The other night, we had the pleasure of attending the local Matariki celebrations here at Tryphena on Great Barrier Island. What a fantastic community experience!

Picture a hundred or so locals piled into the local community hall. The children from the island’s three schools had made paper lanterns, and these were suspended from the ceiling of the hall. Each lantern was lit from within, and when the hall lights were turned off, it was quite a spectacle.

A kapa haka group from Kaipara were the special invited guests, and treated the audience to a fantastic performance.

Then all the locals and guests piled outside to a marquee packed with food for a gorgefest and chinwag.

I must now apologise to the citizens of Blenheim, who I dissed last Christmas after I spied their community Christmas Party in the flesh. Although my commentary at the time was jestful, it also undervalued the magnificence and specialness of our local kiwi community spirit. Here we were, ensconced in the Tryphena Hall, and delighted by the effort people had gone to on a cold, dark winter’s night on an island in the middle of nowhere. We were experiencing the local community at it’s best.

Bravo to the Island Arts Trust who organised the event. All for free too. Good show.