Kōrero is Pukerua Bay’s new community newsletter. It’s a place for keeping our community connected and informed. A place for celebrating what we have and working together to make it better. Through the generous support of our advertisers and sponsors, issues will periodically land in your letterbox throughout the year.
Current issue
Vol 4, Issue 1, February 2024 (PDF)
National Library of New Zealand: 45369835 / ALMA 21361949640002836
WorldCat: OCLC 1249555898
Kōrero is brought to you by a small group of locals in the hope that, over time, everyone in our community will find something in it that is useful, interesting … even exciting! For that to happen, we need your involvement. If you have items to contribute or would like to advertise, please email us via newsletter@pukeruabay.org.nz or use the Contact Us form on this website.
Next Issue: out in April 2024
The copy deadline for the next issue will be early March 2024.
Editorial, February 2024
The intended theme for this issue was “the beach – where we live and play”, but it’s broadened to become a love letter to Pukerua Bay.
The first of these letters is from Iain MacLean, who has lived in Pukerua Bay with his wife, Kate, for 36 years (pp. 3–5). As Iain comes to the end of his life, he has shared some of his memories of Pukerua Bay and what makes it so special. This issue is sponsored by the MacLean–Dreaver whānau, as a mark of gratitude to this place and its people.
The image on the cover is of Sue Beaufort and her father, Frank. Sue and her sisters, Louise and Diana, share their experiences of growing up in Pukerua Bay and of what holds them here – the people, places, and memories that make this place their tūrangawaewae (pp. 5–7).
This same sense of love and belonging is shared in a beautiful poem by Puri Alvarez (p. 8) and a prose poem by Jennifer Payne (pp. 10–11). Both capture that sense that our beach and the view out to Kāpiti create a place where we can feel welcome and find wisdom and healing.
Many of us express our love in practical action. These include the Friends of Mana Island, who undertake pest trapping in the Pukerua Bay Scientific Reserve. Their work is now aided by a sign reminding us that this is a protected area (p. 8). It also includes Renee and Sarah, who provided a true demonstration of manaakitanga through establishing Greedy and Co., creating a space for good kai, good coffee, and good conversation. And it includes those who attended a session on emergency preparedness in November (p. 14). Look out for another session later this year.
Our beach also provides a place for adventure! Andrew Shepherd charts the history of hang gliding and paragliding over Pukerua Bay, sharing the sense of freedom and fun he and his friends experience when soaring above us (pp. 12–13). Unfortunately, this is not without risk …
Two local sporting enterprises – the tennis and soccer clubs – are open for registrations for this year’s activities (p. 17). And if you’re looking for entertainment over Easter, check out the tennis club’s annual tournament.
The theme for the next issue is one that is dear to many of our hearts – kai! You might like to tell us about the food that you love, how you harvest and prepare food, an enterprise you have established associated with food, happy food memories, food stories from the past … see page 18 for details on how to submit your contributions.
Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa.
Let us keep close together, not wide apart.
We acknowledge mana whenua of Pukerua Bay, Ngāti Toa Rangatira. For Ngāti Toa news, see www.ngatitoa.iwi.nz