Far North news in brief: Learn poi, kapa haka; phones, broadband out

The wahine of Motatau Marae are skilled at performing with poi, and people keen to learn the art, along with kapa haka action songs and entry waiata can do so at an upcoming course in Kerikeri.

Learn to perform

People keen to learn kapa haka, poi, action songs and entry waiata can do so during an eight-week programme at the Turner Centre in Kerikeri. Led by Ngati Rehia’s Rawi Pere and her daughter Crystal Harden, it will run on Tuesdays from April 30 to June 25 between 6.30 and 8.30pm. Visit www.turnercentre.co.nz or phone 0800 200 411. It is open to participants from all cultures aged 16 and above.

Art exhibition

The next exhibition at Kohukohu’s Village Arts gallery is In Print, by two Kerikeri artists, Mark Graver and Jacqueline Aust. Graver, a full fellow of the Royal Society of Painter-Printers, is an award-winning printmaker, specialising in acrylic resist etching, digital printmaking, and video art. Aust’s practice is to respond to places in time through printmaking, sculpture, and installation, and her work will include prints and ceramics. The exhibition opens at 11am on April 27 and runs to May 26.

Phones, broadband out

Mobile phone and wireless broadband services have been down in Kaitāia and Ahipara since Monday after a fibre cable was cut by somebody putting in a fence post. A Spark spokesperson said somebody putting in a fence post on a property near Kaitāia severed the fibre cable, causing the outage. The services have been intermittent since Monday. ‘’A fibre cut has caused a loss of mobile and wireless broadband services for customers in the Kaitāia and Ahipara area. Technicians are currently working to get the services restored as soon as possible.’’ Updates are available on https://www.spark.co.nz/online/outages.

Port chief in fast-track team

Rosie Mercer from Northland’s Marsden Maritime Holdings is one of six experts to recommend fast-track projects. The Fast Track Approvals Bill aims to make it easier to build regionally and nationally significant projects, according to Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. Advisory group members include Mercer, who is CEO of Marsden Maritime Holdings, formerly known as Northland Port Corporation. She joins David Tapsell, Vaughan Wilkinson, David Hunt, Mark Davey and Murray Parrish. Public or private projects can now apply for fast-tracking under the bill.

Medium visits

Medium Kelvin Cruickshank is coming to Kaitāia next month. Cruickshank, who appeared in TV2′s Sensing Murder series, will be at Te Ahu, on May 9, from 7pm .For tickets go to https://www.iticket.co.nz/events/2024/may/kc-kaitaia