Toi Tangata E-Newsletter August 2015

Innovation
Award
Winners
TUNA - HE
TAONGA
TUKU IHO
A First Go At
Multi-Sport
He Pī Ka Rere wānanga ki
Puau Te Moananui A Kiwa
Toi Ako Training
Opportunities
Page 1
Contents
Toi Tangata Team
Contact Toi Tangata2
Leonie Matoe
Toi Tangata Team2
Pānui from the CEO
3
A First Go At Multi-Sport
4
Innovation Award Winner
- Caroline Fitzgerald at Beast
7
Innovation Award Winner
- Wiremu Sarich
8
Innovation Award Winner
- Te Mata Rangatira
9
He Pī Ka Rere wānanga ki
Puau Te Moananui A Kiwa
10
Tuna - He Taonga Tuku Iho 11
The Oxfam Trailwalker
14
KAIWHAKAHAERE MATUA – CEO
E: leonie@toitangata.co.nz
Callie Corrigan
KAIARAHI MATUA – PROGRAMMES
MANAGER
E: callie@toitangata.co.nz
Matire Seath
KAIWHAKAHAERE UMANGA – BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATOR
E: matire@toitangata.co.nz
Jessica Meads
KAIARAHI - CONSULTING DIETITIAN
E: jessica@toitangata.co.nz
Hariata Tai Rakena
KAIARAHI - TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT
SPECIALIST
E: hariata@toitangata.co.nz
Mason Ngawhika
CONSULTANT – NUTRITION
E: mason@toitangata.co.nz
Suaree Borell
OUTCOMES, PLANNING & EVALUATION
SPECIALIST
E: suaree@prologic.maori.nz
Page 2
Tēnā koutou e ngā hoa e ngakingaki i te
ora, ngā mihi nui ki a koutou i tēnei wā o te
hōtoke, noho piripiri e
Pānui from the CEO
So much has happened since our last news
publication. We have a new Board of Directors
who are profiled on our website and are in
the middle of a strategic review which could
mean more innovations emerging from the Toi
Tangata whare.
Māori nutrition and physical activity. We have
tried to highlight as many of these approaches
in this publication, including what some of you
have shared with us, we hope that you enjoy
the read and are inspired to share more of your
stories and your experiences with us.
We have been fortunate to have insight into the
Healthy Families New Zealand kaupapa that
draws on the collective wisdom of communities
to influence positive change. We have also had
a number of amazing interactions with different
groups around the motu which have influenced
and supported the direction in which we are
heading as a sector.
Ngā mihi
Leonie Matoe
CEO
I see Toi Tangata as a re-focused organisation,
pioneering ground-breaking kaupapa Māoribased approaches, that is, approaches based
on our own indigenous knowledge, combined
with contemporary methodologies that are
complementary to create new (albeit based
on traditional, tried and true systems) Māori
derived frameworks and practices as a basis for
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Up & Coming Toi Tangata
Opportunities
Toi Poto II
August
Toi Tipu
Pakari Tinana
August
Atua Matua
Wānanga
Uawa
11 - 12 September
For more information go to:
http://toitangata.co.nz/course
A First Go At Multi-Sport
Everyone remembers their first time. Well,
everyone who has done a multi-sport event
remembers their first time. It was through a
foggy haze of shared lunches and friendly
banter in the Toi Tangata office that I got our
team into this situation. As the big day drew
closer our team gathered in the whare tupuna,
having literally come in from the north and
south. Roll call for the team was basically
organised from the Christchurch Koru lounge.
I arrived first and lit the fire to warm the house
and the tinana of those coming to do their first
multi-sport event.
On the morning of race day the first three
alarms went unheard but as Saturday morning
kicked in (approximately 5.30am), bodies
quickly piled into showers and positive and
uplifting korero reminded us all that we would
get through the day.
Terror filled the air with the realisation that we
all had different head shapes- and hair for that
matter- and this would affect the usefulness
of the all-important helmet. We fired the text
through to the Toi Tangata wananga asking for
a spare helmet that could accommodate big
hair. At least we had forewarned the others.
