Wed 23 Jun 2010 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
An annual gathering to celebrate and strengthen the sexual and gender diversity of Maori will this year be hosted in Wellington. Hui Takatāpui is the single biggest gathering for takatāpui from across the country and will be held at Pipitea Marae on 29-31 October 2010. The hui is being organised by the Wellington Takatāpui community in partnership with the New Zealand AIDS Foundation. The groups say it will provide opportunities for takatāpui to network, have fun, play sport and be entertained in a safe and supportive social environment. This year it will focus on the health and well-being of Māori, aiming to increase Māori support for HIV prevention as well as providing leadership and advice. The theme for the 2010 gathering is ‘He Puarere Mai Tawhiti' which means ‘seeds carried by wind from distant lands'. The weekend will culminate in the National Takatāpui Awards, a black tie event to recognise outstanding achievement in the community, in the areas of sport, fashion and design, dance and kapahaka. Past recipients include Tamati Coffey, Dr Ngahuia Te Awekotuku, Mahinarangi Tocker, Louisa Wall and Miss Ribena. This year's awards will be presented at Te Marae at Te Papa, opening with red carpet interviews by Miss Jaye Glam, followed by dinner, cocktails, champagne and live entertainment including Lisa Tomlins, kapahaka and Pacific dance performances. Registrations for the Hui Takatāpui open on 1 July. Combined packages are available for both Hui Takatāpui and the National Takatāpui Awards. More details are available at: www.nzaf.org.nz/huitakatapui
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 23rd June 2010 - 11:47am