevant to the role) Work with a great team and enjoy regular, lively social events Walking distance to the CBD Modern office space Access to free independent counselling and support services for you and your family Annual flu vaccinations and health checks 1 of 6 Unitary Authorities in NZ About the company Here at Gisborne District Council, we pull our values from the community we serve. It makes sense then that we are enthusiastic about culture in our workplace. Family and inclusivity are deep seated in our ethos. With Treaty partnership front of mind, we’re serious about building a workforce that enhances our commitment to deliver. We work hard together to make our people proud, and our whanau are why we are so passionate about what we do for the community. How to apply Click here to apply or call Tyler Kirk (Liveable Spaces Planning Team Leader) on 06 8672049 for a confidential discussion.

This week, if you traveled the block of Grey Street between Childers and Gladstone Roads, you’d be forgiven for having a strange little moment of deja vu. Don’t worry, you’re probably not losing the plot. You would’ve seen the familiar face of Mr Clifton’s lovely coffee shop in a new location a few blocks down the road. On Tuesday morning, at the new, slightly earlier opening time of 6:30 am, the Mr Clifton’s team of Scott (co-owner and manager) and Jet opened the doors for business in their new, purpose-built location. For the last two months, the team of Scott, Jet, Far East Coffee founders Steve and Jo, along with long-time collaborator, fellow builder and creative, Paulus McKinnon, have been turning the white, rectangular box into the warmest little spot to get your coffee and coffee accessories. If you’re familiar with Mr Clifton’s former location, or the much-loved former Far East Coffee cafe at their Awapuni roastery, the inside of Mr Clifton’s 126 Grey St location will feel like turning up at an old friend’s place. You’ll recognise the Parihaka Pink Dulux paint on the wall, the winning combination of clean, industrial lines with natural, leafy tendrils of climbing plants, the “bus stop” seating, and imported Belgian Beer Festival communal tables and benches. But you’ll look around and say, “I love what you’ve done with the place!” The bones of their new space feel as warm and welcoming as the wairua that embodies it. They achieved that through their careful attention to detail and sustainable building materials. Internal walls are lined with saveBOARD, a product created in Hamilton from recycled tetra paks and soft plastics. This adds a satisfying, closed-loop feel to their sustainability efforts, as Mr Clifton’s recycles their tetra paks with Tairāwhiti Environment Centre, who then send those on to saveBoard, who then make building materials that came back to Mr Clifton’s as their new walls. They did the maths and worked out that their new walls repurposed a year and a half of Mr Clifton’s oat flatties (and other alt-milk coffees). Overhead are 5 foam pad acoustic tiles that help reduce the noise, making the bigger space less cacophonous and more soothing for patrons and staff alike. And while creating welcoming, inclusive and gorgeous spaces for customers is a goal, they didn’t overlook staff wellbeing. They’ve given themselves little luxuries like extra space between the front counter and the kitchen bench and fridge behind them. And phase two is a spruce-up of the back space so that they have a restorative and satisfying place to take the infrequent but much-deserved breather. At the end of the day, Mr Clifton’s continues their ambition of making a bright spot in our CBD. And as lucky as we are to have a welcoming and elegant place to connect over a hot drink, or a fortifying moment with just you and your favourite life-giving beverage, the feeling is mutual. “Our clientele are the best,” Scott says on Tuesday afternoon, sharing with me a “housewarming” chocolate slice a customer had made and brought in. While gesturing to the flowers brought in by another loyal patron, he says, “They give back to us as much as we give to them. We are so lucky to have this community. Their support and generosity is not lost on us.” Jo recollects how great relationships with fellow business neighbours are integral to a successful and satisfying business model. They loved the “little loop that we made with Yoko Sushi and Gear Meat” at their old location. As Scott notes, “Our new neighbours have been really welcoming. We feel like we have a home to grow into.” Be welcomed in at Mr Clifton’s new location at 126 Grey St. They have longer hours now (6:30 am - 2:00 pm) and rumour has it that there may be Saturday hours in our future.

