Congrats to some new upsteppers to the trust of Paekakariki Informed Community Inc (or PICI for short), the organising body for radio station Paekakariki.fm and community web platform Paekakariki.nz

Renwick Wright is our new Chair, replacing Paul Radich after three years or more of service. Renwick vacates the Programme Manager position for the radio station, a role that has been taken up by programmer and former secretary James Albertson. Which leads to… station DJ Emma McLaughlin joining as Secretary. Siggy Woolloff meanwhile, who has started working as Account Manager for Paekakariki.nz, has stepped into the Treasurer role. Siggy replaces Mark Coote (DJ and website Illustrations Editor) who has outlasted all with his trusty ledger book as treasurer for PICI, for almost seven years.

They join current PICI committee members Mark Amery, Daniel Bar Evan, Mark Coote, Chrissi Johnson, Val Little, Don Polly, and Paul Radich. With much thanks to departing members Amelia Nurse and Stefan Wolf. Thanks also to Paekakariki.FM’s technical director Mike Gibson, studio builder Francis Mills, school parent liason Caroline Wilson, our 50 station DJs, parent helpers and our student DJS.

Aug 25 we had a packed studio with Prue as presenter and Renwick and Francis on the buttons, while Susy also participated. Emmet Sutherland (hope I have the surname right) played live two wonderful songs of his own with guitar while Allie Webber encouraged us to give small amounts to the Give a Little page to erect in the park a memorial seat in honour of John Porter. And Dave Johnston, chair of the Railway Museum Trust celebrated its AGM, imminent reopening, and forthcoming events including the Sept 15 History day at St Peters, focussed on Paekakariki sports teams, clubs and events. Listen for the next 2 weeks until the next great programme.

On Paekakariki 88.2 FM’s Te Pae at 6 tonight (and repeating throughout the week at midday and 6) we talk to Breanna Ward who has just cycled the length of the North Island to raise money for Sustainable Coastlines, we chat with Sophie Hanford, a key figure in this week’s School Strike 4 Climate and we pay tribute to Malcolm Black, lead singer of Netherworld Dancing Toys, and entertainment lawyer, who passed away recently. Join us at 88.2FM or through the live stream.

Prue and Sam talked to Mike Freeman about the very successful Art Show which had just finished – thanks to the very hard work of Rhonda, Mike and many others it was a great success, financially and artistically. And then to Rosie Crocker about the Film Club which would have 7 Sunday early evening movies from late July to early September. Sign on for $50 for 7 movies and (like the Art show) support the necessary repairs to St Peters Hall. Listen 12/12 or 5/6 all week

Jane Cherry and Prue Hyman talked to Jane’s daughter who has lived in Paekakariki for a few months about younger (20s) people coming here and the charms of our village. Prue came here at that age nearly half a century ago and talked of its attractiveness then and now. You can here Te Pae at 12 and at 6 all week.

A history of the first six years of Paekakariki 88.2FM.

Text Mark Amery. Images Mark Coote

The best way to write about a radio station at the centre of the universe? The coolest waves on the Kapiti Coast? He tangata – people!

Of itself Paekākāriki 88.2FM is but a few wires, bits and bobs of equipment and wireless connecting friends and whanau, far and wide. It’s not always flash. Yet what is precious is the generosity that connects it all up.

In 2012, a loose collective came together. Folk found themselves at the same time in the same place with a similar passion for community, environment, music and a wee seaside village.

We shelter under a trust, Paekākāriki Informed Community Inc inspired by the independent media work of the late community newspaper Paekakariki Xpressed and work of former editor Don Polly, who provides quiet guidance and runs “the coolest jazz show where the sounds are red hot.”

The station gained ignition with Daniel Bar-Even and Pete Handford of Groundtruth. They’d been placing radio transmitters in bush to track native birdlife, with one such transmitter placed on Kāpiti Island. Broadcasting bird sounds back on the mainland, just as we broadcast the sounds of traffic to them, why not? We could even add a radio station, reckoned Dan, while we’re at it? Groundtruth provided a transmitter and the capability to connect to it – a wifi signal shoots up to our perch on the hill.

