Latest news with #Tawa
RNZ News
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
'Outspoken' former All Black Murray Mexted recognised in King's Birthday Honours
Murray Mexted in action for the All Blacks in the 1980s. Photo: PHOTOSPORT Former All Black Murray Mexted was a little surprised to be recognised in the King's Birthday Honours list. Mexted has become an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to rugby. Mexted played for the All Blacks between 1979 and 1985, he commentated on the sport for almost 20 years and up until recently ran a world renowned International Rugby Academy. He was an athletic number eight during his playing days and afterwards was often a critic of the game. During his time on the sidelines with Sky Television, Mexted became a commentator who you either loved or hated. "I was outspoken," Mexted told RNZ. "All I did was talk about what I was thinking as the game was evolving and having grown up with it I was looking at different things from what a lot of the spectators were looking at." Mexted was introduced to the game as a five year old by his father Graham, who was also an All Black. He grew up next to the Tawa Rugby Club. After attending Tawa College and then Victoria University he headed off to play in France, which he said changed his whole life. "I realised that you didn''t have to be able to speak the same language to be able to play the game and work together. "It gave me a whole new view on the game." While his father was an influence on him and his game, Mexted said his big break came after All Black captain Graham Mourie got in touch with him while in France, suggesting he should return home. Not long after Mexted had an All Black trial and the rest is history. He played 73 games for the All Blacks, including 34 Tests. He had a 114 match career with Wellington and also toured South Africa with the Cavaliers in 1986. Commentators Murray Mexted and Ian Smith, 2006 Photo: Andrew Cornaga / PHOTOSPORT It was not long after retirement from the game that Mexted went into commentary. It was not long after that the complaints started flooding into Sky Television about his comments on air. Mexted was told by Sky Television that 90 percent of the complaints they were getting were about him. "Joe Rokocoko was left groping like a blind man in the brothel," was one memorable quote. "That caused a lot of friction and I was asked to rein it in a little," Mexted said. "I say what I think and I appreciate that sometimes that does create conflict "If you provoke or upset people, maybe those people often don't get recognised, but I am very flattered and humbled by the award." Mexted, 71, is now retired in the Bay of Plenty. It appears that he is most proud of the International Rugby Academy he set up 25 years ago. His vision for the Academy was to provide aspiring players and coaches with the tools, guidance and mentorship needed to reach their full potential in rugby and in life. More than 100 of his graduates achieved international status and he still receives messages from many of them. "I've been committed to the game since I understood the values and standards of team sports. "Because of that I sacrificed a lot of things to open up an academy of a very high level to the world and I had a fantastic response. "Someone has obviously recognised that I've given something back to the game that I've had so much appreciation from and learnt so much from." All Blacks L-R, Allan Hewson, Murray Mexted, Stu Wilson and Bernie Fraser. Photo:
RNZ News
25-05-2025
- RNZ News
Search teams find missing Tawa resident
Tawa resident Daryl was last seen leaving his home at 5.30am on Saturday. Photo: Supplied/police Search teams have found a Wellington man who was missing for over 24 hours. Police said they were concerned for Tawa resident Daryl, who was last seen leaving his home at 5.30am on Saturday in a grey Adidas hoodie, black trainers and navy or black trackpants. The search have since found the man, who is receiving medical attention. Earlier, police said his silver Toyota Markx saloon had been found.
RNZ News
24-05-2025
- RNZ News
Search teams look for missing Tawa resident
Tawa resident Daryl was last seen leaving his home at 5.30am on Saturday. Photo: Supplied/police Search teams are heading out on Sunday morning in an effort to find a Wellington man who hasn't been seen for 24 hours. Police said they were concerned for Tawa resident Daryl, who was last seen leaving his home at 5.30am on Saturday in a grey Adidas hoodie, black trainers and navy or black trackpants. They said his silver Toyota Markx saloon had been found, and want people to report sightings of him or his car, particularly around the Makara Beach area. A police spokesperson said a land-based search was due to get underway on Sunday morning.