This Saturday Smash Palace book-ends NZ Music Month with Gizzyborn 2024 pt.2. In the 80’s Smash’s owner, Darryl Monteith & other musicians protested for a 20% quota of NZ music on our radio waves. In a time when this has become a reality, Gizzyborn 2 could feel like a throwback to a time, when “our own music couldn’t reach us.” But this Saturday night will be anything but nostalgic. The acts are made up of local heavy hitters across a range of genres & encapsulate new and developing sounds. Here’s a breakdown: ATRAX came out of Build-a-Band, the weekly institution that builds bands each Thursday night at Smash. Direct descendants of Ethnic Roots, they play Pacific Reggae. Eastborne 4010 is a 13-piece posse of rap & hip-hop artists who sold-out their first gig at Smash Palace. Each member brings their unique persona to the stage translating into a powerful collective performance. Eastborne 4010 is made up of positive role models & is a band to keep your eye on. Ben Aperahama has played brass in Soul Society & bass in Supafly Killa. Doing his own thing, his performances are explorative journeys of cool, dance-y electronic music, overlaid with live rap. Ash Sales transports audiences to unexpected places with his epic soundscapes, composed on stage with just a guitar, looper, effects pedal & his voice. Pera Wilson is a new artist on the local hip hop scene. Get in on the ground floor of his emerging talent. Nathan Seaver, lead singer of Oceanspace, plays groovy, dreamy dance music as a solo artist. Last Moon Ticket (formerly Model Citizen) play original rock that harks back to an alternative 90s & UK sound. They're led by Darren Byrne, who you might know as the owner of the Wave Room recording studio. Mr Redpath is the newest band on the scene, composed of Ben Aperahama, Hilton Goldsmith & Fergus Taylor playing atmospheric groove rock. The hard-fought battle to expose our airways and earways to home-grown music might feel like an issue of the past. But we can do that fight justice by valuing our own in the here & now. This Saturday, let’s pack out Smash Palace and take in the very current music by some of our best home-grown talent. Photos by John Flatt Words by Sarah Holliday Pocock

Dr Sandy Adsett was born in 1939 on the family farm in Raupunga, a small Kahungunu (Ngāti Pahauwera) community just north of Wairoa. He has become known as a champion of Māori art and arts education, a master in the art of colour and what curator Reuben Friend calls ‘contemporary kōwhaiwhai’. Adsett co-founded Toihoukura School of Māori Art and Design in the mid 1990s alongside Sir Derek Lardelli and Steve Gibbs, and has worked on marae restoration projects in Wairoa and Tairāwhiti, as well as notably on the Rongomaraeroa Marae in Te Papa. The touring exhibition ‘Toi Koru’ developed by Pataka and currently on display at the Tairāwhiti Museum brings together a significant body of work by Adsett spanning six decades of his career - from the late 1960’s to today. ‘Toi Koru’ presents a unique opportunity to view the breadth of Adsett’s formal and conceptual experiments in painting, traversing between popular cannons of western art history such as abstraction and cubism and customary and contemporary Toi Māori. Throughout Adsett’s practice one thing that remains steadfast is his sophisticated ‘expansion on the principles of kōwhaiwhai’ as detailed in the exhibition wall text. Not only does the artist challenge older attitudes towards kōwhaiwhai as secondary to carving but he also contextualises kōwhaiwhai and its importance within contemporary Māori art. Adsett alongside a handful of his contemporaries paves the way for younger generations of Māori artists to work with the conceptual rigor and logic of kōwhaiwhai, as a visual language unique to Te Ao Māori. ‘Toi Koru’ opens with three small works on board from 1969 titled ‘Tutu Tahi’, ‘Tutu Rua’ and ‘Tutu Toru’. Ironically, as Adsett recalls in an interview with Reuben Friend for Art News - when these paintings were first made and one was offered to the old Gisborne Museum for exhibition, the director positioned Adsett’s ‘Māori abstraction’ behind a doorway as it “clashed with the other works.” In these early works colourful amoebic forms swirl and unfurl across the three paintings. While these early works speak to the western abstraction and the experimentation into form and colour through application of paint, they also speak to Māori art and thought - and to the entanglements of creation, navigation and whakapapa within Te Ao Māori. In works such as ‘Arihia 1’ (1976) the fetal, hei tiki forms of ‘Tutu Tahi’, ‘Tutu Rua’ and ‘Tutu Toru’ germinate and sprout into koru and mangopare. In ‘Tukotahi’ (1987) the bulbous and embryonic forms of koru - like growing kumara - are reminiscent of some of the first preserved examples of kōwhaiwhai painted on hoe waka which propelled Māori navigators across the pacific to these lands some 500 years before europeans. Steve Gibbs has written extensively on this history of kōwhaiwhai, looking at the drawings of waka hoe by Sydney Parkinson, the artist on James Cook’s ship, of the hoe waka that were exchanged with Tupaia