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RNZ News
3 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
King's Birthday Honours: Joe Conrad - 'I just do what I do'
Veteran canoe paddler and Ngātokimatawhaorua captain, Joe Conrad. Photo: Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira Joe Conrad (Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kuri, Ngāi Takoto, Te Rarawa and Ngāti Hauā) has been involved in waka kaupapa since the mid-1990s, and for years now has led as kaihautū (captain) of Ngā Toki Matawhaorua - the stunning ceremonial waka that many of us have seen in action at Waitangi. He helped keep waka knowledge alive, brought communities together through culture, and built international connections with other indigenous peoples. In addition to that, Conrad has helped support Treaty negotiations, and more recently taken on a new role supporting male survivors of sexual violence in Te Tai Tokerau. And on Monday, he was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori, particularly kaupapa waka. He told RNZ he got the call while he was "out on 90 Mile Beach having a fish". "Because I wasn't answering my phone calls from the prime minister's office, they actually rang me directly and said, 'Don't hang the phone up anymore because we're trying to give you an honour.' … I sort of didn't know what to think actually, you know? I just do what I do." His journey began in the mid-1970s when his dad - then captain of the Ngā Toki Matawhaorua - "dragged" him along to Waitangi. "I don't think Mum and Dad trusted us at home by ourselves… it's all history now, and, much appreciated for the recognition that people thought that I'd done well." One of his biggest influencers was Sir Hector Busby, a navigator and traditional waka builder. "I spent probably most of my adult life getting growled at by him over those years and, you know, you have to have people of that calibre around you growing up. With my dad and Uncle Hector and Sir James Hēnare and all those old elders of that time… taught us some very, very knowledgeable lessons, and you sort of continue to evolve from their level. "And today being in command, I suppose, I need to leave something behind for the next generation that's coming up behind me, and hopefully the influence those old leaders have passed on to us is not to be taken away when I go away, to be left to encourage the younger generation to evolve again to another level." Conrad used his waka expertise to assist efforts to spread Māori culture around the world, particularly Europe. "We were part of Team New Zealand when we challenged Valencia at that time, and our Prime Minister Auntie Helen (Clark), she mentioned to Uncle Hector and I about, have we ever thought of building a waka and leaving it in Europe? Knowing that… Māori or New Zealand were starting to grow within our arts around the world." Around the same time, New Zealand's Te Papa Tongarewa was trying to repatriate tattooed heads from a museum in the Netherlands taken "by the flick of a pen or by the point of a gun". Joe Conrad, kaihautū (captain) of the great waka Ngātokimatawhaorua, briefs paddlers ahead of a training session for Waitangi Day 2025. Photo: RNZ/Peter de Graaf Conrad said many European nations were keen to get a waka, but the Netherlands got it - on permanent loan - thanks to their swift response to New Zealand's request. "From there we grew that relationship… it just exploded after that , and now we have up to 200 to 300 young Dutch boys and Dutch girls part of the kaupapa up in Holland, a lot of them trying to speak Māori or know how to speak te reo." Conrad took a waka to the UK for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee in 2012 - and it was an immediate hit with some. "Representatives from all over the world, other countries were seeing us doing this ceremony every morning, blessing our waka - so one morning we turned up and we couldn't even launch our waka, there were that many other boats and vessels parked in our moor and wanted their vessels blessed as well." But not everyone was happy to see them, Conrad explained, with an "uproar" in the British media over the uniquely New Zealand cultural display the crew had planned. "We were supposed to line up and raise your paddles in the air and give three hearty cheers to the queen, 'hip hip hooray', and so we come past on the log and started poking tongues and chanting our normal chants, and yeah, very well applauded by the queen at that time." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
26-05-2025
- Climate
- NZ Herald
Weather alert for Northland: Risk of heavy rain and severe thunderstorms
Heavy rain in April caused slips that twice closed SH1 over Mangamuka Gorge, south of Kaitāia. Now Northlanders are being urged to prepare for heavy rain again. Stormy weather is on the way tonight for Te Tai Tokerau, with Civil Defence Northland urging people to drive with extra care and stay up-to-date with forecasts. MetService NZ has issued two alerts for Northland – a Heavy Rain Watch and a Severe Thunderstorm Watch – from 5pm on Monday to around 6am Tuesday. The severe weather is part of a front expected to bring rain and thunderstorms to western parts of the North Island, from Taranaki northwards. The Heavy Rain Watch for Northland warns of periods of heavy rain with possible downpours. There is a moderate chance of this upgrading to an orange Heavy Rain Warning. The Severe Thunderstorm Watch warns of possible localised downpours, with rainfall rates of 25mm/h to 40mm/h.
