Waipū celebrated International Tartan Day in style last Monday.
Waipū Primary School students and members of the public dressed up in tartan and paraded through the main street from South Rd to the Caledonian Park.
International Tartan Day is the anniversary of the repeal of the 1747 Act of Proscription.In an effort to crush the Scottish clan system after the Jacobite rising of 1745, the British Parliament banned the wearing of tartan in Scotland, along with playing pipes and carrying weapons.
The act was repealed on July 1, 1782, and since then the anniversary has been celebrated as Tartan Day.
Pipers David Picketts (left), Bruce Sims, Ken Couper, and David Moon lead the parade into Caledonian Park. Photo / Julie Paton
Richard Wilson (left) and Bain McGregor about to arm-wrestle it out in front of the crowd on the main street, overseen by Anthony Rogers (left) and Martin Geddes. Photo / Julie Paton
Best-dressed winner Vivi Buckle (wearing Cameron tartan) checks out the contents of her prize bag. Photo / Julie Paton
Many Waipū residents have Scottish forebears, and Waipū began celebrating Tartan Day as part of its Winter in Waipū programme in 2006.
Half-way through the parade, everyone stopped to enjoy a little clan warfare, a skit performed by Scotsmen Bain McGregor and Richard Wilson.
Onlookers urged them to fight, but the law – in the shape of Waipū policemen Martin Geddes and Anthony Rogers – intervened, directing the pair to settle their differences with an arm wrestle.
The parade, led by four pipers, then continued to the park where George Mutch, resplendent in his clan tartan (District of Stirling), talked to the crowd about the significance of Tartan Day to the Scots.
Waipū School's kapa haka group performed for the crowd and best-dressed parade participants won prizes – students Vivienne Buckle and Ewan Pentz and teacher Nancy Butler.
Winter in Waipū this week
The parade for International Tartan Day is just one of many events happening in Waipū this winter.
Winter in Waipū began in 2005 as a way of both attracting visitors to the area during the slower winter season to help local shops and accommodation businesses, and to give locals opportunities to meet up and socialise during the colder months.
Organised by the Waipū Business and Community Group, it runs over five weeks and includes events marking both the region's Scottish heritage and Matariki celebrations.
Events this week include the Waipū Fire station Shortbread Competition on Saturday – four categories, Lads, Lasses, Kiddies (primary aged) and Novelty. Bring your entries on the day between 11am-12pm for judging.
All entrants must be present and explain their creations as part of judging. Results and prizes will be announced at 2pm. Contact Grant Mason 0275091837 for more information.
On Sunday it's time for Waipū Surf Life Saving Club's Mid-Winter Swim – so get brave and brace yourself for a refreshing dip in the chilly surf at 11am.
Prizes for best dressed in tartan. Warm up afterwards with the club's free sausage sizzle and hot soup. This is a fundraiser for the surf club, contact Kath on 021554401 or 094320564 for more details.
On July 8 put on your dancing shoes and take to the floor for some Scottish Country Dancing, 7-9pm at the Waipū Coronation Hall. Gold coin entry, all ages welcome, supper provided – bring lots of energy. Contact 094321200 or 0274906564 for more information.
Also on Monday is the first in a series of school holiday art workshops run by the Waipū Community Arts Group at Waipū Primary School, with a range of creative classes for youngsters – printing, flax and more. Contact Annie on 0211318295 or annienewall1@gmail.com for more details or to book a spot.
Waipū's Matariki event is on July 11 at the Waipū RAZZA – a two-course buffet banquet dinner from 6.30pm, with a guest speaker to talk about the constellations and performances from Bream Bay College's excellent kapa haka group.
Tickets are limited to 100 and are available for $50 from Good Ground Real Estate and Waipū's Wild Tiger Deli Shop. Phone Sarah for more information 021858086.
Still time to buy a brick
There is still a little time left to buy a brick to raise funds towards Ruakākā School's new playground. The bricks, engraved with the business or family name of your choice, will be built into a wall or footpath as part of a new play area. Bricks are available at $100 each through the school office – call 4327503 for details.
Ruakākā School principal Marilyn Dunn with her brick, bought to support the school's new playground, in front of a display of the bricks sold so far. Photo / Julie Paton
The school had sold 30 up until last weekend and hope to sell at least another 12 by the cut off date of July 5. If your children have attended Ruakākā School in the past, step up and buy a brick so your name is permanently part of the school.
Racing at Ruakākā
Wet weather didn't dampen the spirits on course during last Saturday's Northpine Waipū Cup day at Ruakākā.
Northpine colleagues marked 20 years of business in Waipū with celebrations on course and also the Mid-Winter Christmas function brought friends and family together to enjoy the festivities in the Beachside Bar.
Local trainers Rae Racing Stables took out the first two races with Zelenski in the 2-year-olds' race and Viola Vega in the White Cliffs Timber 1200m race. However, things slowed a bit for the locals, until the feature race of the day the Northpine Waipū Cup 1400m when the Gibbs/Bradley team took out the feature event with the return of Hello It's Me, a 4-year-old locally-owned mare. The Camp Waipu Cove accommodation voucher winner was A Purnell.
Ruakākā's next race meeting is the ITM/GIB Whangarei Gold Cup meeting on 13 July. First race is 12.27pm.
• Email Julie Paton at moojoy@xtra.co.nz if you've got Bream Bay news to share with Advocate readers.
