Waikanae Surf Club was packed with a motley crew if there ever was one. There were folks from forestry, iwi, farming and a few others, like scientists and engineers, all here to discuss Tairāwhiti freshwater: It’s dirty, it’s got actual human crap in it, we take too much, and often it’s not safe to swim in our water. To put it lightly, we've got problems. I’d been invited by Gisborne District Council (Council) to observe a ​​freshwater advisory group session and share this meeting of minds with the rest of you. Why is this important? The group is tasked with helping the Council develop the Tairāwhiti Regional Freshwater Management Plan by debating and recommending changes, and every drop of freshwater is caught up in this plan. "For years the Council come and told us what we can do, how we can do it, end of story," Stan Pardoe said, one of the community advisors, there to share his two cents with the Regional Freshwater Advisory Group. Stan has a unique perspective and yet has the ability to speak for much of the community, cutting through demographics and seeing the world through many eyes. A farmer, father, grandfather, fisherman, leader and storyteller. In Tairāwhiti he’s mustered 30 years of farming experience, was the chair of Rongowhakaata Iwi Trust and deputy chair for Te Runanga o Turanganui-a-Kiwa, and that’s just a few of his personalities. Today he’s one of the many locals helping advise the Council on Tairāwhiti’s Freshwater Plan. Stan says what is happening today is refreshing.Stan says Council used to issue commands without listening. “Not this time around. They actually want to come and talk to us and get some ideas. And it’s a game-changer.” He says Council is taking the time to connect with the public and get feedback on plans. "We won't have all the answers. There'll be some things we're going to disagree with there, but at least we're willing to share information." Still, he’s been around long enough and sat through enough hui to be realistic. "Whether it'll affect the policy either regionally or nationally, that's in the lap of the gods. But this group will give it a good thrashing." To say the group has differences is an understatement. From political parties to how they take their tea, there is a different take on key freshwater issues for each of the members, but there’s no doubt they all share a deep love for Tairāwhiti. And today they’re here to discuss our fertile flats, rivers and bush, all underpinned by one resource: freshwater. The Troubles with Our Water Gisborne faces a multitude of issues when it comes to freshwater. High levels of bacteria often make our rivers unsafe to swim in, depriving us of the simple pleasure of taking a dip on a summer's day. Slash from pine forests finds its way into waterways and onto our beaches, posing risks not only to the ecosystems but even taking the life of an 11-year-old at Waikanae in January 2023. The region's aquifers, a crucial source of freshwater, are under pressure from horticulture. Unsustainable extraction practices have taken a toll, threatening the long-term availability of our water. Hope on the Horizon: The Tairāwhiti Resource Management Plan The answer to these challenges is a review of the Regional Freshwater Plan (part of the Tairāwhiti Resource Management Plan). This review aims to be the turning point for the health of our rivers and a comprehensive blueprint that guides how the region will manage its freshwater resources. This plan aims to address our issues related to water quality, the quantity people take, and everything else. Which obviously encompasses a lot of issues, and takes a lot of work. The Review's Evolution Good things take time. Today’s Freshwater Plan can be traced back to 2012. To say there have been bumps along the road would be an understatement. The plan has taken into account thousands of submission points and even some brushes with the Environment Court, High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. After over a decade of work, 2023 marked a new era in the freshwater saga. Council has been working on the review for the past two years and recently announced our Regional Freshwater Plan. It was then the Tairāwhiti Regional Freshwater Advisory Group was born. The group was established to advise the Council from a community perspective. The advisory group will meet a total of 12 times, discussing the likes of our aquifers, forestry practices, and water quality and quantity concerns, completing their work towards the end of 2024. Te Mana o te Wai: The Guiding Principle The fundamental principle guiding the review is Te Mana o te Wai, which emphasises the importance of water. Under Te Mana o te Wai, or mana of the water, protecting the health of freshwater is paramount, as it safeguards the environment and the well-being of the community who uses it. The advisory group is a key part of the review. Their voices are being heard, and their concerns addressed. The review aims to bring about positive changes that the community wants, like cleaner, safer rivers and sustainable aquifers that our growers can access. The