RNZ News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Proposal to change Russell's name to Kororāreka declined
Russell in Te Tai Tokerau/Northland. Photo: 123RF The New Zealand Geographic Board has announced the proposal to change the name of the Northland town Russell to its original Māori has been declined. The board publicly consulted on the proposal from the Kororāreka Marae Society to officially name Russell 'Kororāreka' in 2023. The decision was made by Minister for Land Information Chris Penk, as part of of his overseeing place naming. In September 2021 the Kororāreka Marae Society lodged a name-change application with the New Zealand Geographic Board, which considered three options: An outright change to Kororāreka, the dual name Kororāreka/Russell, or the alternative names option, where both names have equal standing. A report from December 2022 showed the board's preferred option was for an outright change from Russell to Kororāreka. However, minutes from the board's June 2023 meeting, released under the Official Information Act, show the board asked the minister for land information at that time, Damien O'Connor, to make the final determination. Name-change decisions are sometimes referred to the minister if they are especially contentious. A decision was expected in 2023 but O'Connor had not made up his mind when Labour was voted out of office in the general election later that year. The responsibility then passed to National's Chris Penk, Land Information Minister in the new government. In late 2024 Penk released a number of decisions - both for and against name changes - but Kororāreka/Russell was not among them. More to come... Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Proposal to change Russell's name to Kororāreka declined by NZ Geographic Board
Russell in Te Tai Tokerau/Northland. Photo: 123RF The New Zealand Geographic Board has announced the proposal to change the name of the Northland town Russell to its original Māori has been declined. The board publicly consulted on the proposal from the Kororāreka Marae Society to officially name Russell 'Kororāreka' in 2023. The decision was made by Minister for Land Information Chris Penk, as part of of his overseeing place naming. In September 2021 the Kororāreka Marae Society lodged a name-change application with the New Zealand Geographic Board, which considered three options: An outright change to Kororāreka, the dual name Kororāreka/Russell, or the alternative names option, where both names have equal standing. A report from December 2022 showed the board's preferred option was for an outright change from Russell to Kororāreka. However, minutes from the board's June 2023 meeting, released under the Official Information Act, show the board asked the minister for land information at that time, Damien O'Connor, to make the final determination. Name-change decisions are sometimes referred to the minister if they are especially contentious. A decision was expected in 2023 but O'Connor had not made up his mind when Labour was voted out of office in the general election later that year. The responsibility then passed to National's Chris Penk, Land Information Minister in the new government. In late 2024 Penk released a number of decisions - both for and against name changes - but Kororāreka/Russell was not among them. More to come... Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
19-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
New Zealand's largest te reo Māori only netball event thriving on the court
Puni Reo Poitarawhiti is Aotearoa's first te reo Māori only netball tournament, bringing together students from kura kaupapa Māori and kura auraki (mainstream schools). Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ A kaupapa Māori netball tournament is committed to creating a space where te reo Māori is the norm - on and off the court - and where tamariki can compete, connect and kōrero in an environment that uplifts the language. Hundreds of players and supporters gathered at Netball Waitākare last Friday for Puni Reo Poitarawhiti - the country's biggest netball tournament conducted entirely in te reo Māori. Underpinned by whanaungatanga, the event is continuing to grow - with over 76 teams from kura kaupapa Māori and kura auraki competing and celebrating the Māori language at the 2025 whakataetae. The theme for the kaupapa is 'Ko te Reo te Take!' meaning 'The language is the reason!' Organisers say Puni Reo Poitarawhiti was built for all ākonga Māori - including those in mainstream schools - to help them grow their confidence in te ao Māori. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ The annual tournament began in 2018 with just 60 teams. It's now grown into a significant kaupapa in the wider language revitalisation movement, drawing in kura from across Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau. Marutawhaorere Delamere (Whānau Apanui, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Maniapoto) has helped lead the kaupapa from the very beginning. He said the growth of the tournament was proof that te reo Māori and te ao Māori continue to flourish - regardless of politics. Marutawhaorere Delamere (Whānau Apanui, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Maniapoto) says the growth of the tournament was proof that te reo Māori and te ao Māori continue to flourish. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ "He tino harikoa, mai i te orokotimatanga o te kaupapa, ka kite mātou i ngā tau kua āta puāwai te nuinga o ngā kura, ngā tīma e tino hiakai ana ki tēnei o ngā kaupapa." It's fantastic to see the turnout. Since its inception, this competition has continued to attract more and more schools wanting to participate. It's really uplifting to see so many different schools show such an eagerness and dedication to celebrate te reo. "Wā tātou tamariki Māori e noho ana i ngā wāhi tauiwi, tā rātou tino hiakai. Nō reira he tino pai, ka koa te ngākau. He nui te aroha atu ki ngā tāngata kua whai wā ki te kaupapa." It's really heartening to see the growth of Pākehā supporting this kaupapa and helping expand the environments outside of school where our tamariki Māori can use their reo in practical everyday situations like this. We are very thankful to all the schools that take part. Signage with popular netball-related kupu can be seen hanging around the centre - encouraging ākonga to feel confident to use te reo on the day. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ One of the most important aspects of the kaupapa was that players were penalised for speaking English during gameplay - a rule that helps normalise te reo Māori in competitive, high-energy spaces. Delamere said this was something embedded in the competition from the very beginning. "Nō reira koina pea te aaki o te kaupapa - ki ngā kaitākaro kia mau ki te reo me te arero Māori i a rātou e tākaro ana. Ka kite pea i roto anō i te āhuatanga harikoa o te tangata, i te āhua wairua toa o te tangata, i tā rātou e hiakai ana i te reo." This is much more than a netball competition - this is a challenge for everyone involved. Whether they're playing or on the sidelines, the aim is to stick to te reo Māori and encourage players to keep te reo Māori in their minds. "Nō reira koira tētahi o ngā tino ture e āta tiro ana e te komiti whakahaere - me pēhea pea te whakawhānui, kia mau tonu ki te reo Māori i te papa tākaro katoa - haunga anō ngā kaitākaro, ngā kairīwhi, ngā kaiako anō hoki." Often in environments like this, it's easy to slip back into English because there's a lot of energy - so it's a great mental challenge to stay focused on your language. This is something the organisers, referees, and everyone monitors . We encourage everyone to speak Māori no matter what level they're at. It's a fantastic way to expand and embed Māori as a normal, everyday language. The kaupapa Māori event is now in its fifth year and continues to grow with over 76 teams from kura kaupapa Māori and kura auraki competing and celebrating the Māori language. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ Delamere said while kura kaupapa Māori continued to champion te reo, Puni Reo Poitarawhiti was built for all ākonga Māori - including those in mainstream schools - to help them grow their confidence in te ao Māori. "E ngana ana ki te kōrero. Ko ētahi o ngā kura he kura auraki, engari e mau ana i ētahi kaupapa Māori i roto anō i tā rātou kura. Engari e ngana ana. Engari koira te tino kaupapa o te Puni Reo - ehara i te mea kāore e hiahia kia hoatu i tētahi wā mō ngā kura kaupapa, engari e hiahia ana ki te toro atu ki ā tātou tamariki Māori." "Kei te mōhio mātou kāore e whai wāhi ana ki te kura kaupapa Māori, te wharekura anō hoki, e whakaatuhia rātou te ātaahua o tō tātou reo. Koira pea te tino aronga mō tēnei kaupapa." A lot of mainstream schools are participating now. While they're mainstream, many of them have classes or units for te reo Māori. The main thing isn't fluency for our participants - it's more about using the language outside of school. The goal was never to create this kaupapa as a space for kura kaupapa alone. We wanted to extend the invitation to as many kura as possible so their students - not just the Māori students - had the opportunity to be a part of something that celebrates their language and culture in such an exciting and unifying way. Professor Jenny Lee-Morgan (Waikato Ngāti Mahuta, Te Ahiwaru) championed the kaupapa alongside her husband Eruera Lee-Morgan in 2018, after realising that despite the large Māori presence in community netball, te reo Māori was still missing from the court. "I takaro netipōro ahau i te wā e tamariki ana, whā tekau ngā tau inaianei, kāre au i rongo i taku reo e puta mai. Ahakoa te nuinga he Māori, nō reira, kua tae te wa kia whakaamāori te katoa o ngā wāhi mā tatou mo te iwi nei. I used to play netball, some 40 years ago now, and despite the majority of the players, coaches etc being Māori, I never heard our language. So, when my kids started playing our whānau decided it was time to change that. She said this kind of environment is a fun and less formal place for tamariki to speak te reo openly and be surrounded by others who will support them. "Tuatahi ko te reo i tino whai wāhi mātou ko tōku whānau e ngā wāhi kōrero Māori ana mo aku tamariki." First and foremost, we are here for the language, our whānau are constantly searching for places and events that allow us and our children especially to celebrate our language. Professor Jenny Lee-Morgan (Waikato Ngāti Mahuta, Te Ahiwaru) championed Puni Reo Poitarawhiti alongside her husband Eruera Lee-Morgan in 2018, after realising that despite the large Māori presence in community netball, te reo Māori was still missing from the court. Photo: Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ "Tokotoru aku tamariki ki konei i tēnei ra e rua ngā kura. Kia whai wāhi kia kōrero Māori kia whakanui i te reo kia tāku i te reo, kia harikoa ngā tamariki i te wā e takaro ana, tērā te take e hara mai ana ki tēnei kaupapa." I have three of my children participating today. We want our children in environments that normalise our language in an exciting, fun and exhilarating way, that's why we are a part of this. Looking forward, Delamere said they want to see this kaupapa expand and go further beyond netball. "Nō reira he koa ngā ngākau i tērā, me te kite atu he aha pea te pitomata o tēnei momo kaupapa i ngā hākinakina rerekē - haunga ko te pōitarawhiti, pēnei i te poitūkohu - haunga anō ngā kēmu Māori pēnei i te waka ama, te kī-o-rahi, ko ngā kēmu e tino kite ana i te nui o ngā tāngata Pākehā." We really want to see this expand and go further beyond netball - we want it on the basketball courts too. We've managed this in sports like waka ama and kī-o-rahi, and we want it to grow. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
