Community Visioning meeting in Puaikura

How to retain our Maori language and customs are high among the concerns of the people of Puaikura if the Koutu Nui community visioning meeting held on Thursday night was anything to go by.
Everyone was pleasantly surprised to hear that being able to speak conversational Maori is now amongst the criteria for acceptance as a Permanent Resident.
The other main concern was what to do about the high juvenile crime rate in the village with high incidences of petty thievery or kikia or portable items such as MP3, mobile phones, cameras, or bottles of liquor.
Archer Hosking said the items stolen suggest it is organized crime and has called for an urgent meeting of the Aronga Mana in the first instance, to discuss strategies and then to a public meeting.
This suggestion was greeted enthusiastically as well as the added suggestion that they compile a list of names of the offenders and their parents who would be required to attend the meeting to hear what the community has to say.
Hosking is the son and representative for Mama Tinomana Ariki and said he has been embarrassed to see the news reports of thefts and incidence against visitors knowing that many of them hail from Puiakura.
Other issues raised were the water shortage, immigration, the dump which is not properly functional and concerns about the potential for landslides as a result of quarrying activities at the foot of Raemaru hill.
William Heather Snr had a mixed reaction to the meeting, initially saying most of the aims were the concern of government and to revive our old traditions. However, he is against the revival of traditional Raui of fish saying it was needed to feed the people and that he wanted to have respect for the elders and then promptly left the meeting.
One of the ladies felt there was too much emphasis on sports for the youth instead of family values but then again the youth are happy being involved in something where they can be with their friends. She thanked the Koutu Nui for holding the Community Visioning meeting because it has stimulated their holding their own Oire meetings to discuss their concerns.
Another lady told of her 18 year old son who was brought up in Australia but is now living with his Mama and Papa who will teach him all the traditional ways of life including the Maori language, how to feed the pigs, sailing on the Vaka and go fishing and to learn family values from his Mama and Papa. She said her son was delighted with his new life.
Initially, off to a slow start, many of the attendees were uncertain as to the role of the Koutu Nui but settled down after an explanation from Secretary Iro Rangatira as to the establishment of the House of Ariki by Papa Arapati Henry in 1966 and the amendment of the Act in 1972, which also legally established the Koutu Nui which has an advisory role to the government on matters of custom and the welfare of the people of the Cook Islands.
The meetings continue next week with the Takitumu meeting on Monday 9 November to be held at the CICC Sunday Hall in Avananui and the Te Au-o-Tonga meeting to be held at Sinai Hall on Tuesday night. Both meetings begin at 7pm and supper is served at 9pm.