and Cook by Māori in 1769. In Adsett’s later series ‘Te Template’ (2011) thick border lines of black, red and white paint pour into carved out koru, these sharp forms can't help but also speak to the art of whakairo and of Adsett’s formal training under renowned tohunga whakairo Pine Taiapa. Throughout ‘Toi Koru’ the principles of kōwhaiwhai pervade, not only in traditional forms seen adorning the tāhuhu of marae, but also in the traditions of Māori thought; the conceptual and philosophical realms in which positive and negative space work to co create the configurations of kōwhaiwhai -  reminding of the Māori creation story and the fertile darkness of Rangi and Papa pressed together, where their children were born and their necessary separation to create Te Ao Marama. Throughout the works in the exhibition lines strike through dark borders and pierce the interiors of paintings, rupturing and shattering contained space, likewise koru wriggle free and push their heads out of the prescribed confines of the canvas. Like aho tapu  - the sacred thread - the first and most important line of a weaving pattern, Adsett’s work is generative, the S shape of the manawa line - the central line in kōwhaiwhai - occurs repeatedly in ‘Toi Koru’ at different scales and formations giving way to the proliferating koru that sprout and grow from this central line birthing and protecting the young. Toi Koru runs until August 4th 2024 at Tairāwhiti Museum. Be sure to check it out! Story by Georgina Watson Image supplied

It’s hard to imagine the bright and bubbly woman in front of me was near death at one point. Tracy’s work at Tairawhiti Community Voice is led partly by her own experience, after a life threatening infection caused an injury to her brain twenty years ago. It was during her recovery that she noticed there were gaps in services and she was forced to advocate for herself, even just to get the sickness benefit. The stress of having to fight for what you need when you’re unwell can hinder your recovery. Tracy was lucky to have good family support, but some people don’t have that. People are given pamphlets in hospital when they’re discharged, says Tracy, which is helpful, but not so much when there’s  a lower level of literacy. Our health and social system is complex for anyone to navigate, and even the people working within those services can find it hard to know what services are available for their clients. Tairawhiti Community Voice (TCV) has been around since 1990 (when it was established as GISCOSS). In simple terms, TCV coordinate and facilitate hui between social services, and provide a monthly newsletter. Often there are no definitive lines between health and social services; in some cases they cross over.  Alzheimer’s NZ, Blind Low Vision NZ, and Deaf Aotearoa for example, are all social services for people with health differences or disabilities. When you consider the journey from hospital to GP to community nursing to social services, information can be lost between referrals. Especially when every service has a different way of storing and passing on information. Like, some use electronic referrals, some, fax (yes it still exists) and some verbally. Communication between all services is important for continuity of care and to prevent confusion for clients. Most of these smaller social services are based in Gisborne, but some are as far away as Hastings. It’s unsurprising that people often don’t even know they exist. TCV organise monthly hui, getting all of the services together at the same table, to discuss news and issues in services and their referral system.  They keep the lines of communication open. Tracy tells me that a Muscular Dystrophy NZ rep drives from Napier to attend these hui and finds it beneficial to meet and share information with at least twenty other organisations around the same table. That goes for Workbridge too. To be honest when Tracy is telling me about some of these organisations I haven’t heard of them, even though they’ve been running locally for 30 years. That’s why Tracy thinks it’s important to have a monthly newsletter for services but also a social media page to keep the public updated and informed about different services and what is available to us. You can find them on Facebook. Tracy is always interested in hearing from people who have experience gaps in health or social services locally. If you’re looking for support with something and there is no service to suit that need, you’re welcome to pop into TCV. TCV hopes one day to be a part of a community hub with good accessibility and parking for people with disabilities, sharing with all of the smaller social services in one building. Such a place would be beneficial in times of emergency such as last years’ cyclone. A place where people can come if they don’t know where to go for help. One point of call and a more affordable way forward for smaller services reliant on donations and funding. TCV is currently on the look out for someone interested in local advocacy, and the social sector. You can find Tracy at Tairāwhiti Community Voice at 340 Palmerston Rd or email her on contact@tcvhub.co.nz.