result will be safer, more pristine waterways, with better rivers for swimming, fishing and the rest. But like all things, it will take time. A century of degradation cannot be undone overnight. From Review to Reality "I'm the generation who can tell the stories of the mahinga kai (a food-gathering place). We used to catch the tuna, we used to catch the whitebait,” says Stan. “When you've drunk the water from the river, you learnt to swim in the river, you rode your waka in the river. I am the river and the river is me,” says Stan, riffing off a whakataukī from Whanganui. "Now we're doing all this work, with the restoration that's been done, I think I'll live long enough to see my river coming back to what it used to be and I can go and show my mokopuna where we caught the eels, how to prepare them. “Ka tangi te waiata, te weka - We will no longer hear the calls of the weka on the Turanga flats.” Tairāwhiti’s freshwater challenges are being met with optimism and action. The Freshwater Plan review aims to resolve the region's pressing issues, ensuring that Tairāwhiti’s freshwater remains a precious taonga for generations to come. The community's involvement is pivotal, making it a collective effort to safeguard the region's most vital asset – freshwater. By Jack Marshall

I sat down with Ricky Boyd, the architect and builder of the Gisborne Beer Fest. As well as getting all frothy about the event to come, we went in some unexpected directions. We talked about how you grow something to be beautiful, strong and sturdy. Hopefully you’ve seen the posters and have it on your list to purchase tickets for the Easter Saturday celebration of the humble drink that’s had a bit of a glow-up in recent times. Ricky has planned some serious fun in store for us (more about that in a sec). Indeed we collectively thirst for a long weekend and a good time. But did you know the do-goodery that’s also afoot? The Gisborne Beer Festival occupies a nuanced niche in the landscape of food, drink, and music festivals. This beer festival might not be what you think, especially if you associate beer with skulling and smashing cans on your forehead. Like most “vices,” beer has a reputation that precedes it, namely the aforementioned burping, keg-stand variety that prioritises quantity over quality and an ultimate goal of unambiguous intoxication. But that’s Beer’s cringey past. Modern Beer culture still likes to have a great time, but there’s been a shift to quality over quantity, moderation and balance, and even technological breakthroughs that let beer drinkers enjoy low or no-alcohol beer with all the same complex flavours as their boozy siblings. “With Craft Beer, which is what we promote,” says Boyd, “that’s all changed. We want to educate people about beer. For people who know beer, they get it. They love it. With this festival, we’re hoping to reach the people not in the know.” What’s to know? you ask. “It’s all flavours. It’s trying to taste the black currant underneath this milkshake IPA. Someone’s added lactose to a sour beer and it tastes like mango and you can’t figure out how they did this and it tastes amazing. Or it tastes like a dessert. They’re making beers taste like flavours now. If you’re into your food and your flavours, Craft Beer is right up your alley.” You can see the incredible line-up on their website, which includes our local friends Sunshine Brewery alongside other great Craft Beer brewers from all over Aotearoa. (They’ll also have wine from local wineries Matawhero and Spade Oak, as well as canned wine from Uncommon and canned cocktails from Fling.) The way to facilitate this flavourful good time has changed too. “We don’t promote quantity. We promote quality. Spend the same amount of money but buy 3 or 4 really nice beers… and maybe some zeros to compensate for the extra oomph you get from some of the stronger craft beers.” This is the changing face of modern beer drinking. Rather than mowing through a box of mainstream beer, enjoy the charm and delight of craft beers’ inventive flavours. And savour the yummy mouthful that tastes like your money remaining with the Aotearoa locals who brew this special beer rather than going offshore where mainstream beer money goes. The Gisborne Beer Festival will have a range of flavours and strengths with plenty of low- and no-alcohol varieties. Maybe you’ve seen this new face of drinking, the increasing number of your friends showing up to parties with low-alcohol drinks, the lack of raised eyebrows at someone’s low-alcohol choices. As we know, Beer Culture wasn’t always this understanding or enlightened. There was a blatant judginess that pushed drinking to excess. Ricky outs his mates with his version of this shifting tide. “Guys on my soccer team turn up with zeros. And no one teases them. Whereas five or ten years ago, you would've got teased.” Oh, I know, Ricky. I know. Introducing our local beer drinkers and outlets (where great beer is sold) is still very much the focus. But what changes each year are the particular ingredients of the Good Times spell. Ricky, a musician by