A group of parents from the Tawa community meets for the first time at a Tawa School whanau hui to discuss Maori achievement at the school. The group forms a pivotal role helping the school with fundraising and the setting up of the school kapahaka roopu. Chair of the school's whanau group - Dennis Sharman
The whanau still works under Tawa School - 'Te Roopu Whanau o te Kura o Tawa', chaired this year by Michele Spring. Whaea Karen, Matt and Leah are teaching kapahaka at Tawa School and the group performs for the first time at June Tunes in the Town Hall, Wellington.
September 9th - sees the start of community kapahaka in Tawa to meet a community need. Two groups are started and are named Te Roopu o Nga Taitamariki Junior and Senior groups. The groups practice on Thursdays at the Tawa Anglican Church Hall. Following the establishment of community kapahaka a whanau governing body is established from the parents of the tamariki and Mana Tiaki is formed and named on October 27 2005. The first exec committee is chaired by Dennis Sharman.
Mana Tiaki runs it's first Mana Tiaki Cultural Festival at Tawa College with resounding success. Amongst other fundraising events a fantastic Island Night is held at the Tawa Cricket Club in September. Chair - Dennis Sharman.
Mana Tiaki moved into an office at the Tawa Community Centre in May of this year and kapahaka practices moved from St Christophers to the community centre studio. Mana Tiaki runs it's second MT Festival - bigger and better than the last with food stalls running outside the hall. The Nga Taitamariki Senior group performed at the Mana Ariki Kapahaka Competitions in Waikanae in October and won the Senior Open Group and the Te Rauparaha Trophy. The groups did a Roadshow in December performing at all the Tawa Schools as well as Titahi Bay North School - it was a great PR and marketing event. Chair - Ray Ropata
Due probably to the roadshow Mana Tiaki starts the year with record numbers of tamariki. So much so that the two groups are divided into 4 groups and named - Nga Mokopuna, Te Iti Kahurangi, Nga Taitamariki and Te Poutokomanawa. Te Poutokomanawa travels to Taumarunui to compete in the national Mana Ariki Competitions while a combination of the younger tamariki performs at the Tawa Music Festival in the Wellington Town Hall. MT wins a Wellington Airport Regional Community Award for Arts and Culture. Chair - Angela Wallace
Whaea Parehuia starts as tutor of the groups in Term 2 of this year assisted by her husband Tikitu Tutua-Nathan. In June 2009 Mana Tiaki hosted a community Pot Luck Dinner at the Tawa Community Centre. Chair John Laupama
Due to funding received by the Lottery Grants Commission we were fortunate to continue with our paid kapahaka tutor, Whaea Parehuia, as well as employ two excellent rangatahi tutors, Makarena and Hemi. With the help of our new rangatahi tutors Whaea Parehuia was able to prepare all four roopu to put on an amazing and successful whanau concert at the end of the year. In addition to the new rangatahi tutors we were also able to employ an administration manager, Stacy, to oversee all office duties and who acted as the first port of call for all enquiries. Chair - Whaea Karen Hill
A highlight of 2010 was being selected by Te Awe Maori Business Network as one of the recipients of funds raised from their annual charity golf tournament. Mana Tiaki was excited to perform at the new Whare Waka in town before receiving a cheque for $5000. One of the lows was the resignation of our much-loved kapahaka tutor Whaea Parehuia who was sad to leave the tamariki she had nurtured but understandably wanted to dedicate her time to her whanau who have been such a rock to our roopu ever since they came on board. We were lucky to find a new male tutor, Matua Charles, to take over the reins, ably assisted by his partner, Puhiaotea, until the end of the year. Chair - Tikitu Tutua-Nathan
The year started off with the appointment of a whole new exec. board committee with Leah Gifford being elected the new chairperson. The new board is looking to employ a new kapahaka revitalisation strategy. The year starts with a series of workshops focussing on a variety of aspects of Tikanga Maori and running after school in lieu of kapahaka for Term 1. Chair - Leah Gifford
Mana Tiaki runs the first Kapo Kapo at the Te Rauparaha arena for three nights. 1400 children participate with an audience of 5000.
Mana Tiaki runs its second Kapo Kapo at the Te Rauparaha arena for four night 1500 children participate with an audience of 7500.
Mana Tiaki runs its third Kapo Kapo Festival at the Te Rauparaha arena - all schools from Tawa and Porirua participate across 5 nights with a record number of performers at 2500 and an audience of 10000. Mana Tiaki adds a market on the Sunday where preschool groups led by our own Nga Mokopuna are invited to perform to the market audience.
Mana Tiaki is led by Tania Forrest.
The Executive Board is led for the year by Tania Forrest in the Chair for a second year. New members Hinetai Parekura and Tai Kerekere are nominated to the board also. 2016 is a quiet year for Mana Tiaki as we take a break from running Kapo Kapo.