It was the late 80s, and I was five years old. My life was dominated by boldly patterned colourful skirts, and roller-skates. Those roller-skates were a big part of my identity. I remember strapping them on my feet in place of shoes every morning. My sister and I would skate down to Central School and spend hours skating around the smooth concrete. I learnt to navigate all the cracks in the footpaths, memorising the places with the smoothest concrete. I still remember how it felt to ride across the different surfaces; concrete, wood, tiles; the awkward step-skate required to traverse gravel, grass or carpet. I even had my own ‘work arounds’ to deal with No Skating rules; by lightly stepping in my skates people were less likely to notice them, and I’d tie my shoes together by the laces, and have them slung over my shoulder in case I was caught. I was obsessed. If anyone asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up, I confidently replied “an ice skater”. I had all the self-assurance of a small child with limited understanding of how climate works. I can still remember the disappointment of learning my dream wasn’t going to be possible due to the lack of ice in Gisborne. Thanks to a couple of young Gisborne women, there is now a regular outlet and encouraging space for all of the wheely dreams and obsessions of Gisborne skaters of all ages. Sisters Adriana and Angel Hoogland are the organisers of Gizzy on Wheels, a weekly skating event held on the basketball court at the YMCA. Held in the basketball court, the smooth flooring lends itself perfectly to roller-skating, the kind of surface I could only dream about when I was a child. Two years ago, Adriana Hoogland attended a travelling roller disco that came to Gisborne. Adriana enjoyed herself so much and was disappointed it was only a one-off event. Following the roller disco she took to her skates more often and skating around town, she took the comments of passersby on board.. “my kid loves skating but there’s nowhere good for them to roller-skate” “I used to do that when I was young, I wish I could get back into it”. The more Adriana thought about it, the more she realised how much Gizzy needed something like this - a regular skating space for the community. And she knew that it was something she wanted to be involved in! So it was this idea that Adriana took to Startup Weekend organised by the Tāiki e! crew. She pitched the idea for a regular skate event and with the team that formed around her idea that weekend, created a business plan. Following the weekend, she took the concept home to her sister Angel, and together they honed the business plan, as they continued to practice their skating, fine tune their skills and moves. In August 2023 Gizzy on Wheels was born. A couple of weeks ago my daughter and I turned up to the YMCA court filled with young skaters gliding around to pumping pop music. It was easy to spot Adriana and Angel in their green ‘Gizzy on Wheels’ t-shirts (newly designed by Urban-Era-Designs and now available to order!). They moved seamlessly between demonstrating moves and taking less confident skaters by the hand for a lap around the orange cones. I managed to wrangle my almost-four year old into her skates (which we happened to have just been given a couple of days before). I took her onto the floor, awkwardly walking her around before she was swept up by Adriana and Angel and guided around the court. She loved it and after a short break, was keen to get back out there, alone! She fed off Adriana and Angel’s confidence and was stoked to be able to be independent. The evening was energy-filled with a blend of free skating and guided tutoring. There were games - Traffic Light, Statues and Freeze, which are not only fun but also teach the skills required to skate, start, stop, and fall … with dignity and grace. My daughter was reluctant to leave and upon waking the next morning asked when we could go back to ‘the roller-skating’. While she is still working out what days of the week are, I get the feeling it may be a long wait between Fridays. Gizzy on Wheels is held at the YMCA, Fridays, 5:30 - 7pm. It is open to all ages and abilities and costs $10 on the door. Numbers are limited so it pays to arrive early. By Emma Carlyle Pics Sarah Cleave