trade, always starts there. This year there are four musical acts, all of whom “will serve this market very well. In the beginning I followed the desire to hear my friends’ bands play.” And that really hasn’t changed much. Good thing Ricky has so many musical friends. The list of bands that feature at the Gisborne Beer Festival grows and grows. This year the music kicks off with local favourites, Pray 4 Summer and The Rabbits, both bands who bring energy and a catalogue of Grunge, Indie, Punk, Rock, something for everyone and perfect for the festival. Our younger music fans will likely know Marlin’s Dreaming, a Dunedin-band based in Auckland, playing sold out shows in Aotearoa and abroad and who are, in Ricky’s words “a real hit with the kids.” And rounding up the line-up are Kita, who make genre-blurring mega sound that needs to be heard to be fully appreciated. If you’ve been lucky enough to catch these musicians in Tairāwhiti this past summer, you’ll be excited to see their name on the posters. Ricky’s roving festival won’t settle down until they’ve found just the right home. This year, he thinks the Soundshell will tick all the boxes for them – it’s got the necessary infrastructure and is close to town so we can easily get home or carry on somewhere local, like Smash Palace, when the Beer Fest winds down. And thanks to Ricky and his persistence and fine tuning, this year’s Beer Fest is shaping up to be the best yet. He’s brought back international buskers, Sean and Heidi, who stole the spotlight last year with their captivating accessories like stilts, unicycles, chainsaws (yep), fire (also yep). They’re the perfect sparkle to accompany the fizz in your cup. Another innovation that launches this Beer Fest – the Silent Disco. Walk into this weirdly quiet jumble of dance moves and you’ll find duelling DJs rocking the party. But you have to put on one of the 40 headsets to take it in. Choose your channel and dance all your best moves. Myself and Gizzy Local’s Sarah Cleave were exploring the appeal of the Silent Disco. For me, there’s something wonderfully goofy about someone watching me dance with abandon and joy but without my Silent Disco soundtrack. It’s that exact goofiness that will give me licence to shirk any pressure to be cool and instead just enjoy. The invention of the Silent Disco is perfect for that old adage: Dance like no one is listening. Ricky’s vision is strong: draw people together with top-tier Entertainment while keeping beer on the main stage. Possibly surprising is his goal to give us all a chance to re-calibrate our relationship with modern beer culture, see the big wide world of craft beer, and even change drinking habits for the better. Like a keen gardener who sees the perfect blank space for something beautiful, has an eye for pruning and the muscle to brace something against a strong wind, he is growing something big and sturdy. The Gisborne Beer Fest is on Easter Saturday (30 March) starting at 12pm. Get your tickets for the Gisborne Beer Fest here: https://www.trybooking.com/nz/events/landing/11240? Story by Sarah Holliday Pocock Photographs by Strike Photography Gisborne Beer Festival

Environment Hubs Aotearoa is conducting research alongside Massey University into community responses to last year’s Cyclone Gabrielle, and it's got to be said that the aims of this research are dear to our heart here at Gizzy Local! What we witnessed here in the Tairāwhiti was an incredible rallying by our community in the aftermath of the cyclone. In many locations and aspects of the wider response, it was our Marae, our community organisations, and individuals who were able to act quickly and effectively and made a huge difference to affected peoples’ experiences. Environment Hubs Aotearoa wants the importance of that mahi carried out by individuals and citizen-led community organisations to be recognised, and to understand both HOW and WHY they filled the gaps in the official response.  The results of their research will inform Central and Local Government, and Civil Defence on how to better support community responders, and how to build more resilient and empowered communities for the future events we know are coming.  Environment Hubs Aotearoa is a national network that supports community and environmental resilience. Many of their hubs acted as emergency response centres during the Auckland Anniversary Weekend Floods and Cyclone Gabrielle last year. They recognise that affected communities have already been inundated by researchers but know that their independence from government means they can take a critical look at the official response, and ensure the voice of the locally-led community sector is heard.  They will involve communities in co-designing the recommendations from the findings, and will use these findings in their ongoing advocacy work, pushing for positive change in our communities. This research begins with a survey, and they want to hear from those impacted or who helped with response efforts. You can find the survey here , and if you have any other questions, these FAQs  might be helpful.