Car doors slammed and we were on our way
to our first EVER multi-sport event.
We agreed to meet at the BP in Waihi, and this
almost went without a hitch. I chuckled at the
way my family interpret instructions but then
moved on, eager to find the other 45 Maori
who were participating in today’s event. To me,
they were all Gods and I felt really privileged to
be a part of it.
My navigator was not a direct descendant of
Kupe and we sailed past the marae two or
three times before realising where it is. In
the excitement and fog, we had missed the
massive Waihi Community Marae sign that
signalled our arrival.
Having crept our three vehicles into the car
park we raced into the whare kai to catch a
quick debrief. During the race overview we
patai ano for a spare helmet and our whanau
responded. My internal rational voice quietly
berated the fact that out of the list of gear to
bring, our team had only two items, the bike
and a helmet, and we hadn’t gotten that right.
We listened as best we could and rushed to get
ready. We assigned the legs of the race right
there in the wharekai and then piled back into
one car. The starting cyclist pumped the tyres
up, checked the helmet could accommodate
his hair and reality set in. We were really doing
this.
The first cyclist hadn’t had breakfast and I
harassed him to take some jelly beans, as we
fumbled through our race pack and donned the
team number. The scale of the event suddenly
kicked in. I continued to lay the important
messages on the nephew, “straight leg, drink
something, make sure the helmet is done up.”
He disregarded all my korero and cycled to the
start line with 45 others and in that moment, I
was so proud. He was me and I was him. He
might not have listened to a word I said but he
was there because I asked him to be.
Care and support swelled to pride and
excitement as the nephew streamed out
with the other competitors. The buzz hugged
each of us, friends with friends, mothers with
daughters and aunty and nephew.
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The cyclists looped back around and I was
given another opportunity to shame, I mean,
support my nephew. I saw he hadn’t listened
at all, but decided I still loved him and just
wanted him to finish safely. I think quietly we
were just hoping to finish.
Check Point One
We had a brief morning ablution stop on the
ride over and pulled up to take our place among
the crowds. I secretly rejoiced and squealed
with delight that my section would be flat– like
flat flat. I then moved my attention to willing
the nephew across the line. He arrived looking
challenged yet victorious and I fussed over him
to eat something again. I was really proud and
could tell he enjoyed it. At the beginning I had
said he could leave after his leg was completed
but he said he wanted to stay. I won’t deny that
this gave me great cause to smile.
next person, gushing and talking about their
“amazing, beautiful adventure.”
Check point Two
This was where I came in- the easy seriously
flat 10km road cycle. My rational mind said
it was going to be easy. I kept telling myself
“you have been cycling in the gym for 15kms
for the last fortnight, you will be fine.” But my
conscious mind kicked in saying “pedalling in a
gym is different to pedalling for reals.”
Our crew came in and we donned the cycling
gear and began our leg. It was a hoot. I
remember three things from my leg, a dead
mouse on the road, my mate asking me if
my gear was alright and another mate telling
me I was in the wrong gear. Through those
memories I cycled the short flat distance and
finished knowing this wouldn’t be my last
event. I loved the team togetherness and the
short but fleeting moments you have when you
go to another space to physically finish a leg. It
wasn’t challenging but every revolution of the
cycle was a revolution you could bail out of. But
when your team is relying on you, you pedal for
them and that’s what gets you through. I rolled
in, jumped off my bike –cool as a cucumber
and handed the baton on…
Check Point Three
Our kayakers looked the part and all made
safely in the water. In and on the water was the
first step. However, gaining momentum in a
forward direction appeared to take a bit longer.
‘Stroke, stroke, wait, hang on, stroke’ was the
view from the shoreline. 300 metres in and we
had a break through- our team looked set to
nail it. We waved them off and watched them
disappear around the first corner.
