SCHOOL ART BLOSSOMS – Kāpiti and Coast Independent

STUDENT`S ART IN CAMELLIA SOCIETY DISPLAY

By Peter Corlett

Camellias — an inspiration for colourful artworks

The colourful displays of camellia blooms around Waikanae School became the inspiration for a wide range of childrens’ artworks, which were displayed at the Camellia Society’s exhibition in the Waikanae Memorial Hall on the 1st of September.

Artworks included paintings, sketches and photographs. The artwork was judged by Paraparaumu College art department HOD, Nick Hoddinott, and fellow teacher Celina Jennings, who have been judging the Camellia Society’s children’s artwork for the last few years . They commented on the high quality of the art, which they said indicated some very talented children would be entering local colleges in the future.

“The Judges loved the quality of the work, and anticipated having the students at Paraparaumu College in due course,” said Reka Solomons, Kapiti Camellia Society member.

“Our Kapiti Branch of the Camellia Society greatly appreciates having the art to decorate the bare walls of the Memorial Hall. We enjoy being able to include the Schools in the local Show. All the Art goes from the Show to the Waikanae Library for further display [which] is an added bonus. It is stunning to go into the library and see the art all over the walls up the stairs and in the Children’s Section. There is always a most appreciative and enthusiastic response to the display at the Show. People are always commenting in the most complimentary way, and now that we supply free entry passes for children accompanied by an adult, we have many more visiting the show,” she added.

Two of the winners in the photography section who received prizes, Roman Avery and Luke Jaggi, year 5 and Year 6 pupils from Waikanae School, were among the 25 children present with their parents at the awards ceremony.

Kapiti Branch President, Brian Hartley said “Over the years we have seen a progressive improvement in the standard of the art work. This year there were more techniques used and many outstanding entries. The 255 entries were exhibited on the walls of the Hall and on two large trestles. They complimented the 315 blooms exhibited. Importantly the Art Work added to the vibrancy and colour of the occasion. It is great for our Branch to have a relationship with the children involved. It exposes the children to an aspect of horticulture and in this case it is the Camellia. They learn and appreciate what a Camellia is, their different sizes, shapes, colour and beauty”.

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STORY OF THE WEEK

Kāpiti Coast councillors have toured of one of Aotearoa's unique buildings, the heritage - listed Rotunda at the former Otaki Health Camp, the country’s first.

Jeremy Smith reports that the 105-year-old, eight-sided rotunda predates the Health Camp.

It wasn't actually built in Otaki, but was one of two built in Rotorua in 1915 as part of a military hospital, on the site of Rotorua’s present public hospital.

Later they were taken to Otaki for the opening of the health camp in 1931.

Full story in the main column (December 19).

100 Years Ago — and the Maori Long March begins

Māori politics was dominated by the influential MPs (and sometime Cabinet ministers) Māui Pōmare ( Waitara statue photo above) and Apirana Ngata.

The 1920's also saw the rise of Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana’s religious movement, and the emergence of Te Puea Hērangi in Waikato.

Ngata worked hard to foster Māori scholarship and education and preserve traditional arts and culture.

He convinced the government to establish a Board of Maori Ethnological Research (1923), a Maori Purposes Fund Control Board (1924) and a School of Maori Arts and Crafts in Rotorua (1927).

The Reform government also took the first, tentative steps towards settling longstanding Māori grievances.

Agreements with Te Arawa in 1922 and Ngāti Tūwharetoa in 1926 recognised their respective rights over the Rotorua lakes and Lake Taupō, and led to the establishment of trust boards with some government funding.

Commissions of inquiry which examined Ngāi Tahu grievances (1920–21) and the Waikato and Taranaki confiscations (1926–27) recommended that modest compensation be paid.