It's that time of year when the Gizzy Local team start to look at different horizons and imagine new, slightly more connected and happily active versions of ourselves and the women and girls in our lives. That's because in late Feb, we start noticing events popping up under the banner of ‘Well Wāhine Week’… We start to think, could I do Parkour? What is going on with my hormones? Are the waters of Turanga calling me for a swim or a paddle? Somehow the answers to all these questions are the same: "I'd like to find out." This year we have a conveniently well-placed staff member to remind us about the Well Wāhine Week good stuff. And by she, I mean me, Sarah P. Yes, full-disclosure, I also work on the awesome Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti team putting together Well Wāhine Week, which is about to kick off for its 4th year, bright and early on Friday morning. In these times, and of course I mean the "Covid Times" and the "Weather Event Isolation Times," it's a treasure having a thing to do that feels like a diversion from the everyday. Interestingly, in the first 3 years of Well Wāhine Week's young life, these "times" are all she's ever known. The first two cautious but exciting years of Well Wāhine Week occurred under the cloud of Covid. And both times, SGT reached out to providers and community members and found that yes, people wanted the opportunity to get out and do something a little different. Similarly, post-Cyclone Gabrielle, where it was possible, wāhine wanted a break, a chance – ever so briefly -- to put their wellbeing and fun physical activity back into their day. But why had we lost that? Why was it missing in the first place? There's a trove of evidence that points to disengagement from sports and other physical activities, often from around the age of 14 years old. There might be expectations to prioritise helping the family out with childcare, or we may no longer have time for such things as school performance and work responsibilities begin to loom large. Often puberty feels like it brings with it a less athletic body, what with curves and periods. Some champions of our gender charge out into the world of sport or other physical pastimes, strong and undeterred. For many though, the prospect of being active – in front of anyone - just isn't fun anymore. Back in 2019, Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti pulled together local champions of sport (coaches, fitness providers, teachers, and of course participants, both young and young at heart) to address some of the barriers that face women and girls. Having seen the success of the recent women's-only surf festival, Salty Sirens, that blended fun and competitive surfing with other platforms to connect, like yoga and music, the champions were inspired to try something holistic. Well Wāhine Week was an idea borne of those conversations. So SGT called out to providers with this idea. If we could make it easy and cost-effective for you to offer something for wāhine and kōhine, for free, would you? And the answer was yes! Over the last four years, our SGT team have learned a lot about what the barriers are and what wellbeing looks like for girls and women. And so you'll see the Well Wāhine Week calendar full of events that fit in the colourful garden of "Wellness." There are have-a-go sports of all sorts, there are meditative practices, there are informative sessions that teach about our bodies, sessions that keep alive indigenous practices, and many more. There are sessions delivered in settings built and natural all over Tairāwhiti, including a calendar specific to the East Coast. One of the most beautiful things I've seen from turning up to dozens of Well Wāhine Weeks over the years is how quickly women and girls who are strangers, warm up and become fast, if just brief, friends. Many women turn up solo to these sessions (they're that inviting!). Within the first few minutes, strangers are laughing together and on a little journey of discovery and fun. Participants find the all-women environments safe, judgement-free and empowering. If you get the formula right, the magic happens quickly and on repeat. What's the formula? Well Wāhine Week takes the cost, pressure, and intimidation out of the equation. Some activities are proactively, some might even say aggressively, child-friendly so mums can bring their little ones to be looked after while they get down to the business of improving their own wellbeing. It’s exciting to see providers using this week to try new things and learn about what works for the wāhine of our varied communities. To quote the OG Gizzy Local Sarah (Cleave), "These events are all about awakening dormant parts of ourselves, connecting with fellow wāhine, and having some laughs along the way." The beauty of Well Wāhine Week is that you can just find out. Girls, women and non-binary people of our community, go try something just for kicks.  And then look on the calendar for another thing to try. Flick through the photos to see a snapshot of week's. And there's even a calendar for rangatahi. To learn more about the kaupapa, view the full calendar of events and to register, visit sportgisborne.org.nz/well-wahine. Sarah Holliday Pocock

