A Mini Mana Gang Show

This term, Scouts Aotearoa set us the challenge of putting on a “performance”. We discovered it had been 38 years since the last Mana Gang Show and decided to produce a Mini-Gang Show with our cubs, in partnership with Mana Little Theatre.

We have been working on our Climate Change badge this term so asked the cubs to write original skits on the theme of climate change or environment. What creativity! Farting cows were a big feature and classic scout skits an inspiration - like the invisible bench becoming melting ice that no one had noticed!

Mana Little Theatre generously provided us with a venue where we performed our show to a full house of parents, featuring some reworked songs (Minecraft movie’s Lava Chicken became a song about the environment and Monty Python’s Galaxy Song became a song about climate change). We closed in true Gang Show style with Crest of a Wave. 

For many of our Cubs, this was their first time performing in a theatre in front of an audience. Not all of our cubs enjoy performing in front of an audience, but in true scouts style, they gave it their best shot, supporting the cubs who were absolutely loving it.

It’s been amazing working with such a creative group of inspiring youngsters. We’ve seen our cubs grow in confidence, learn new skills, and take on a new challenge. Who knows, some of them may have found a life-long passion!

Tara & Angus' Chief Scout Adventurous Journey (Angus)

DAY 1 FRIDAY

We left the scout den at 4.30 pm on Friday and drove to Greytown. We arrived at the Greytown Scout Hall, biked down to the Greytown fish and chips shop, and ordered burgers and chips. After that, we went to a local park to play. Later on, once it had become dark, we decided to play Spotlight in the nearby park to end the night. Overall, we got on well because it was a small group, and everyone knew each other. Though it might have been better if we made food instead of buying it, at least it fits the budget.

We had pancakes for breakfast on Saturday morning. Upon finding that we needed more batter, we added more water, and the result was funny-looking crepes that were still fine. Soon after breakfast, we decided to go geocaching, and this went well, though some of the caches had been damaged. Next was the Patuna Chasm walk, which went exceedingly well only because Patuna Farm Adventures had a tight system. After that, we talked about how that went. We got dinner on the go soon after. It was pasta, and whilst some participants doubted my portioning skills, it worked out great. To top off the night, we baked a chocolate cake, though we spilled a bit of the mixture almost immediately. We got it done and topped it with icing.

By Sunday morning, we had got the hang of working/ cooking as a team, and breakfast was made quickly. The only issue we found was that the electric stovetop started sparking, so we switched stoves. At first, we had planned a short bike ride to Featherston for the end of the camp. The leaders (Derrick and Dermott) advised that this was too little of a challenge. Dermott stated, "We had to do something longer to make this epic. So, with some quick thinking, we planned a bike up over the Remutakas and over to Kaitoke to seal off the adventurous journey. Although biking 43.8km on bumpy gravel and the uneven road is painful enough, the hill is pretty steep and just goes up to the top. Once we were on the other side, it was smooth sailing. In conclusion, I enjoyed my Chief Scout's adventurous journey and would do it again.

Shipwrecked at Pukerua Bay - Cub Camp

“Shipwrecked at Pukerua Bay” was a Cub Camp that will go down in legend for the youth and Kaiarahi of Ngāti Toa Sea Scouts.

In March we spent two nights under canvas at the Pukerua Bay Scout Den. An outdoor camp was a first for most of our Cubs and organising it was a first for most of our Kaiārahi too. Despite trepidation from both parties, the weekend was a successful, fun packed adventure from start to finish.

 

The theme of the camp was “Shipwrecked” with the games, activities and food all aimed at surviving in a remote location with limited resources and trying to secure rescue. Having a theme was helpful for the organisers and fun for the Cubs. It gave focus to the activities and made space to tell fun stories to each other.

Across the weekend the Cubs:

• Took part in wide games like “Message in a Bottle” and “Blind Buccaneers Trail” – very useful for building small teams and blowing off steam before bed. 
• Learned some bushcraft skills such as shelter building, signaling, and tracking – a must if you are trapped in a remote bay. 
• Conquered a nearby peak to warm up their muscles in the morning and get the “lie of the land” in unfamiliar surroundings. 
• Made flags to mark their territory and use up some creative energy. 
• And spent time learning some campfire skills – lighting fires and cooking chocolate stuffed bananas, smores and a, remarkably tasty, damper – everything a shipwrecked cub might need.

 

The weekend was catered by an incredible crew who managed to rescue some surprising supplies from the galley before the ship went down. We were treated to “Kraken & Seaweed” (Carrot and

Cucumber, “Scurvy-be-gone Juice” (Raro), Ants on a Log, “Cheesy Cannonball Rolls” and a First-Class

Feast at the Captains table. The “Booty Bars” were a real hit with the Cubs and Kaiarahi but the Galley Chief insists that he will take the recipe to the bottom of the briny blue before he gives it up to any Land Lubbers. 

 

In the evenings we enjoyed some fantastic Campfires where Cubs and Kaiārahi alike showcased their top songs and skits. Favourites like “Ging Gang”, “Singin’ in the rain” and “My Bonny” were complimented with more nautical hits like the “Wellerman”. The cubs had prepared skits during the day, and we were treated to excellent versions of “Broken Finger”, “Invisible Bench”, “Ice Fishing” and “Is that a Poo?” The version of “The Bandana skit” that we saw had the camp rolling with laughter and may never be forgotten!

