Mika Glbti entertainment icon Mika says he is elated that Julian Cook will be doing another stint as director of the Auckland Pride Festival. It was announced on Saturday that Cook, who established the festival for the initial Auckland Pride board, has returned after a two-year absence following his abrupt resignation which was triggered by deeply-seated disagreements between himself and that inaugural board. His re-appointment follows the return of board member Lexie Matheson, a tertiary lecturer in event management, who resigned in frustration from the board shortly after Cook's departure. A strong presence in the first two Auckland Pride festivals, Mika and his glbti-focused performance and youth development organisation Mika Haka were notably absent from Auckland Pride last year and it was clear he was unhappy with the management and direction of the festival. "Thank God Julian's back, Mika said this afternoon, adding that "Mika Haka will be returning to the Pride Festival like a tidal wave." Although he is unsure what form the Mika Haka group's events will take it is at this stage unlikely it will include the Waitangi Day dawn ceremony which he initiated and which has become the traditional launch of the Festival. "I think it's probably someone else's turn to do that this time," he says.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 29th August 2016 - 6:43pm