City rallies together for injured young pair

Next month's Koiora Music Fundraiser will benefit Kanea Hicks and Kaine Lewis. Photo / File

There's still a long road to recovery ahead for two young people with strong ties to Rotorua - but the community is rallying to show its support.

The Koiora Music Fundraiser will be held next month to help raise money for the families of Kanea Hicks and Kaine Lewis.

Miss Hicks is a member of Rotorua-based kapa haka group Te Matarae i Orehu and is recovering from a serious assault in Auckland in July. The 27-year-old is now based at the ABI Rehabilitation facility in West Auckland. Kaine, 16, suffered serious injuries in a car crash on Te Ngae Rd last month. The Rotorua Boys' High School student has since moved from the high dependency unit into the general ward of Waikato Hospital.

Concert organiser and Te Matarae i Orehu member Hinerongonui Kingi said the event was originally planned for Miss Hicks and her family.

"I've never met Kaine before but when we heard that someone else was going through something similar to what Kanea is, we [Te Matarae i Orehu] really wanted to help," she said.

"Really for me it's how can we take these incidents and turn them into something positive to help the families.

"We named it Koiora, I wanted to find a Maori name, that started with 'K' for Kaine and Kanea and translated, koiora highlights life itself and its many challenges."

The fundraiser will be at Rotorua Girls' High School, and will feature national and local artists including 1814, Troy Kingi, Tama Waipara and Adam Whauwhau as well as Rotorua Boys' High School 2014 Pacifica Beats runners-up, Open Arms.

Also performing will be 2010 Homai Te Pakipaki winner Roman Nicholas, Te Waikamihi Ormsby, Rewa Ututaonga and music mentoring programme Pao Pao Pao artists Rizarn. The concert will be hosted by Te Hamua Nikora and is supported by Te Mauri o Putuaki.

Along with the entertainment, the event aims to grow awareness among youth of issues such as alcoholism, unsafe driving and violence. Other organisations to take part include Maori Wardens, Women's Refuge and health store RK Nutrition.

"I just let artists know what the kaupapa (principle) was about and they were all keen to take time out of their busy schedule and support. There will also be a tribute video made, with artists such as Ria Hall, Whenua Patuwai and Maisey Rika who can't make it but still wanted to jump on board."

Support was also shown nationwide with the crossfit event Fight for Kanea which was held last week. The final amount raised is still to be totalled. More than $4300 has been donated to Mr Lewis' family through www.givealittle.org.nz.

Kaine's mother Gwyn said she was grateful for the support of the planned concert. She said while Kaine had moved to the general ward, recovery was still a "long slow process".

• Koiora Music Fundraiser will be held on October 11 from 2pm-11pm at Rotorua Girls' High School. Tickets are $25 for an adult and $20 students and can be purchased online from Maorinet.co.nz or at RK Nutrition on Eruera St. All funds raised will be equally split between the two families.