Te Ao Māori Workshop
Earth Matters: Our new radio show!
New in store
Lost property
Len Reynolds Trust funding applications
Piako Catchment Forum information evening
Draft Hamilton Lake Domain Management Plan
NZ General Social Survey 2018

Te Ao Māori Workshop

We are proud to bring to you for the first time a new permaculture design module: Te Ao Māori.

Tutors: Āwhina Barrett and Matua Hēpara (Shepherd Isaac)

When: Saturday, 29 October; 9am– 5pm.
Where: Waikato Environment Centre, 242 Peachgrove Road, Hamilton.
Fee: $135 (Discount available for WEC members)

To find out more contact us on permaculture@envirocentre.org.nz or call us on 07 839 4452.

As with most of te reo Māori, ‘Te Ao Māori’ is not easily translated into English, because Māori language and culture has a multitude of different concepts, ideas and understandings not encapsulated in te reo Pākeha. In its simplest form, ‘Te Ao Māori’ can perhaps translate as ‘the Māori world’ or ‘the world/Earth, from a Māori perspective’.

Included in this module

• Learning about Māori relationships to land, waters and sky. Includes Māori stories, culture and spirituality, and how this links to the practices of Earth care and People care.
• Rongoā - an introduction to the medicinal use of plants.
• A story of native planting, for personal, societal and environmental healing. Includes trip to a native planting land, where cultural protocols and practices will be observed. All of the permaculture principles will be incorporated into this mahi.

*Painting of Papatūānuku by Phil Mokaraka Berry of Ngāpuhi, accessed from Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/18374/papatuanuku

For more information see the attached document.

mod-10-pdc-poster.pdf

Earth Matters: Our new radio show!

Check out our fortnightly radio show on Free FM89 Real Community Radio. We bring this show in collaboration with community.

The show will be brought to you fortnightly on Wednesday nights by hosts Samantha Rose and Anna Casey-Cox. The focus will be on issues around enviornment and sustainability, with guest presenters popping in from time to time. If you miss a show, or the time slot doesn't suit, you can always catch up at a later date by visiting the Free FM website and selecting the relevant Earth Matters podcast

You can listen to our next show live:

Topic: Ecological and Social Housing Development Models
When: Wednesday 19th October, 5-5.30pm
"Where": 89FM or online live at http://player.wizz.co.nz/freefm89/

In this show we’ll be talking about housing and the environment. We will discussing housing developments that take into account the environment and human quality of life.

One of the permaculture wisdoms is that the solution is found in the problem. We define the housing problem in the following ways:

1. There is not enough accessible and affordable housing for the amount of people that need housing. With the lack of public housing provision and significant housing market increases, a number of people are left with very few quality housing options.
2. Much of the housing that is available for rent is of a relatively poor quality and this leads to a variety of health issues.
3. There seems to be limited non-agricultural land for new housing development.

Within these problems, there are solutions that are possible for Kirikiriroa Hamilton and for Aotearoa New Zealand. Successful solutions have been developed here as part of Maori society, in other parts of the world and on the fringes of Pakeha society. We will explore the concepts, ideas and workings of Papakainga and Eco Villages.

There are many examples that all of us can learn from. It is important to think outside of what might be considered ‘normal’ or conventional and welcome old and new paradigms of human settlement and town planning.

New in store

Have you been in to our eco shop recently? We have lots of new additions in the store including these gorgeous tea-making products, and clever bat and bug houses. These pretty new tea tins and infusers are gorgeous. Did you know most tea bags contain plastic and so won't compost? You can keep your tea fresh in these tins and brewing using leaf tea with these infusers mean that you will be reducing your plastic waste by going bag-free.

Lost property

Have you lost keys? We have found a set of keys, including car keys. Please call us if you may have left them at the Waikato Environment Centre. Call 07 839 4452.

Community news and events

Len Reynolds Trust

Applications open

The Len Reynolds Trust 2016 funding round is open, and will close 4pm on the 7 November 2016. You can apply for this fund if you are a legally constituted community group or organisation that is registered under the charities Act 2005, and work towards one or more of the following.

• Encourage more community based and community led initiatives
• Improve community spirit and connectivity
• Support a wide and diverse range of activities
• Promote volunteering

More information...

Piako Catchment Forum

"Know your river" information evening

When: Thursday 27th October, 7-9pm
Where: Tatuanui Hall 

Community are invited to attend the group's first community evening. The Piako Catchment Forum is a group of individals and iwi with support of the WRC in developing a community led platform surrounding the Piako Catchment.

RSVP to Anita at piakocatchment@gmail.co

Draft Hamilton Lake Domain Management Plan

Public consultation

The Parks and Open Spaces Unit of Hamilton City Council have now prepared a draft Hamilton Lake Domain Management Plan and are calling for feedback on the draft Plan.

As an important stakeholder we would like to hear you views.

Please find attached, a letter that explains the process and how to have your say by 7 December 2016.

LDMP - letter to stakeholders.pdf

NZ General Social Survey 2018: Objectives and priorities of housing and physical environment supplement released

Stats NZ is looking for feedback on their planned survey on housing and physical environment; you may wish to take a look. Proposed content:

• Housing quality and suitability
• Housing tenure security and housing mobility
• Housing costs
• Quality of neighbourhood
• Sustainable living and engagement with natural environment.

Please use the feedback form to email your feedback tonzgss@stats.govt.nz by 31 October 2016.