Crop swapping is a celebration of abundance and sharing.  Crop swapping encourages the growth (pun intended) of sustainable communities through connection, knowledge sharing and friendship. Crop Swapping is about mindfulness and presence. It's about nourishing goodness and it is kindness in action. Gardening has been a steady part of my world for 60 plus years. As expected, life happens and things change: jobs, homes, situations, income, people, stability, relationships, health, geography, arrivals and departures. This is not a comprehensive list, by a long shot and as we know changes are generally good for growth - although sometimes it's hard to see it at the time. A constant has been the fact that wherever you are you can find some soil, plant a seed or a seedling and with a bit of love, something will grow that will sustain you. Has gardening kept me sane? Yes! I am retired now and as I spend more time growing, there is always something to share and new things to learn. I first learnt about local crop swaps while visiting a friend in Matamata. The kaupapa just made complete sense. I looked for a Gisborne crop swap group, but didn’t have any luck so decided to start one. Crop Swap Gisborne is now going from strength to strength via a Facebook page and word of mouth. We meet to share what we have with others. Everyone is welcome; friends, seasoned crop swappers, visitors, first timers and old timers. We meet on the first Sunday of each month at Makaraka School car park and start our swap meeting at 2pm. Makaraka school has generously allowed us to meet there. We usually set up in the shade of the tree and are mindful of leaving the space the same way we found it. How it works: - Arrive before 2pm and set up your bringings for others to see and have access to. This can be on the tarp provided, or you are welcome to bring a fold up table or anything else that works for you. - Chat, mingle and view. - At 2pm there is a welcome and introduction. This is also a space for anyone who wishes to talk about what they have brought along. - After the welcome we mindfully take a bit of this or a bit of that. It is not a direct swap, just redistribution of gardening related goodness.  We fill our basket, share knowledge and stories. No money is exchanged. Contacts are made and new friends are found. - At around 3pm we have a brief group kōrero, clean up, and head home with any of our leftovers, new stuff to plant, eat or use, and most importantly a happy heart. Some ideas of what we swap: Fruit and vegetables, plants, seedlings, seeds, eggs, egg cartons, garden pots, herbs, fresh bread, garden shed cleanouts,  seedling trays,, honey, preserves, chutney, pickles, books and magazines, flowers, cuttings, succulents, baking, house plants, tools, trees, worm wee, animal manure. Hopefully we’ll see some of you there this Sunday! Story by Jeanie McCallum Images supplied

Merle Walker is the superhuman behind many of our big community events here in Turanganui-a-Kiwa. Town Clock parties, Walter Findlays Fire in the Sky , last year’s Kiwiana Christmas Wonderland events to name just a few of them. This week we all get to enjoy another of Merle’s efforts in the form of Tū Whitia | Stand and Shine - a community event being held to commemorate Cyclone Gabrielle and the resilience of the communities and Iwi of Te Tairāwhiti. This Saturday you’re all invited to the Soundshell for what sounds like a heap of fun! Merle has done a great job lining up some fantastic entertainment to cater to a very diverse range of tastes. The local lineup includes the winners of last year’s Smokefree Rockquest ‘Dad’s Garage’, who will play alongside another rangatahi band Eleventh Hour, local favourites the Volt Thieves, Oceanspace, Rob and Alley Matete, DJ Murdarah and the Gisborne Brass Band.  Scribe and Tami Neilson are heading to Turanga to headline the day, both generously waiving some of their fees to support the kaupapa and show their aroha for our community.                           There will be heaps to keep the kids happy with face painting, bouncy castles, water slides and treasure hunts. Pukus will be catered to by food vendors and a free sausage sizzle, and for the frothy and active amongst us, Primal Fitness have a treat in store! Merle says that when she was wondering about what kind of fun she could add into the mix, she immediately thought of ‘Top Town’, the iconic travelling game show that screened on local television from 1976 to 1990. While health and safety wouldn’t allow for half of the physical challenges that the teams from across rural New Zealand engaged in for that series, Brian Horwell at Primal Fitness has put together a super fun Top Town event that will prove entertaining for participants and spectators alike! If you’d like to enter a Top Team team, register at the event by 3:30pm.  Tū Whitia | Stand and Shine runs from 3 - 8pm, at the Gisborne Soundshell. It’s for the whole family, so don’t forget the sunscreen, your warmies, and leave your smokes, vapes and alcohol at home. Free buses will be running from Tokomaru and Tolaga Bays: Departing Tokomaru Four Square at 2pm, returning 8:45pm. Departing Tolaga Fire Station at 2:45pm, returning 8:45pm. See you there whānau!

