Parking and Security

I can foresee problems with parking. Do you have any solutions?

Also, the winter weather may cause parking disruptions.

Any ideas? Where, and who will take responsibility? Will all the vehicles fit into the village?

Meeting on the 21st September

Our last meeting was a good casual follow on from our first meeting.

Our main aim is to get a programme sorted but that is not the easiest task --- some thought we were going in circles.

Taking into account the time of year and various projects, would the celebrations take place over two or three days ?

Fund raising set the adrenalin working overtime and suggestions of taking advantage of incorporated Societies brought forth ideas. Sheryl is to proceed in part and report later.

Maurice brought copies of Centennial pics from NZ Weekly News. Do you remember the excitement as the boats came up river? Were you there?

Larry suggested that maybe the Helensville Maori group be approached as well as Mahurangi.

There is plenty of talk going on. As Brian said, don't lose the momentum.

"Don't forget to book the Bishop!" were the parting words of the day.

Where is the Fiddler?

Since 1863 traditional music has been kept alive by several families always with someone to play the violin, until currently when the band plays minus that important component, the violin. Yes, Linda's hands have succumbed to tireless years of Fiddling the Fiddle.

Past fiddlers have included Ben Bayer who treasured his violin and played it with expertise and love. Another was Annie who excelled herself and really put all her might and energy into the serious side of music. Ben Lambert also played and, at the Centennial, he, with others, sat on the road outside the Puhoi Hall and gave it everything possible to celebrate the great occasion.

Melody haunts the hills as if their spirits are watching over us.

Program

A programme of events will be set up in due course. At this stage sorting out exactly what events and what times is in “the jam and pickle stages” (to quote a long past serving priest)!

Possibly something like this,
Fri 28th June Traditional musical evening at hotel
Sat 29th a.m. High Mass,
Re enactment, Maori Welcome, Parade, refreshments, lunch?
Honouring Age Luncheon
Sat evening, frivolity of some kind (Ball - dance? in the Hall)
Sun a.m. Mass, Cemetery Procession,
Mix & Mingle - Hall- refreshments

Fund raising ideas?

If you find a hole in your pocket mend it quickly for digging deeply will be on the agenda for the next three to four years! Fund raising has to be done for all celebrations whether we like it or not. Any suggestions will be listened to with interest.

Suggestions so far include a recipe book of Puhoi recipes (see the comments on my 11th July post), a Bierfest, luncheons, dinners, and maybe a concert.

Days gone by brought forth the cakes and raffles, stalls etc. but those who spent hours pickling onions, making jam for the trading tables have passed on. What do we do now? The oven has grown cold.

Re-enactment

The majority of those people I've spoken to think a re-enactment could be a great idea. After some investigation as to the tide suitability, it was reported that the tide in June 2013 might be in our favour for a re-enactment. Thanks to Des for hunting that down.

Of course boats and willing people must be found. The Mahurangi group has expressed interest and maybe they can come up with some ideas about boats --- we do not need the "Queen Mary." The "Jane Gifford" maybe a bit presumptuous?

It is important that Maori play a significant part in this as they conveyed the original settlers up river in 1863. Pioneer and Maori traditional dress would be appropriate and respectful.

The land below the hall used for 125th celebrations is now probably unsuitable because trees having overgrown the site. Maybe the new wharves would be ideal with a welcome ceremony taking place there (depending on the weather), followed by a parade or a welcome meal.

Suggestions anyone?

Music from Ohaupo?

Does Ohaupo have a current traditional band? How many players do they have? What instruments do they play and how much toe tapping goes with the band?

If there is an Ohaupo band, prepare it for the 150th --- it's all go for then.

Catering then and now

Catering for crowds of people now-a-days is different from what it was in the old days. Back then everybody brought a plate and shared food. This method is no-longer applicable or acceptable.

Consider the situation at present.
1. Hygiene is foremost and requires some deep thinking.
2. With no vehicle access to the Puhoi Centennial Hall kitchen, catering on a large scale in the hall is a dilemma.
3. The Puhoi Hotel is limited as to seated dining space.
4. Consider feeding the crowds on a cold winter's day, maybe in a marquee? If so, where?
5. Registration will control numbers up to a point but remember all the casual visitors who may flock to the celebrations.

In the old days most families contributed sheep, bullock and poultry - resulting in several hundred people fed!

So who will play for the celebrations?

Some names of the early band players include Yesensky, Bill Tolhopf, Jim Rauner, Charles Becher, Annie Rauner, the Dennis and Paul families and several members of the Wech, Bayer, and Lambert families.There are too many to name individually. Many of you will remember Joe Tolhopf, Phillip Wech and his sisters Dorothy and Kathleen, Laurie Rauner, and Ben Lambert. All gone now.

So who will play for the 150th celebrations? The current little group of those descendants of the above make a mammoth attempt to keep up tradition and they travel from near and wide to oblige and remember "the good old days”.

Down the years the music has been the life and bread of the heart of Puhoi. Now it is all but a skeleton of the enthusiastic past.

Dedicated and inspiring past musicians have to a certain extent handed the talent down to a mere few who now play on special occasions: Diane with the Dudlesack, Coralie, Brian and Mark play accordions and Fred, the senior surviving player, leads them with his accordion.

The live music tears at the heartstrings of those who know it's vibrant history.

Also mentioned at the meeting...

I forgot to add a stamp series and Official Postmark were mentioned at the meeting on the July 9th too.

What is a Powhiri?

The Powhiri is a welcome ceremony extended to visitors by Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand.

Our First Meeting!

A recent meeting, held in the Puhoi Hotel to discuss the 2013 Celebrations, was well attended. We wanted to find out what interest there was in the community and if such a celebration was indeed possible.

Enthusiasm flowed as various topics came up for discussion, for example:
Dates.
A re-enactment of the landing (as per 1963 Centennial ) along with a Maori involvement.
Times of the tides.
A Powhiri may be possible.
A High Mass and Cemetery Walk.
Memorial plaque for the cemetery.
Special Honoring Age Descendants Luncheon at the Hotel.
Meet-and-Greet at Centennial Hall.
Museum activities.
Music at Hotel as usual 29th June festivities wind up
Music and Dance has been taken for granted down the years.
An Old Fashioned Ball.

The possibility of a lead up of previous six months leading to a crescendo in June, creating a celebration worthy of the great occasion it should be.

We are holding a further meeting in September. I’m looking forward to it.