Owae weavers, Waitara carnival

From: Margret

Sent: 2/11/2005 5:44 p.m.

Labour Weekend 2005 Friday evening and onto the car was Richard, Margret, Aynsley and Keegan, bound for Taranaki. Wet Friday, Windy Saturday, Wonderful Sunday, Woesome Monday ... Saturday - too windy for the intended skydiver to leap onto the Marine Park at Waitara's West Beach.  The main street was excited with scores of stalls operating on the footpath and the adjacent businesses selling their products at discounted amounts. Mum, Aunty Mona, worked from 10am until 4.30pm selling hangi for the Te Atiawa Kaumatua Kaunihera.  The stuffing was brilliant and plentiful and the food smoke free.  Choice.  Up at Owae, the first open day of the National Weaver's Conference was set over the marae.  Harakeke weavers sat on the lawn, under the eaves and in the beautiful marquee.  The display of woven items housed in the dining room was inspiring.  On Sunday, we ventured up there again and took Mum.  She shared in the beauty of the displays and chatted with whanau and met one of Aunty Ruby's nieces. Along with Mum, Aynsley and I were introduced to an 82 yearold Siletz Indian woman from southern Oregon.  Agnes Pilgrim-Baker, a living treasure of her tribe, came to Aotearoa to participate in the hui and brought two fellow Oregonians, tama, with her.  Mum's brothers, Garry and Darcy Nicholas were the convenors of the Toi Maori exhibition that was/is touring San Francisco and Portland, Oregon and were now in Waitara for the event. On Sunday, Mum hosted a meal at the SunWorld restaurant in New Plymouth and those who could attend were thanked for their help at the tangi up at the Hungaririki Marae.  Dennis and Irene Patuwairua, Kerry Taylor, Eddie and Sandra Litchwark and two Litchwark young ladies and spouse, Tiri Bailey-Nowell, Margret, Aynsley, Richard, Gemma and Martin Toa, Ruth and Martin Nicholas, Keegan and Fraser Lodge.  A few chuckles when the memorable yeast breads were remembered.