Having waited with anticipation for our team to
return, the familiar ‘stroke, stroke, wait, hang
on, stroke’ appeared on the horizon. The
‘hang on’ moments had lessened and there
were smiles from ear to ear. They ran to the
check point and handed over the baton to the
Check point three was the 10km run. Much
like the kayakers, our runner looked the part
as she jogged to the shoreline, her baby blue
come grey singlet matching the hue of the sky.
The beginning of this leg was flat and showed
a snapshot of how awesome coastal living
could be in Aotearoa. She disappeared over
the slight rise and into the distance. We made
good time to the next checkpoint and milled
about and making sure she would have kai,
liquid refreshments and a keen cheering team
to greet her when she finished. Our tautoko
person was awesome and dedicated to the
role. We got the kai and then moved down to
the actual checkpoint. The location revealed
an awesome view and a narrowed down field.
Where there had been heaps of people at the
first check point, this one had less than 20.
Page 5
There were 20 bikes awaiting eager riders and
we joined the action front and centre. As the
first person arrived, we realised that this was
the tough leg. The competitor swore and looked
indignantly at the ground. We reassessed our
kai manaaki for our runner and hoped it would
be enough. Far off in the distance a familiar
blue flickered. We cheered her through and
threw her food at her waiting for her to catch
a breath. She told us just how tough it was,
“that’s not a track, that’s for goats.”
And with that our mountain bike rider high
tailed it out and up to the hills.
we were some of the last ones across the line
but we didn’t care. The DJ was keeping spirits
high and we saw other competitors celebrating
at the end- the mutant ninja turtles, wonder
women and a koro who had done the entire
event on his own - ka rawe! We looked for our
team and again the faint baby blue/grey singlet
dotted the horizon and we knew that our team
was near. Following this my nephew, who
did every leg in a hoodie, arrived. He turned
and waited for our kayaker and together they
crossed the line. Victory was theirs and we
were all so proud.
Check Point Four
Like the previous leg there was little knowledge
of the challenges of this leg. We knew he left
looking the part and we knew he was young,
fit and strong enough to get through. At
check point four we waited with anticipation,
applauding other teams coming in. It was
a buzz seeing both people you know and
those you don’t arriving awash with smiles,
determination and focus. It was a contagious
atmosphere. Support teams manned stations
and waited for their runners, officials checked
that rules were followed, and competitors willed
themselves to take on the next leg. We left
this checkpoint eager to see where our rider
was. We theorised about where the track was
and hoped he was doing alright. However,
with a crash, bang and slide our cyclist’s bike
hit the turf. He arrived physically pushed but
victorious. He described the test as terrible
and far worse than he expected.
Everyone had done their part and we were
ready for the last leg. An executive decision
to apply the tuakana-teina approach and the
three youngest team-mates ran the last 2kms
home.
The event that we were all new to was done
and dusted in 7 hours and 21 minutes. The
finish line millers and hangers-about told us
that you could request a song for when you
cross the line. I wasn’t fast enough this time–
but for next year I’m going to go with anything
Michael Jackson.
So if you’re not doing anything this time next
year, come down to the Waihi Nugget finish
line and jam to some MJ. You never know, you
might want to come and finish to your own jam.
Author: Suaree Borell
Check Point Five
Those who weren’t running the final leg
scrambled up the hill and assessed the victory
line. We didn’t know what to do, we didn’t know
how worked. It all looked official and we figured
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Innovation Award Winner - Caroline
Fitzgerald at Beast
It’s no secret that rugby is the most popular
sport for boys in Aotearoa and in being so, it
plays an important role in many boys’ lives
and development. Having recognised a gap
in mental fitness development in boys’ rugby,
Innovation Award winner, Caroline Fitzgerald
and her team at Beast set out on a mission to
remedy this.
The team understands that learning about
these fundamentals, such as mind-set,
character strengths, communication, goal
setting and flow can improve not only sports
performance, but also overall wellbeing. With
that in mind, Beast has been opening the door
for high school rugby coaches and players alike
to access insights from mental skills experts,
top coaches, and professional players.