Te Wero ia Wenerei - the Wednesday Challenge is back for 2024, and because we’re early adopters of things that make us feel great, Gizzy Local has signed up as a business team. If you haven’t heard about it yet, the idea is a simple one.. Instead of driving yourself to work on Wednesdays, walk, ride, run, scooter, skate or carpool instead, you might even be tempted to see whether you can bus! You can then log your journey, earn points for your team, track your achievements and compete against the rest of the Tairāwhiti business community (including the fiercely competitive Gizzy Local team) on the Challenge leaderboards. The reasons for choosing alternative means of transport to cars are two-fold right? Better for us, (both our physical and mental health) and better for our environment. When I walk or ride to work, my day is unquestionably better, my head is clearer, and I’ll often problem solve away something that’s been troubling me. The same goes for the way home, providing me with a positive way to transition back into homelife at the end of a hectic day. It also means I have done my ‘cardio’ - tick! and don’t have to fit it elsewhere into my day. Winning. We can always find plenty of reasons why it’s easier to just jump in the car, but if lots of us sign up to the Challenge, some of those excuses may start to lose their potency... Imagine if we notice less congestion on our roads on Wednesdays, and the roads feel safer for us cyclists?! And with more people rocking helmet hair, can we make it the next big thing?! However you look at it, this is a great way for businesses and organisations in our community to lead by example, have some fun and do some good. We hope you’ll join us! To find out more go to: https://www.wednesdaychallenge.co.nz/tairawhiti and if you’re keen to set up a business team contact Te Wero ia Wenerei Project Manager Harley Dibble at harley@rtrotairawhiti.nz Te Wero ia Wenerei is funded by Trust Tairāwhiti and run by the Tairāwhiti Environment Centre - Thanks guys!

NOise VACANCY is a conceptual sound art project executed by Tairāwhiti artists and musicians. The project recognises the growing number of vacant and neglected spaces in our city centre and the social impact of this. It gives a voice to the whakapapa of these spaces and invites the community to engage in a sensory experience that examines the relationship between sound, art, space and people. NOise VACANCY 2024 moves outside the walls of an individual building to inhabit the open spaces, vacant spots or hidden corners in our CBD. BRIEF: Artists will create site-specific sound art that is responsive to vacant or neglected city space, at a location within the designated area. The artist’s chosen site will inform the creative process, the method of sound delivery, the sonic outcome, and how it is presented/performed for audiences on the night. The artists will attune to the site and use the history, stories, and acoustic or architectural character to develop ideas. NOise VACANCY 2024 will take place across our CBD in public city spaces. See the highlighted area on map (anything within the boundaries of Grey Street - Childers Road - Reads Quay - Cycleway - Palmerston Road). Click on this link to find artist proposal process details and fill out the form to apply to be a part of Gizzy's most exciting underground arts event of the year!

The 'doof' 'doof' sound that emanates when someone is constantly bouncing a basketball can sound strangely melodic or it can drive you insane! And when dozens of tamariki are bouncing basketballs en masse as they weave their way around obstacle courses every Saturday morning as part of Gisborne Basketball Association's Rising Stars programme, you'd assume the cacophony of noise would see blood pressure levels go through the roof for those observing. Strangely that's not the case. Instead, those watching are captivated by the sight of all of those young people having great fun, connecting with one another, and developing lifelong skills. The Rising Stars programme is just one of the dozens of activities that will benefit from an indoor centre here in Tairāwhiti. This Thursday 15 February, a rally is being held at the YMCA from 5:30pm. The purpose of the rally is to display the breadth of community support for the building of such a facility. Why a rally now? Well for over 30 years (perhaps longer), attempts have been made by various community champions to do just that - build an indoor centre that consists of a few indoor courts and amenities that can be used for multiple purposes. Ultimately, through no fault of those driving the kaupapa, these attempts have all failed. It's time to say loudly as a community that we can no longer wait! When I think of civic facilities that every large town or city should have, I think of a library, swimming pool, museum/gallery, theatre and indoor centre. That's the perfect combination! Safe spaces where people can come together, have fun, feel a sense of community, build social cohesion, be inspired and boost their well-being. Our region has done well on the theatre front in recent years, the library was redeveloped, and the newly opened Kiwa pools are a sight to behold and a place to be proud of. Yet an indoor centre still eludes us. We know that as a region we struggle economically and money is hard to come by. Yet small communities such as Wairoa and Te Kuiti, with less than a quarter of our population, have managed to build great indoor facilities that are highly utilised. There are further examples all over the country. We have one publicly-accessible indoor court run by the YMCA. This is the worst ratio in the country. The YMCA has done an awesome job ensuring their court can be hired by so many community