Families drawn back to Mamaku for village's Labour Weekend 125th anniversary

Long-standing Mamaku families the Martins and Weinbergs pose for pictures. Photo / Stephen Parker

Generations old and new gathered from far and wide to celebrate Mamaku's 125th anniversary.

The Labour Weekend events included a production, a mix-and-mingle wine and cheese night, a sports and market day, a centenary celebration dance, a history trail, a barbeque and a school open day.

Kim Martin travelled from Te Aroha for the event.

Others in her family came from the Thames Coast and Tauranga.

"I think for my dad especially, it was important to go back. He is 73 and we all grew up there, Mum and Dad were born there too," she said.

Martin went to primary school in Mamaku before high school in Rotorua.

"Our family members did everything with the people that lived there, from playing badminton, tennis, and rugby to even joining the fire brigade."

She said there were a lot of people at the anniversary that she hadn't seen in a long time.

"It was lovely to catch up.

"It is such a small community that all it took was a kiss and a cuddle and it was like we'd never been away."

Her family, the Martins, battled the Weinbergs in two rounds of tug of war.

Mamaku Village celebrated its 125th anniversary. Photo / Supplied

"It was good fun and it has been like that all of our lives, but I will mention that the Martins won 2-0."

She said some attendees were in their 80s, meeting new generations of children like hers.

"We had driven through a couple of times so it was really interesting for our kids to see how little the village is and to see us with old friends and family."

The anniversary was organised by the Progress Mamaku Community Hub in co-ordination with Mamaku School and historian Lyn Fleet.