KAPAI: Never underestimate the power of a wave

What's in a wave?
When it comes from Larry the unofficial Mayor of Maramatanga Park out here in Te Puna, there's quite a lot.
Larry is the local gentle giant who sits in his "chair" outside his poppa's place opposite Maramatanga Park, the turangawaewae of Te Puna Rugby Club and waves to absolutely everyone.
What makes Larry special is his warm wave, followed by a perfectly synchronised set of raised eyebrows and a cheeky boy grin that lights up the whole street he stands on. When I walked on by Larry this morning it got me thinking: "What's in a wave?"
This week there have been lots of little people waving goodbye to all the big people in their lives as they leave for their first day at school. For our little two-year-old cheeky girl waving ``Bye Dad'' with a backpack big enough to carry kai for all the kids in her class, it was a wave worth waiting for, even though it carried a mixed message of this is way cool but don't leave me here alone for too long okay Dad?
Another wave worth watching was at a local worship centre down in Ngai Tamarawaho territory, where we witnessed a wonderful act of Waitangi reconciliation. When the witnesses in the house started walking in the light and humming a hallelujah sing song, my little girl wanted to know who they were waving at up on the roof with their outstretched arms. When we replied ``Jesus sweetheart'', she joined in quicker than a born again quaker at a Chiefs line-out practice.
And line-out practice is what the Chiefs need when it comes to the touch judge waving his flag. Why is it that the only person on the paddock last Friday night who came from this side of the Kaimai Range was the referee and why do the Chiefs wave the colours of just Waikato? Maybe the management of the Steamers needs to wave a magic wand and sort themselves out, starting with a coach.
When they waved goodbye to Andre the warning bells started ringing and they are only getting louder. Questions need to be asked at their upcoming annual meeting. Well that's if they know where they are going to hold it. When I called their office to ask why they were holding their annual meeting in Paeroa as advertised, their reply reflected where they were at. "Oh no, not that Paeroa it's the other one by Whakatane."
Firstly there is no other Paeroa but there is a Paroa and secondly, why hold it where no one can show up?
Perhaps the BOP Mafia need to wave a few flags at the annual meeting if we are to have any chance of winning the NPC this year.
While we are on the subject of waving good bye, the request by Blue Chip Bob on the summit of Mauao during the recent Waitangi celebrations was a classic. For the second year in a row the man who's no stranger to waving a red flag to a raging bull, spoke about his dream of being buried up on top of our sacred mountain, to which one of the wise old Maori elders quickly replied "That could be arranged later in the day Bob."
A wave that does not need any re-arranging is the Bay Wave and all of the other pools and actions centres controlled by the council. What a first class operation they are and whoever is in charge deserves the day off.
Perhaps they could take the day off and take their talents down to Tay St and help them get a wave worth diving for down there.
But turning water into waves is about as difficult as waving goodbye to weight. If you felt a few shock waves lately don't worry, it wasn't White Island about to blow its top. It was a warrant of fatness test being conducted at a puku points pavement somewhere near you and it involved me running instead of walking for the first time since I waved goodbye to burgers and boil ups.
For me it's not about what you can't eat but what you can eat and it starts and ends in what you buy at the supermarket. The new wave of taste sensations that raw and healthy food has given me has been a treat, as has been my weekly weigh in at 97.8 kilos.
And something else raw that we waved to this week was the farewell of the man who sang the theme song to the classic 60s television series Rawhide. At 93 years old I guess it was time for Frankie Lane to saddle up for the last time and wave good bye to the world. Thanks for the memories mate.
Sometimes it's the little things that matter most when it comes to what's in a wave and for a few moments each day when I walk on by Larry's front fence and catch his wave _ it's a wave well worth catching.
Pai marire tommy@indigenius.org