On winning the Toi Tangata Innovation Award
the Beast team made the decision to put the
winnings towards running co-design sessions
with players.
“We believe players should be involved in the
creation of the Beast solution and product so it
is meaningful and relevant to them.”
“Currently only a select few players have the
opportunity to participate in high quality mental
fitness training. Beast wants to open the door
for more players to access these tools to
enhance their lives. When players and player
whanau are asked what they hope to get out
of rugby, physical fitness and sporting success
aren’t usually at the top of the list. Making
social connections that are lasting, teamwork,
and self-development are top priority.”
Their aim is to develop a minimal viable product
by November 2015.
“This is a basic prototype of the product
specifically designed to learn rather than to
sell. It will give us something tangible to show
players and will allow us to get feedback before
we launch the actual product. It’s a constant
cycle of build, test, learn.”
Ngā mihi nui ki a koe e Caroline, koutou ko te
tima, Beast. Kei runga noa atu koutou!
Page 7
Innovation Award Winner - Wiremu Sarich
Derived from the traditional philosophies of
taonga tākaro, Wiremu Sarich of Te Runanga
o Te Rarawa has developed Ako a series of
games that offer virtually limitless opportunities
for students and teachers alike to engage in the
past times of tupuna Maori. Using resources
made from natural materials (aka, harakeke,
pingao) Ako creates new ways of encouraging
and fostering kōrerotanga (communication),
mahi tahi (cooperation), whakakotahitanga
o te tangata (coordination), using creativity,
story-telling and local histories.
“Ako is my attempt at refocusing attention from
taonga tākaro as simply physical activities/
alternative sport and focus on the inherent
educational qualities/pedagogies the games
house.”
Originally it was intended for just a handful
of students but it didn’t take Wiremu long to
realise how powerful the games were as a
learning tool and he now uses it with all age
groups and in several learning environments
from home school groups to early childhood
centres, college students and teachers.
“When I first came up with the idea I knew it had
infinite possibilities and nothing has changed
that thought. In fact it has been reinforced.”
Winning the Toi Tangata Innovation Award
allowed Wiremu to attend the Natural
Phenomena Conference in Whangarei where
he held a workshop with about 30 educators.
This conference caters to teachers in early
childhood and primary schools who are looking
for ways to engage and play within nature.
The workshop was a success and as a direct
result Wiremu was not only invited back as a
guest speaker for the next Natural Phenomena
Conference in 2016 but was approached by
several of the participants to hold workshops
at various conferences throughout the country
including IDEC 2015 which was held in April
this year in Whakatuu (Nelson).
“At the IDEC conference I was able to
introduce Ako to an international audience
with great success and interest. The simplicity
of the program allows the participant to view
traditional games within a contemporary
context. [But] more importantly though it made
me realise that Ako is just as relevant for
teachers as it is kids, which reinforces its name
Ako (reciprocal learning) and in fact would be
more beneficial for kids if teachers understood
more about taonga tākaro in general.”
Opportunities abound for Wiremu who has
been invited to an international indigenous
games festival held in Brazil this October.
“I have been invited to attend and promote
Ako, I am hoping to take the opportunity but
need to look at ways to finance the trip.”
Wiremu says that in the future he would like to
see Ako evolve organically in whatever form it
manifests itself.
“More recently I have been presenting under
the title ‘Aro Tākaro; te pu o Ako’ (artefacts of
play; the origins of learning), which has been a
natural transition of the program highlighting the
use of natural resource to create implements of
play. This then reconnects us to Papa, Rangi,
Tane and so on.”
Ka mau te wehi to mahi, Wiremu!
Page 8
Innovation Award Winner - Te Mata Rangatira
Innovation award winning team Te Mata
Rangatira are in the process of revolutionising
the face of leadership for Hauraki rangatahi.
In looking back to the mahi of their tupuna,
the team’s overarching goal is to ‘infect the
masses with tupuna infused modern swag.’
The masterminds behind the kaupapa are the
super duo of Carrie Taipari and Frank Thorne,
who saw a need for leadership development of
rangatahi in their community.
