Editorial: Bud forms on a bright idea

OPINION: As a litmus test of public interest by numbers, last Monday night's public meeting to discuss Waikato's own celebration day was underwhelming.

The Academy of Performing Arts Concert Chamber at Waikato University, a great venue for debate, was sadly underpopulated. But those who did come – numbering about 15 – arrived to back a call for change.

Taupo MP Louise Upston has opened debate by calling for the region to have its own day, rather than remain on the coat tails of Auckland. A Waikato Times poll suggested her view had majority support in the region. The next question is does the region keep the same day and rename it, or pick another day? And what is meant by "the region"? Ms Upston maintains her Taupo constituents align with Waikato, but what about those in Otorohanga?

Waipa deputy mayor Peter Lee was in a minority of two at Monday's meeting when he called for the Waikato to celebrate Melbourne Cup day with a holiday, but he certainly injected passion and imagination into the proceedings by going beyond the benefits of racing and discussing an event which would feature fashion too. In the event of a change, there will be a hot debate over what to change to.

It was a point taken up by Hamilton mayor Bob Simcock, who talked through the legislative logistics of making a change to the region's holiday schedule and said it had to start with a strong indication of public support.

The mayor and most others at the meeting applauded the initiative of another speaker from the floor, Wiremu Puke, who is pushing for a switch to a spring date when the flowering of the kowhai can be celebrated.

What appears most unlikely, going by Monday's discussions, is that the region will entertain celebrating anything historic. University of Waikato historian Giselle Byrnes noted anniversaries tended to be crucial to the process of colonisation. She suggested selecting a "Waikato Day" aligned to an historical event may prove an impossible task and backed something seasonal specific.

Monday's meeting has set the ball for change rolling. University vice chancellor Professor Doug Sutton suggested after the meeting the region should think of a Waikato Day preceded by "Celebrate Waikato" events.

His idea of what could be a Waikato spring festival would acknowledge the region's arts, food, sport, ethnicities and our history and make use of civic, educational, commercial and private sites.

The idea of a Waikato festival based on the flowering of the kowhai – the recent plantings along the Waikato River bring the future promise of a yellow blaze along its banks through Hamilton – sounds an inspired one, even if it is not unique.

Despite the virtues of the plan, the journey from Monday's small gathering to such a major Waikato week celebrating the arrival of the kowhai flower is a long one. Protagonists have their work cut out if they are to get residents to give up a day of at the height of summer – and make enough noise about it to convince local body politicians to push for it.

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