The Spinoff
23-05-2025
- General
- The Spinoff
Reading the lost diary of the first indigenous woman to study at Oxford
A hundred years ago, the formidable guide, scholar and cultural authority Mākereti Papakura was documenting village life, politics and high-society visits in Whakarewarewa. Now, her whanaunga June Northcroft-Grant revisits those diary pages with fresh eyes. This year, more than a century after she enrolled at Oxford University, pioneering Te Arawa scholar Mākereti Papakura will be awarded a posthumous Master of Philosophy in Anthropology from the University of Oxford. The recognition honours her extraordinary contribution to ethnography – one that challenged colonial norms by documenting the richness of Māori life from within. Born in Matatā in 1873 and raised in Whakarewarewa, Mākereti was a cultural authority, a beloved guide and the first known indigenous woman to enrol at Oxford. Her thesis, published after her sudden death in 1930 as The Old-Time Māori, remains a landmark work. For her descendants and the people of Tūhourangi – Ngāti Wāhiao, the honour is a long-overdue affirmation of a life lived boldly across worlds. And for one of her whānau, reading through her 1907 diary reveals just how alive, political and purposeful that life really was. As a child, I was captivated by a black-and-white photo in my parents' old album. It showed an enigmatic Māori woman wearing a headscarf and a large hei tiki, staring out with knowing eyes. My father Henry, who was raised in Whakarewarewa from 1915 by his kuia Rakera, told me she was his mother's cousin: Mākereti Papakura. He called her Whaea. She had lived in England, spoke 'like the Queen,' and once returned to the village in the 1920s for a brief visit. To my father, she was a glamorous figure – worldly and impressive. I was in my forties when I rediscovered her story. I remembered that Mākereti had left a diary behind in her sister Bella's home, Teawaimanukau. Reading it as an adult was something else entirely. The names she wrote of – Apirana, Maui, Te Rangihiroa, Tawa – were no longer just names. I knew who they were, what they meant to us, and to Aotearoa. Her diary, written in 1907, reveals a vibrant life at Whakarewarewa: hosting visitors from across the world, guiding tourists through geothermal wonders, and sharing meals and conversations with some of the most influential Māori thinkers of her generation. Sir Apirana Ngata, Sir Maui Pomare, and Sir Peter Buck (Te Rangihiroa) feature regularly, not as distant historical figures, but as friends. Alongside them, captain Gilbert Mair (Tawa), a close family friend, appears frequently in her entries. Together, these young leaders formed what became known as the Young Māori Party – a visionary collective working to uplift Māori health, education, land development and cultural pride. Friday February 8, 1907: Tawa only in Ohinemutu – arranging Porimi's funeral. Spent evening & had dinner with us… Brought some lovely peaches. He is a dear old father to us. Letter in Herald by W.B. Te Kuiti. A beautiful article written by an educated man and one who understands the Māori race. Kia ora W.B. Te Kuiti A Ake! Ake! Ake! One entry records Te Rangihiroa and his wife coming to live in the village. Others note her deep affection for her sister Bella, her grief when sending young nieces to boarding school, and the small joys and outrages of daily life. From lighthearted mentions of local observers satirising her haka, to fury at a policeman trying to stop villagers from bathing in their own pools, her voice is vivid. Sunday June 30, 1907: Constable came out and said Māoris were not to bathe in roadside bath and he took down the names of the people there. Like their impudence to talk and interfere with things on our own private grounds. The diary also captures moments of national significance. During Ngata's campaign for parliament, Mākereti records the excitement, the vehicles used to shuttle voters, the gatherings and the performances. Wednesday December 4, 1907: Great excitement over our own election for Apirana Ngata. We had a motorcar to convoy our people backwards and forwards… Big lunch at Wahiao for all the tribes and our own people. Everything a huge success.' And then, this mysterious note: Tuesday November 19, 1907: A day never to be forgotten. No explanation follows. But in the back of the diary is a name and address: Richard Staples-Brown, Brampton, Oxfordshire. Four years later, Mākereti would marry him. They later divorced. And she, ever determined, went on to enrol at Oxford University to study anthropology. She was in her fifties, living modestly, struggling with illness, and racing to finish her thesis when she died suddenly in 1930. Her friend and fellow anthropologist, Thomas K. Penniman, kept his promise to her. He helped ensure her manuscript, The Old-Time Maori, was published posthumously. In a 1936 letter to Bella Wiari, he wrote: 'Those of us who loved her and admired the Māori people are anxious that her work should be published without any mistakes, so that both the younger people of Te Arawa and the people of the world should know how fine the old Māori civilisation was, and what it has to contribute to the world.' That sentiment still rings true. Reading her diary over a century later, I see not only the voice of a pioneering scholar and cultural guide but the enduring wairua of a woman who loved her people, her village, and her world.
South Wales Guardian
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
We went for curry at My Indian on Wind Street, Ammanford
My Indian on Wind Street won best Newcomer of the Year at the 2024 Asian Curry Awards and has an average rating of 4.8 stars out of 5 on Tripadvisor. So, I was really looking forward to trying the food at this highly rated establishment. I had a poppadom and some sauces for starter. (Image: Newsquest) The first thing I noticed was the excellent service. I was taken to my table in quick time and my order was taken promptly by the waiter. For a small starter I decided to go for a poppadom which came with sauces and a couple of other things. The poppadom was crispy, and both sauces were flavoursome in their unique way. The green one had a minty taste, and the red one was sweet with a nice spicy kick. I ordered the Chicken Tawa Special, pilau rice and one plain naan bread for main. (Image: Newsquest) Then, for the main, I ordered pilau rice with the Chicken Tawa Special and one plain naan bread. The chicken was well-cooked, the Tawa sauce was tasty with a mild to medium level of heat and the rice was not al dente which I prefer when I'm eating Indian food. The service was brilliant at My Indian. (Image: Newsquest) If I'm being honest, I was a little disappointed with the naan bread. It was big, and I enjoyed dipping it into the sauce. But it didn't taste as fresh as I expected. I've had better naan bread – that's probably the best way to put it. My Indian has a recommendation ratio of 100% on Facebook. (Image: Newsquest) Overall, if you want to treat yourself one evening with some Indian food, My Indian is a solid option which is why I would give the restaurant a rating of 4 stars out of 5. This is my honest opinion, but you can look on Tripadvisor where My Indian has had two five-star reviews in April or on Facebook where it has a recommendation ratio of 100%.