“What we saw was a lot of rangatahi hungry
for a connection to te ao Maori and a sense of
identity.”
With the support of Te Korowai Hauora O
Hauraki and the kaupapa having only been
initiated in September of 2014, Te Mata
Rangatira has been moving mountains in a
short space of time.
Determined to make a difference, Carrie and
Frank took on the challenge to mentor and
develop young leaders and from what started
as a group of around 12 students from a local
school, Te Mata Rangatira has now grown to
around 20 rangatahi from the local area.
“In the beginning we would meet with one
group for 45 minutes a week during school
time to plan and strategise.”
But with the group increasing in number and
several students attending different schools,
most of the mahi is done in the weekends and
during the school holidays.
“During the holidays we might do a four day
wananga or noho with them, and we meet up
two or three times a week at waka ama as
well.”
The team is made up of a group of young
artists, musicians, performers and athletes,
who aim to inspire and motivate the masses
with their unique mash up of the traditional
values of whanaungatanga and kotahitanga
and the modern world of today’s teens.
Page 9
Although they take on many projects including
leadership workshops and Youth Fests, their
current long term project is the Tupuna Trail.
Based on the stories of Marutūahu, rangatira
of the Hauraki and Kawhia area, it is to be a
physical trail tracing his journey through the
rohe. The rangatahi, under the guidance of
Carrie and Frank, are creating an actual hikoi
utilising the technology of QR coding.
“We are working on developing a website
and creating code spots at various landmarks
along the trail. You’ll be able to scan the QR
codes with a phone or device and it will take
you to links with information on the history of
the area. When you get to certain points you’ll
be able to learn the whakapapa of it.”
Winning the innovation award has opened
doors and created new opportunities with other
organisations approaching the team in support
of the kaupapa, offering help in different ways
whether it’s through other initiatives becoming
involved or offers of help to find funding.
“Involving the rangatahi in the award process
and then winning really boosted their
confidence even more. They’re even keener to
try things they haven’t tried before now, they’re
real inspirations.”
And Carrie and Frank won’t stop there. “A goal
of ours is that the kids we have are able to be
credited for mahi so we are working towards
NCEA and Unit Standard accreditation.”
“These kids are from all over, not just the
Hauraki, but by showing them this local
example of the journey of Marutūahu to become
a leader, find his identity and establish tribes,
it will teach them how to trace that process
themselves.”
They admit that it’s a lot of work but maintain
that passion is a major factor- and that is
something they have in truckloads.
“We’ve been getting feedback from teachers
who are amazed at what some of these kids
are achieving. It’s all worth it.”
It is an exciting initiative that they aim to have
at working model stage by the end of the year
and are hoping to launch early 2016.
Ngā mihi nui ki a korua e Carrie raua ko Frank,
koutou ko te tima, Te Mata Rangatira. Kei
runga noa atu koutou!
He Pī Ka Rere wānanga ki Puau Te
Moananui A Kiwa Kohanga Reo
A roopu out of Puau Te Moana nui a Kiwa
Kohanga Reo took part in a one day wānanga
in the kaupapa He Pī Ka Rere. This followed on
from a purapura presentation to gain interest
in the central and eastern parts of Tamaki
Makaurau. The wānanga was a success and
it was awesome to see the enthusiasm and
passion of the kaiako who are now able to
deliver something beneficial and appropriate
for their tamariki. The positive response to
the kaupapa has been great and they are
now looking to share the kaupapa with their
purapura.
Page 10
Tuna - He Taonga Tuku Iho
To te iwi Māori tuna were and still are a major
source of sustenance. Unfortunately though,
the pollution of our waterways has had a
huge impact on tuna numbers. It is widely
acknowledged that the health and vitality of
a river or waterway is reflected in the health
of the tuna. Where tuna are plentiful, fat and
look healthy (smooth clean skin, no hakihaki)
it is a sign that the water is clean, lacking in
pollutants and the mauri of the river is strong.
