Get creative with Waikato district libraries this Matariki

Media Release: Waikato District Council, 30 April 2014

Got a way with words? Love to draw? Waikato district libraries are welcoming entries to the Waikato District Matariki Short Story/Comic Competition from next week.

The competition is part of the second annual Waikato District Matariki Festival and is an opportunity for residents to celebrate Matariki (Maaori New Year) by taking part in something fun and creative.

The competition is centred around the following seven words – all of which must be included in entries: Grow/Whakatupu(-ria), Celebrate/Whakanui, Star/Whetu, Dark/Po, Eyes/Karu, Feast/Hakari and Vehicle (eg car, train, boat)/Waka.

Whether you fancy yourself as an author, an artist or both – there’s a category for everyone to enter:

• Short Story – English (350 words min, 500 words max)
• Short Story -Te Reo (350 words min, 500 words max)
• Comic Strip – individual (10 boxes max on paper no larger than 1mtr x 400mm)
• Comic Strip – primary school (10 boxes max on paper no larger than 1mtr x 400mm).

Winners will be decided by a panel of judges from around the district, with book vouchers up for grabs.

There will also be a People’s Vote winner, which will be determined by a public vote on the Waikato District Council Facebook page, www.facebook.com/WaikatoDistrictCouncil.

Entries open Monday 5 May and close 5pm, 27 June 2014.

More information and entry forms are available on our website www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/Waikato-District-Matariki-Festival.aspx or from any Waikato district library.

A series of events are being planned for across the Waikato district in June and July as part of the 2014 Waikato District Matariki Festival. More information on these events will be provided in May.