groups, but if it wasn't also for schools hiring out their spaces, many of our sporting leagues would have fallen over ages ago. Schools can have trouble maintaining their sites though, there can be difficulties with access, and most of their facilities aren't fully specced for the sports that use them. Following the cyclone our region has some massive critical infrastructure challenges. The members of the Tairāwhiti Indoor Centre Advocacy Group who are organising the rally understand that. The scale of investment and support required for roading, flood protection schemes, township and marae relocation planning can feel overwhelming. However, we can't keep putting the wellbeing of our communities into the 'nice-to-have' category. We saw after Covid lockdowns and the cyclone just how important it was for so many people in our community to re-connect through doing the activities that they love. It was absolute necessary. So somehow, we need to find a way to prioritise the development of an indoor centre alongside those critical infrastructure needs, and push for them both to receive support from Central and Local Government, national philanthropists, and regional funders. Not having an indoor centre is already hurting our community. Sporting and recreation leagues have had to turn away teams, growth has been curtailed, and new opportunities can't be explored. Having kids from Te Waiu school in Ruatorea being turned away from basketball last year when they were willing to travel two-hours one way in order to play, is a heart- breaking example of that. All this as indoor sport participation is booming across the rest of the country! Volleyball, basketball, indoor football/futsal, pickleball - to name but a few. An indoor centre would also allow greater opportunities for kapa haka, dance, ethnic festivals, youth and senior citizen programmes etc. If we had an indoor centre, it would create an opportunity for conferences and tournaments to be held, which are much-used ways of injecting a much-needed financial boost into regional economies via accommodation and hospitality spending by visitors. We also know there are many whānau who struggle to support their tamariki and rangatahi to travel out of the region for tournaments. How nice would it be to alleviate some of that financial hardship by hosting inter-regional tournaments here in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa for a change? At the moment, the Gisborne District Council is overseeing a feasibility study into the development of an indoor centre, in conjunction with partners such as Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti and Sport NZ. That will help determine the need for such a centre, how it could be configured and where it should be located. I have deliberately avoided talking about the possible site locations, as often we can get hung up on that, but as a community we've reached the stage where we can make the indoor centre a success regardless of whether it's at Waikirikiri Park, the old Olympic Pool site or somewhere else. And it needs to be acknowledged that the relationship and input from mana whenua will be critical in that. We know the cost is likely to be $20 million plus to build, which is why we need to target funders far and wide for support. At the rally we'll have film crews and media capturing the crowds and speeches from various community groups that would benefit from an indoor centre. We need to send a powerful message to those we need support from. So if you feel passionate about the cause, please come on down and join us at the YMCA this Thursday from 5.30pm. It's going to be informative and fun, and you won't have to worry about the weather conditions outside - just another benefit of an indoor centre for our region! Story by Stefan Pishief Images supplied

Te Weu Tairāwhiti is a collective of local researchers and actionists here in Te Tairāwhiti. Since 2021 the charitable trust has been encouraging residents and communities to look at the risks posed by extreme weather events to our region.  Since then they’ve produced resources to assist local conversations about climate change and land use, supported residents to initiate changes in land use policy and plans, and have been involved in a number of climate resilience research projects, the lessons from which will b e presented at the Tairāwhiti Resilience Research Symposium being held at the new Midway Community Hub in Gisborne next week. The Symposium will be an opportunity for locals, policy makers and researchers to engage with the evidence and stories that have been collected through various research projects. One of the researchers that will be presenting is Professor Holly Thorpe, who notes the importance of these lessons being used and shared locally and, “not just by central government”.   Over the course of two days we’ll hear from researchers who conducted in-depth interviews that focused on what happened during and after the series of extreme weather events in early 2023 and the impacts on the health and wellbeing of individuals, whānau and communities in the region. The initial findings from the study will be shared alongside a similar set of interviews in Hawkes Bay and an analysis of official health records and data from the two regions.  We’ll also hear from Haukapuanui Vercoe, a post-graduate researcher from the University of Auckland who will be presenting his research that looks at the natural hazard resilience of marae, as well as Ministry of Health officials, MPs for the region, and representatives from GDC, Manaaki Tairāwhiti, Manaaki Matakaoa, CCS Disability Action, Muriwai Haumaru Rōpū, Tautua Village, Tairāwhiti Technology Trust and others.   As Renee Raroa, a Te Weu Tairāwhiti trustee says, “we don’t know how long it will be before the next extreme weather event so it is important to reflect on what happened, what we need more of and what can be done differently in the future”.  This symposium is a really important step in our ongoing recovery, providing a space for the conversation about how we build more local research capability and capacity going forward into the future. The Tairāwhiti Res ilience & Research Symposium is being held at the Midway Community Hub on Thursday 15 February, 8:30 am - 4:30pm and Friday, 16 February 8:30am - 4:30 pm.  Attendance is free but numbers are limited. You can register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ka-mua-ka-muri-tairawhiti-resilience-research-symposium-tickets-805970959837