Many elders believe the tuna themselves play
an active role in keeping the rivers healthy.
There are a number of stories associated with
the origin of the tuna, perhaps the most wellknown shared throughout Polynesia is the story
of Hina, Maui and the great tuna. A giant eel
once attempted to woo Hina, a wife (or sister)
of the demigod Māui. As punishment, Māui cut
the Tuna in half. One half landed in the sea
and became the conger eel. The other half fell
in a river and turned into the freshwater eel.
Tuna are an ancient species and have been
the guardians of our waterways for millions
of years. Within our fresh waters there are
two main species which have many different
names depending on iwi, shape, season and
colour. The short fin variety is often referred to
as Hao Tuna and are native to Aotearoa but
can also be found in other parts of the Pacific.
The long fin kind are often called the Orea and
are one of the world’s largest eels. They are
only found here in Aotearoa.
There are a number of methods of catching the
tuna.
• Hīnaki (eel pots)
• Pā tuna (eel weirs)
• Toī (bobbing without hooks)
• Kōrapa (hand-netting)
• Rapu tuna (eel seeking feeling with hands
and feet, then catching with hands)
• Takahi tuna (trampling then catching with
hands)
• Rama tuna (using torch light)
• Patu tuna (eel striking)
• Matarau (spearing)
• Kōwaawa (eel trenches).
Page 11
Although tuna can be caught at any time of the
year, the best time to catch them is during their
migration. During this heke tuna can be caught
in massive numbers. Whilst migrating, tuna
do not feed so their flesh has not been tainted
by the foods they eat. This is reflected in the
whakatauki ‘he tino reka rawa atu te tuna heke’.
At the same time every year adult tuna make
their way to the sea to gather at the spawning
grounds to the east of New Caledonia where
they mate and die. However, their offspring, if
they survive, will return to repopulate the rivers
of Aotearoa.
Our tupuna employed a number of tikanga to
ensure the sustainability of tuna. One example
of sustainability is in the Whanganui River.
Hapū would use only one or two tributaries
every year which would allow the other
tributaries to remain untouched for up to 8-10
years. Now that’s sustainability.
proportion of eggs. Our tupuna sure were
sharp.
Last year Toi Tangata were very lucky to spend
time with Karl Russell and amongst other
activities do some rama tuna and hīnaki. Some
of the tuna were pāwhara (flattened out) while
others were simply cut into sections, lightly
floured and fried. Te tuna. He taonga tuku iho.
Preparing Tuna
In Wairewa on the Banks Peninsula, the locals
use cues of nature to practice sustainability.
The first of the tuna that begin their heke are
the smaller male hao tuna, which are generally
not caught. Next the larger female hao tuna
begin their migration and the tuna season
proper begins. After a while, the orea or long
fin tuna begin their heke; first the males, then
the females. Soon after the Pou Tuna begin
to be seen. These are especially large female
tuna and this is the tohu to the eelers that the
tuna season should now be over. Scientists
have since shown that these Pou Tuna make
a massive contribution by producing a higher
Tuna are a sustaining kai that are rich in both
protein and fat. A good proportion of the fat in
tuna comes from monounsaturated (MUFA)
and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fats. These are
linked to helping out our health and heart.
They also carry other important nutrients
such as vitamin A, D, E and K which help us
function optimally. Interestingly, tuna are also a
higher source of zinc than other oily fish such
as salmon. All of these nutritional properties of
tuna ensured our tupuna were well nourished
and able to thrive. The high fat conent was
also beneficial to help preserve and cook the
tuna so that it could sustain them throughout
the year.
So ka pai, you have caught your tuna either
with a spear or hīnaki. Now it is time to process
or prepare it for cooking so that you too can
receive the nutritional koha that tuna have to
offer. The method we used with Matua Karl
Russell was to hang the tuna by their heads
to dry out overnight. Choose a dry place away
from cheeky kurī or ngeru that may take off
with them. For our tuna it was out the back
Page 12
of the whare kai on the washing line tied with
harakeke and left overnight.
