Home Hawkes Bay News and Events Hawke’s Bay F...

Hawke’s Bay February 2014 Newsletter

78

NEXT MEETING: All welcome                            DVD

Date:      Friday 7th March

Time:      7.30pm

Where:  Hastings District Council   Chambers, Lyndon Rd.

 Come and share this excellent 30 minute documentary with us, The Yellow River Civilization.  The Huang He (Yellow River) basin is considered the birthplace of China and in the upper and middle reaches, it crosses the vast Loess Plateau. The DVD explores the history of the basin from the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin  onwards and portrays its renowned folk art, including embroidery, paper cutting and beautiful lacquer ware.

Prior to showing the DVD the Branch AGM will be held.

Nominations for the positions of President, Secretary, Treasurer and Committee members are welcome.

 Please diary the following dates for 2014

 23 – 25 May:  Our Hawke’s Bay Branch is holding the 2014 NZCFS National Conference at the Havelock North Function Centre, 30 Te Mata Road. The theme is  “Voices for Youth”.   Xi Yao, a young traditional Gu-Zheng musician with the Traditional Chinese Music School in Hamilton, has composed a musical work to be transcribed by the Hawke’s Bay Youth Orchestra for western instruments and performed as a feature of our Conference concert.   See the 2014 Conference page for more details

  Horse of the Year (HOY)

 18—23 March: The Horse of the Year, held at the A&P Showgrounds in Hastings   is one of the biggest sporting events in the Southern Hemisphere. 

 A high-powered Chinese equestrian delegation is attending and includes business owners, riders, equestrian professors and media.

HOY director Kevin Hansen said, “It is great to see these people here and I believe they will have quite an influence on the 2014 show. If we nurture this relationship, it can only be beneficial for the New Zealand equestrian industry, as well as helping the Chinese in growing theirs.”

The Chinese will ride as a team against New Zealand and Australia in the Country TV Tri Nations to be held on the Wednesday and Thursday afternoons and on Saturday evening. The teams of three ride on borrowed horses and compete in show jumping and Sir Mark Todd will captain the New Zealand team. Riders will also compete as individuals in other competitions. 

Thursday 20 March at 11.30amThere is a HOY parade in Hastings leaving from Civic Square and ending in the City Mall by the clock tower.

 International Cultures’ Day

ICD thanks
Multicultural Association President Sook Hua Lee presents Sally Russell with a certificate thanking her for her thirteen years as the key organizer

Thank you to every one who helped make this year’s ICD one of the best.  Our NZCFS stall had another very successful day and overall the event was fun and vibrant with many diverse cultures.

The weather was wonderful too!

The Multicultural Association Hawke’s Bay  co-organized with our Branch this year and next year will take over responsibility.

Have a look at International Cultures’ Day

 Osmanthus Gardens to be lit during the Horse of the Year show

 The Osmanthus Gardens in Cornwall Park, Hastings will be specially lit with Chinese lanterns during the week of the NRM Horse of the Year show (HOY).

 The Chairman of Hastings District Council’s International Advisory Group, Kevin Watkins, says, “The Chinese lanterns are usually placed in the gardens to coincide with International Cultures Day. This year it has been decided that we will light the gardens in honour of the Chinese Year of the Horse and the entry of a team of Chinese show jumpers into the HOY Show.”

 “The lights will be turned on until 11pm each night, which will give everyone a chance to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the gardens.  Lighting the Osmanthus Gardens last year proved a resounding success and this year’s alignment with the HOY Show will provide an ideal opportunity for the thousands of visitors who attend the show to view the gardens at night.”

 The Chinese lanterns will be switched on from Wednesday 19th March and will be lit each evening until Sunday 23rd March.  

Following the Blue Ribbon: Journeys on the River Li

 Gerda Leenard’s exhibition is showing at the Hastings City Art Gallery until the 4th of May.  

At the opening on Saturday 1st of February, she spoke of her visit to Guilin and experiences staying for a month in an isolated village on the riverside where the main transport was small bamboo rafts on the river.  After the tourist boats had finished for the day the pace on the river slowed and she was able to explore the area. Her work captures the tranquility of the Li River. 

Gerda Leenard Hastings
The artist Gerda Leenard speaking at her exhibition opening.