MC and performer Mika 8.00AM: The plight of too many young glbti people blighted by family dysfunction and social, cultural and sexuality exclusion was the predominant theme of this morning's Dawn Ceremony, prefacing the start of this year's Auckland Pride Festival. Under an almost full moon and with a hint of overnight rain in the air, almost two hundred people gathered at inner-city Okahu Bay for the ceremony, organised by the Mika Haka Foundation and held in association with Youthline. Stevie Sikuea of Youthline spoke of New Zealand's high rates of youth suicide, particularly amongst glbti youth. She said that we need to reassure young people, and Maori youth in particular, that asking for help isn't a sign of weakness. "We must protect and foster the new generation," she said. Pride co-chair Megan Cunningham-Adams reinforced the theme, highlighting that bullying of "kids who are a little bit different" must stop and she reminded the crowd that bullying also takes place in workplaces and homes. Zakk d'Larte In a moving speech Zakk d'Larte spoke of his traumatic childhood in a "traditional Maori family" in which he succumbed to pressure to suppress his natural gay character and personality, with tragic results. He praised the Mika Haka Foundation for giving him a space in which he could rediscover, and be, himself. Lavender balloons were released into the dawn sky in remembrance of glbti people lost due to suicide, HIV and other causes. The first performance event of the Auckland Pride Festival will be the Gala opening show tomorrow evening featuring a sampling of performances scheduled throughout the next three weeks. While a number of visual art exhibitions are already open, others begin tomorrow, when there will also be film screenings. The iconic Big Gay Out picnic day at Coyle Park dominates Sunday activities. The coming three weeks will see a multitude of parties, forums, performances and other events celebrating and involving the lives and lifestyles of Auckland's glbti communities. Find full event information here GayNZ.com Daily News staff - 6th February 2015
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Friday, 6th February 2015 - 12:16am