Other common methods to clean the tuna
before drying it out include dipping the tuna
into very hot water for 30 seconds or until it
has a milky appearance or coating it in salt for
a few hours before rubbing or wiping off all the
slime.
For whichever method you choose, the next
step is to pāwhara the tuna. Remove the gut,
backbone, head and tail. At this stage the
flattened out tuna traditionally were dipped into
salt water before being hung out to dry for up
to 24 hours. This would dry them out so that
they could be stored and eaten at a later date.
If you are going to enjoy the tuna fresh they are
now ready to be grilled, baked or smoked once
they have been pāwhara.
Baked Tuna
1 whole eel, gutted and cleaned
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons oil for basting
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 ˚C
2. Once the tuna has been cleaned,
deboned and flattened out, cut it in half
and pat it dry on the inside and out. Rub
salt all over the tuna.
3. Place tuna in a baking pan.
4. Drizzle with oil.
5. Bake until the skin is crispy and browned.
The meat should be tender. It should
take 25-30 minutes.
Smoked Tuna
1 whole tuna, gutted and cleaned
Brown sugar or golden syrup
Smoker and wood
Method:
1. Tuna pāwhara – clean and prepare
tuna, remove the gut and backbone then
flatten out.
2. Depending on the size of your smoker
either:
3. Cut off the head and tail, split open the
tuna and cut into 10 cm lengths, or;
4. In a large smoker hang the tuna with its
head on or off
5. Cover tuna flesh with brown sugar or
golden syrup to enhance the flavours
6. Prepare your smoker. Use strong
scented woods like Manuka or even a
few twigs of rosemary will add a bit of
flavour to the tuna.
7. If using a horizontal smoker lay the tuna
with the flesh side up. If you are smoking
the tuna vertically make sure they are
well attached with a hook and string so
they don’t fall off when cooked.
8. Smoke until the flesh is soft. For best
results, smoke at a cooler temperature
for longer.
Grilled Tuna
1 whole tuna, gutted and cleaned
Method:
1. Cut the prepared tuna into large pieces
and place in the pan skin side up as this
allows the fat to escape while cooking.
2. Cook under a moderately hot grill for
about 15 – 20 minutes until the skin is
crisp.
Page 13
The Oxfam Trailwalker
Over the last weekend of March Toi Tangata
team members Suaree and Hariata took on
the Oxfam Trailwalker. With the team mantra
‘distance makes the heart grow stronger,’ their
aptly named team ‘Hard Knox Aotearoa’ took
on this challenging 100km walk throughout
Tūwharetoa whenua, around Taupō. The
event itself is set to raise funds for Oxfam,
a charity group that carries out powerful aid
work throughout the Pacific. Before taking a
single step on the track though, each team is
expected to raise a minimum of two thousand
dollars in sponsorship. That in itself is no mean
feat!
Leading up to the event there was a sense of
responsibility, excitement and nerves as the
team prepared to step into the unknown. Suaree
took charge of the tautoko team armed with
aroha and manaakitanga at the checkpoints i
te rā, i te pō. The event was really challenging
in more ways than just the blisters- of which
there were many.
There were extreme challenges with three
steady climbs to overcome in the first 50
kilometres but the opportunity to savour the
amazing scenery was bliss. Moments like
those remind us that we are blessed to call
such a beautiful country home. A highlight for
Hariata was on the most challenging, second
to last section. Setting off at ten o’clock at night
to take on an 18km leg in the rain after already
walking for the entire previous day really tested
the team’s inner strength. As it turned out it
was to be the final leg for the team as a whole.
Their bodies had been pushed to their limits
and some team members needed to retire.
The final 300 metre stretch leading up to that
checkpoint was taken on with grace and the
team powered through, hand in hand.
In the end the team was out there for a
whopping 26 hours, from start to finish. Taupō
provided an amazing ātea for experiences of
personal growth. He mihi aroha to everyone
who was involved in this life changing and true
grit forming event.
Page 14