We don’t imagine many Tairāwhiti locals are taking this summer we’re having for granted. We’ve all probably had at least one, if not many, conversations about the summer we didn’t get to have last year, “the non-summer of 2023”. As we approach the one-year anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle our memories of that time, and the days and weeks that followed, will undoubtedly resurface. And while it is an important part of the process to remember, and commemorate, it is even more useful to look at what has emerged and grown in its wake, and how we’re continuing to evolve for our future. Aimed at doing all of those things, Te Weu, a charitable trust focused on sustainable land use and climate change in Tairāwhiti, has organised a series of events aimed at reflecting on the past, understanding the present, and envisioning a resilient future, running from Friday 9 - Friday 16 February. ‘Ka Mua, Ka Muri’ will include a two day research symposium, a series of community hui showcasing local research undertaken over the past year, and a creative collaboration and exhibition for regional climate and community initiatives. This weekend an eclectic group of creative minds are arriving in our region to lend their expertise and passion to local climate resilience projects, with the aim of elevating extreme weather preparedness discussions and supporting local groups that are actively engaged in sustainable land use and adaptation planning. The initiative is in partnership with Toi Aria, the centre for social impact design at Massey University and will look like a fusion of art, design, music, and storytelling. The visiting creatives include design researcher, educator, and founder of Toi Āria, Professor Anna Brown, cartoonist and social commentator Toby Morris, jazz singer and graphic designer Wallace Gollan, journalist Michelle Duff, writer Ingrid Horrocks, designer and illustrator Hanna Breurkes, visual communication designer Kirsten Browne, digital producer Emma Bossley, designer and illustrator Jean Donaldson, writer and art collaborator Tim Corballis, photographers Johanna Mechen and David Cook, and photographic artist Jonathan Kay. They will be grouped with local artists and community initiatives, Slash For Cash, Radice Soil Solutions, Ngahere Network, Exchange Cafe, Tāiki E! Next Gen Escapes, East Coast Exchange, Te Kautuku, Circular Economy Mission, Tairāwhiti Bioeconomy Project, Tōtaranui Nama Ono Trust and a wāhine water focussed collaboration out of Uawa. Visiting and local creatives will work with their respective community groups over the course of the weekend, workshopping ideas and creating works, culminating in an exhibition and performance event at 6pm, Sunday 11 February at Midway Community Hub. Public are invited to attend this free event. Stay tuned to learn more about The Tairāwhiti & Extreme Weather Research Symposium, which will also at the new Midway Community Hub on February 15 and 16. It will be free to attend but has limited numbers - registrations can be sent to info@teweu.nz or phone/txt: 0274202957 For more details about all of these events head to www.kamuakamuri.nz  and to find out more about Te Weu charitable trust, and access some of the excellent resources they have compiled around land use, check out teweu.nz .

As incredible displays of unity, of kotahitanga, continue to take place around the country, here in Tūranga, Gisborne, we’ve got an opportunity to deepen our own understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi this Waitangi Day, at Waitangi Day at The Pa. This Wananga Waitangi is an awesome response to the growing realisation that we need to better understand the history of how our nation was formed. All are welcome to come along for a day of learning and discussion about Te Tiriti o Waitangi with local presenters, Dr Wayne Ngata, Tauira Takurua and Morehu Pewhairangi.   Shaan Te Kani will open the hui with a kōrero about her tipuna Rawiri Te Eke tu o te rangi who was a signatory of Te Tiriti, and in whose wharenui this gathering will take place.  Dr Wayne Ngata will share his perspective of Te Tiriti, aiming to encourage discussion and exchange amongst those gathered. Tauira Takurua will share his interpretation of the tipuna Tuini Ngawai and the waiata that she composed about Te Tiriti. Morehu Pewhairangi and a rangatahi group will also be running a Rangatahi/taiohi discussion about te Tiriti at the same time in the Wharekai.   If you are a young person wanting to join a collective of Taiohi/ Rangatahi here in Te Tairāwhiti creating events and workshops based on current events, head to the Toitū Tairāwhiti TAIOHI Facebook page , and fill in the survey  on that page to stay in the loop! This Waitangi Day hui is open for all.  If you are bringing little ones, please bring toys and things to keep them amused.  At Te Poho-o-Rawiri, Tuesday February 6, 9am - 2pm.  Kai will be provided and a koha would be appreciated.  We’ll see you there!