When Daniel contacted your author about the idea it was clear to me all the other people were neighbours. Legendary sound engineer Mike Gibson worked with the fledgling committee to put together a studio and Francis Mills helped build it (as he has many vital community assets). MIke continues to keep the studio shipshape while Dan maintains the software and sends it out to the world. Passionate about the idea and putting in time and resources, Mark Coote and Stefan Wolf stepped up. Me, I’d always been involved in radio and was surrounded by people with great diverse music collections, radio experience, or an appetite for performance. I worked out a structure; became founding programme manager – Renwick Wright now occupies that chair.

Music heads will lose their way without good governance. We’ve never had a management heirarchy, we try to work collectively, but that requires good steerage. Mark Coote has held the treasurer role from the get go. Sarah Te One and Paul Radich have been our wise and incredibly generous chairs and Kirsten Drysdale, Murray Williams and James Albertson that most crucial of positions, the secretary. James is our current programmer a duty shared amongst the committee over the years, which has also included Graeme Coe, Shona Jaunas, and today Chrissi Johnson (aka Soundchick), Amelia Nurse and Val Little.

And the shows! From the get-go we had no trouble filling a week with musical nirvana. Many have been with us from the beginning. Here I remember those who’ve left, hoping they may return or inspire you to start your own show. Al Wilson’s sonic Eartasties, Murray’s Miscellany with its infamous Xmas special, the riotous performance art of The Weather Girls, Ed Morley-Hall and kids Parental Misguidance. Jim Ebenoh’s indie NZ show Anything Could Happen and Jason Johnston’s This One Time On Bandcamp. Witham and Brews (remembering those homebrew shows early on), the best hiphop show in Aotearoa Jack Cromie’s Beats and Bangers, Mick Finn’s The Space Doctor with astronomical news and views,  Mike Gibson’s The Wellington Sounds,  Boggy’s Kāpiti show Music from the Centre of the Universe, Therese Lloyd’s tribute to the 90s X-Alt!, Russell Thomas’s Mondaze and the African groove of Tim Jaray’s Highlife.

Then there’s the korero: Flo McNeill’s Green Tea show on sustainability, Mercedes Vincente’s poetry show Word, Kaia Hawkins’ Collective Korero. We also haven’t been short on teenage shows: the brilliantly titled Calvinball, Teenage Talk with Tanira (formerly the A’n’T show), LTRT Gaming, Comicini, Alphabet Aerobics and Ka Hao Te Rangatahi with Hana Burge. All, amazingly, remain archived in the digital vault.

Let’s not forget flagship community show Te Pae, now six years old. Founding producer Melanie Phipps codesigned the show with its first two hosts for several years, Kaia Hawkins and myself, with a great crew behind the scenes. For the first few years the show was two hours, with a live music slot, live poetry slot, issue of the week panel and Neighbour of the Week interview (most of these are archived online – thanks Barbara McDonald). With Rebecca Thomson producing we dropped to a sensible one hour and more collectivity emerged. Now a healthy band collectively run and host the show.

Weekly school shows have been a feature from the get-go – indeed we opened with a Te Pae show on the night of Sunday February 16 2013 with our school kapa haka ropu. That stepped up in 2016 when the station moved into the school’s former dental clinic. In 2017 School Radio Club began, helped by a roster of parents, featuring dozens of students at a time, joining a Year 8 radio show and, in 2017, a Te Ra radio show.

Before residence at the school we were sleepout stylez. Transmission commenced from the Wellington road sleepout of Daniel Bar-Even and Helen Heath, before moving further up the road to Murray Williams’ sleepout (with ocassional baking), and then on to the old shops next to Playcentre, with the support of Joelle Mills.

Six years in, we hope we’ve established a sustainable model. Just this year we have prepared to move our transmitter to a stronger hill location with Groundtruth, replaced aging equipment and we did our first big outside-the-studio broadcast – recording live from St Peters Hall for its centennial over a two day period. We continue with a shared love for the rhythms of the coast.

Mark Amery