Tōnui Collab Three 1-day workshops, 9am - 3pm each day, held at Lawson Field Theatre (next to GDC on Fitzherbert Street). Their workshops encourage children to explore the diversity of STEMM - science, technology, engineering, mathematics and mātauranga Māori through the experimentation and creation of animation, engineering, game development, robotics, coding, virtual reality and more! Monday 22 April - Virtual Reality Tuesday 23 April - Game Development Wednesday 24 April - Coding and Electronics Caters for 7-13 year-olds. Cost is $50 per day. For more info, contact admin@tonuicollab.com or by phone 0800 886684 Book here: https://www.tonuicollab.com/holiday-workshops The Y Oscar Summer Holiday Programme A variety of fun activities every day, from 15 - 26 April (closed Anzac Day) at YMCA Oscar House - 153 Disraeli Street. Caters for 5-13 year-olds and costs are from $45 per day with options to add on Breakfast Club and Aftercare Programmes ($10 each). For more info, contact Max at 06 8679259 Ext: 03 Find more info about the calendar of activities here: https://ymcagisborne.org.nz/oscar/ Find registration form here. Riverview Treks and Pinehollow Riding School Holiday Programme Jacquie and the team offer the chance to get up close and personal with her gentle animals. Their holiday programme is open 15 - 26 April (closed on Anzac Day) from 9 am - 3:30. They are located at 2424 Matawai Road but they have limited spaces in a van for pick-up and drop-off at the Tav Restaurant. (Pick-up is at 8:45am and drop-off at 4pm.) Participants need to wear appropriate footwear (gumboots or closed-toed shoes), and bring a spare change of clothes, lunch, and water. Caters to ages 5+. Cost is $65 for the day. Email pinehollowridingschool@gmail.com to register. Payments are via bank transfer (acct: Pine Hollow 06-0637-0264724-00). For more info, ring Jacquie on 0277491629 or message her on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riverviewtreks Gisborne Gymnastics Club Holiday Programme During the school holidays, the Gym Club offer unstructured play and activity sessions, Preschool Open Gym, and Competitive Holiday Gymnastics times. Location is the Stihl Shop Sports Centre (537 Aberdeen Road). Cost is $20 for all sessions. See timetable for offerings. Caters to ages: 5+ (except Friday morning Preschool Open Gym which is preschool ages only) Book in or find more information here: https://gisbornegymnastics.com/holiday-program Comet Swimming Club Holiday Programmes 30-min swimming lessons with an instructor held at Elgin School Pool. Cost is for all the daily lessons for the week. Week 1 (Monday 15-Friday 19 April) -- $60 Week 2* (Monday 22-Friday 26 April) -- $48 *no lessons on Anzac Day Caters to 3+ years. Book or find more information by email: comet.libbyd@gmail.com by phone: 0274 156 728 East Coast Museum of Technology ECMoT are home to technologies of the past, like stationary engines, amateur radio, computers & games, vintage cars, firetrucks and much more! They’re located at 67 Main Road, Makaraka, Gisborne. They welcome people of all ages. Entry is $10 per adult, $5 for seniors/students, $2 for primary/secondary students. Under 5s are free. Over the school holiday period, ECMOT is open Sunday 14 April Sunday 21 April Sat & Sun 27 & 28 April Reach out for more information by email enquiries@ecmot.org.nz. HB Williams Memorial Library (all events are free) April 13 – 28 He Puna Kōrero Reading Challenge Read for two hours and go in the draw to win one of four prizes up for grabs.  For ages 0 – 18 years. Pick up a challenge bookmark from the library or see www.gpl.govt.nz for details Opens April 17 Tūhura Tuarangi - Aotearoa in Space Tūhura Tuarangi is packed with hands-on interactives to play, build, launch, and explode with your whole whānau. April 13 – 28 ANZAC Treasure Hunt Search the library for hidden clues to solve the mystery message.  Pick up form from the children’s desk.  For ages 0 – 18 years. WIKI TUATAHI | WEEK ONE April 15 Monday - 10.30am Tōnui Collab Fun STEMM workshop for ages 7+, 20 spots only based on a first come first served basis. April 16 Tuesday - 11.15am ANZAC Storytime Join the children’s team as they read through the ANZAC books from the shelves. Suitable for all ages. HB Williams Memorial Library, 34 Bright Street April 17 Wednesday - 10.30am Arts and Crafts Various arts and crafts for children and caregivers to get crafting.  Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.  This is a self-lead activity. April 18 Thursday - 11.15am ANZAC Storytime Join the children’s team as they read through the ANZAC books from the shelves. Suitable for all ages. WIKI TUARUA | WEEK TWO April 22 Monday - 10.30am Waiata Mai ANZAC edition As we get ready to commemorate ANZAC day the children’s team has compiled a bunch of songs of the time.  Join the team for an ANZAC sing-a-long.  Suitable for all ages. April 23 Tuesday - 11.15am ANZAC Storytime Join the children’s team as they read through the ANZAC books from the shelves. Suitable for all ages. April 24 Wednesday - 10.30am Poppy Crafts Origami poppies, poppy art and more.  Suitable for ages 7+  Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.  This is a self-lead activity. April 26 Friday - 10.30am Tōnui Collab Fun STEMM workshop for ages 7+, 20 spots only based on a first come first served basis. Arty Farty School Holiday Programme Nurture children’s self-expression through art, music, dance and drama. The holiday programme is held at Kaiti School (enter via Montrose St). Caters to 5-10 year-olds. Options for $30 half day or $50 full day bookings. Book via Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/kidscreationstationz For more info, contact: kidscreationstationz@gmail.com or 021 045 8113 Ocean Rhythms Surf Camp There are a few spots left if you've got groms keen to spend time in the water surfing. Located at Midway or Northern Makorori (depending on weather). If you need a wetsuit and board, they’ve got you covered with an add-on rental option. The price is $410 for the 5 days of surf camp (full week signups only). If you are looking to buy a wetsuit check out Sequence Surf Shop and their variety of suits! Caters to 6-13 year olds. For more information and to book, email oceanrhythmscoaching@gmail.com or message them on facebook here. Sisterson Lagoon Tuesday 16th April come along to Sisterson Lagoon between 10am and Noon come for a walk, spot a piwakawaka, or give a hand with pulling some wild iris. We might even plant some plants. We'll have some biscuits, and a cuppa tea, but it wont get more fancy than that. Bring some gloves, a hand saw, or some loppers, or just come for a walk. If you haven't been before, we are on MacDonald Road - a left turn just after the railway crossing opposite from Ravensdown. Eastwoodhill Arboretum Creative Kids Days The folks at Eastwoodhill Arboretum have two Creative Kids Days to entertain and inspire the kiddies. Suitable for ages 5 - 12years Children must be accompanied by an adult. These workshops are free to partake in but please book in advance with Rosie, as spaces are limited. Contact Rosie on 06 863 9003 or rosie@eastwoodhill.org.nz Normal arboretum entry fees apply: Adults $15, Seniors $12, under 16’s $2. Wed 17th April - Silhouette Art Drop in anytime between 10am - 1pm to create some nature inspired silhouette art with collected foliage and spray-painting techniques. Friday 26th April - Autumn Nature Window Art drop in between 10am - 1pm and we’ll be creating some Autumn Nature Window Art with collected foliage and layering techniques. Tairāwhiti Museum Rangatahi Activities at Tautua Village Ngā kai hāpai rangatahi youth council are hosting fun activities during the holidays for all rangatahi in Te Tairāwhiti come join the activities, learn a pacific dance, get creative. All rangatahi are welcome in this fun and safe space. Drop in and check it out. Tautua Village is located at 100 Grey Street, Level 2. Tuesday 23rd April & Wednesday 24th April 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

As women who surf, many of us understand the essence of our harmony with the sea. The feeling of fulfilling dewy dreams at dawn, wet lidded and wet suited. You could say that the water is a motherly realm of resonance, waking within us the memory that we are a part of her. Her swelling and dissolution, her shine and her shadow, her grandest peaks and her greatest falls. Amongst our early morning head-dips, the illusion of our separation is cleansed. Thus, from our very first dance with a wave, we are bewitched. Feeding from all of her grunt and her grace, served as surging reminders of the fire that burns inside of us too. It is only natural that a love affair should ignite. To me, surfing is an act to tell the world that I adore her, and a way for her to say it back. However, despite this inherent romance, surfing has, at times, felt like a boys club. Where condensing, masculine energies have stirred a stiffness within me. And although I believe gender binaries to be an illusory thread stitched cunningly into the veil of separation, there are times when I can not deny the unbalance in energetic motion. Where the disconnection between the sea and me becomes stronger, and creates an abrasiveness that stunts my flow and tells me that I do not belong. Fortunately, this experience has been softened and soothed by my good friend, and lifelong surfer, Hannah Kohn. Only at the beginning of my surfing journey, many of the sweetest fruits in my floundering I owe to her. Representing Aotearoa in the 2024 ISA World Longboarding Championship over in El Salvador, Hannah has never failed to show me just how far not being afraid to take up space can take you. Hannah’s achievements have been realised by her courage, creativity, focus and initiative. To watch Hannah surf is to watch as the petals of your own earthly connection unfold. Her takeoffs’ are a portal, dragging us ever-closer to the infinite depths of the human soul. The waves she catches are a thrilling, seemingly prophetic expression of beauty and a cinematic depiction of the universe loving itself. It seems as though she can feel the ocean as it breathes and has learnt its language long ago. This sixth sense provides her with the ability to both dance the delicate dance, and rip the radical rip. I am obviously very much in awe of your unwavering commitment and what you have accomplished in your craft so far. How do you think 15 year old Hannah, with dreams in her heart, feels right now? At 15 I wouldn’t have been caught dead on a longboard. I wouldn’t have been caught dead on any alternative board, it was 3 fins or nothing. So although I know she would be proud and stoked, she would definitely rip me out for being on a longboard. Well, as you now know, surfing has many different, ever changing pathways. Just like the moana. How would you describe your experiences surfing on a longboard versus a shortboard? The feeling that you get after a good surf on whatever craft is the same. I have just as much peace no matter what craft I’m on, but you have more consistent satisfaction from longboarding. There’s less pressure and because you’re catching lots of waves you’re less frustrated. Whereas, when you’re shortboarding you can quite often come in only catching one good wave and it’s really frustrating. With longboarding, I don’t get the same adrenaline that I get with shortboarding. I’ve never had that adrenaline pumped up feeling that I get on a shortboard. They’re kind of two different energies; If I’ve had a bad day where I’m feeling sad or flat, I’ll go longboarding. If I’ve had a bad day where I feel angry, I’ll reach for my shortboard. There’s a lot more energy release in a way. I find balance in both, but if the waves were better I would always choose a shortboard. I think there’s more variety in shortboarding. There’s more unknowns, more obstacles and things to overcome. But when you’re longboarding you’re generally in more of a glide with what’s going down. Beautifully said. What other words of wisdom do you have for any kōtiro or wahine interested in surfing, but are perceiving a block? To someone who is struggling to get better: It’s about consistency and being prepared to be humbled. 80% of the progression is confidence. Often less is more, especially when it comes to logging. To someone who is struggling to get started: Go for it. Don’t be afraid, no one is watching you. Surfing is an individual sport and everyone is doing what they want to do. But, if you can, get a friend to go with you. It helps with everything. Having a mate to share it with is massive, especially if it’s a girl mate. Have a laugh and always smile when you come up from a wipe out. And finally, embody your surfing, do what feels good for you and own it. And it is this embodiment of her craft that makes her surfing so mesmerising. You just know that this symbiosis has been written in the surfing stars and is an honour to watch as her name is emblazoned in her own light. If just one other wahine can also be touched by her power, I feel as though the surfing world will be one step closer to finding balance. So, if you’re on the cusp of entry, I welcome you to take the plunge into the wet lidded wake. Story by Jessie Blade Photograph by Margherita Visconti

Our region is faced with some big decisions over the next three years and our elected Councillors want to check in with locals about them.   Every three years, Council goes through the Long Term Plan process to identify the community’s priorities for the following 10 years. This year it's a bit different, our Council has been given the authority to put a recovery focus on just the next 3 years. The 2024-2027 Three Year Plan sets out the tough financial situation we are facing in the aftermath of far-reaching damage from the severe weather last year, as well as what our options are going forward.   We’re looking at a $1.1 billion recovery bill for our infrastructure alone. The Three Year plan(3YP) sets out the harsh reality of continuing rising costs and a massive workload, meaning Council can't fix everything with the current budgets, or complete it all within three years.   The plan covers the recovery work and services Council will focus on, how we'll pay for them, and what this means for rates and debt.   The important thing to know about this process is that our voices, our feedback IS taken into account by our council, it is indeed vital, in helping shape a place we can all be proud to live in.   Community conversations are underway but there’s still time to join the one being held at Gizzy Local on Thursday 4 April from 5.30pm. We’ll have Mayor Rehette Stoltz, Deputy Mayor Josh Wharehinga and Councillors, Debbie Gregory and Colin Alder all here.     Council staff will also be present to speak to some of the issues we’re particularly passionate about: Jo Noble, the Director of Sustainable Futures, Phil Nickerson, Manager Solid Waste, James Baty, Director Internal Partnerships and hopefully Michele Frey, the Director of Livable Communities. Feel free to bring the kids, we’ll have toasties toasting and art stuff to keep them busy.   If you can’t make Thursday, here’s a full list of where Council will be and when: https://www.gdc.govt.nz/council/public-notices/council-notices/community-conversations-calendar   Read the draft plan and if you want to submit here’s the link: https://participate.gdc.govt.nz/2024-2027-three-year-plan Submissions close April 19.   Nau mai Haere mai. At Gizzy Local, 64 Lowe St Thursday 4 April from 5.30pm