 

Luckily, Pukerua Bay turned out to be a less remote place to be shipwrecked than we had initially feared, and rescue parties were able to collect some tired and happy Cubs at the close of camp. I know they were full of good food, and I would like to think they also took away some new skills, strong friendships, and some fantastic memories. I, for one, cannot wait to do it all over again!

 

Dave Philipson at the NTSS Cub Kaiārahi

Tara & Angus' Chief Scout Adventurous Journey (Tara)

Day 1

On Friday the 28 of February we left Ngāti Toa scout hall to begin our adventurous journey. The drive took longer than we thought because there was lots of traffic. When we got there we found the key the was left under the rubbish bin for us and had a look around then we went back to the car and unloaded everything after everything was inside the hall we got out a table and told the scouts what was going to happen that night and also decided what days I would lead and what days Angus would lead. We decided that I would lead Friday night & Angus would lead Saturday and I would lead Sunday. I think it was good to tell the other scouts what was happening because it meant they didn't have to ask us what was happening next after each activity finished. 

After that I decided we were going to set up our beds and then ride our bikes to the fish and chip shop where we were eating our dinner. When we got there I ordered the food and they said we had to wait for about 30 minutes. There was a picnic bench next to the fish and chip shop but me and Rose went to see if we could find a nicer place to eat around there while Angus and Dylan waited for the food. I think that was a good idea because otherwise we would have had to find a place to eat after we already had the food and it might have gone cold. Once the food was ready we went to the picnic table me and Rose found at a park to eat our dinner. 

After dinner we biked back to the hall and all found our torches. It was a good idea that we set up our beds before dinner because it gave us more time to play spotlight. We went out to play spotlight and then came in about 45 minutes later because we had to get ready for bed. We probably should have set boundaries before the first round because we didn't know how far we could go but after the first round we said we could only go on the field and the trees around it.

At around 9.50 we went in and got ready for bed we were in bed and lights out by 10 or 10.15. Our aim was a 10 pm lights out so we should have come in earlier but we were pretty close. 

Day 2

On Saturday we had planned to get up at 8 but everyone woke up at 7 or 7.30 and so we played cards until then. 8 was too late to get up and we probably could have started on breakfast when we got up so we had more time to do other things. For breakfast we made pancakes which were okay. We used a lot of mix in the first couple that didn't turn out well and then decided to add a bit more water so we would have more mix. That made the pancakes very thin but they still tasted good. It did take us a lot longer than expected to make breakfast and we decided that maybe it was a bit much to have all four of us in the kitchen making breakfast so me and Rose got out the stuff for lunch and started making people's wraps. One thing we realized is we had forgotten to put on the gear list things to put our lunches in but we had planned to eat at the start of the walk that day anyway so we put the lunches in one of the boxes with food. 

While we were eating breakfast and a bit when we were cooking, Angus told everyone what was going to happen that day because he was leading that day. When all the breakfast and lunch things were packed up we packed our day bags so everything would be ready by the time we got back from geocaching. We went geocaching for about an hour or hour and a half. It was good but some of them were hard to find or not there. 

When we got back we put our lunches in the car and our day bags and went to Patuna chasm. We didn't know where to go so we used google maps.  We got there about 45 mins early so we had lunch at a picnic bench that was there, signed in on the sheet out front and put on more sunscreen. It was good we got there early because it meant we had time to do all those things and if we were late they wouldn't have waited for us and we would have missed out. 

The car ride that took us to the start of the walk was about 15 mins and had some nice views it was also fun because we were in the trailer it the actual car. When we got to the start the person that ran the Patuna chasm walk gave us instructions about the walk and told us where a first aid kit was and what to do if anything happened on the walk. That was good but made it easy for me and Angus because we didn't have to try to find out where we were or where to go next on a map because we had the instructions and the person had told us everything we needed to know. 

The first part of the walk was on land and a bit uphill. After about 15 to 20 minutes of that we went down into the river. It was a steep downhill so they had a rope you could use to help you down. Once we were in the river we went upstream to a waterfall which we stood under and it was nice and refreshing since it was a nice day. After that we had to turn back downstream because past the waterfall was private property. We kept walking downstream and took lots of pictures because it was very pretty. It was rocky and slippery in some places so we made sure that we were watching our steps so we didn't fall. We were just walking straight for a while in some parts the water was up to our waist and in other parts it was only up to our ankles. After that there was a side path to a cave type thing it took about 15 mins to get up there and it was cool but very muddy and slippery on the way up and down after that we just kept walking down the river and because we wanted to do the swim out option we kept walking past the walk out sign with the rope to get back up. 

We continued down and it started to get deeper at one point there was a part that was up to ours waists on the side and deeper in the middle me and Rose went under the water there because we thought it was the swimming part but it wasn't super deep for that long. Then after another couple of minutes we saw the deeper part. Derrick and Dermot took the bags because we wanted to go under the water and because we were too short to keep them from getting wet. It was a good idea to give them the bags because they didn't get wet and they definitely would have it if we had carried them. 

At the end of the swim there was and orange cone that showed us where to get out so we got out and followed the path back to where we had started on our way up we heard the cars coming back to get people but by the time we got there they had already left so we had to wait a hour for them to come back and pick us up. We should have run when we heard them so we would get there on time. 

During that hour we put our thermals on and some of our wet stuff off so we wouldn't get cold because it was windy. Derrick taught us about some of the trees that were around there and the clouds that were in the sky at that point. The cars came back for us at 4.45 we went in the trailers back to the place where we parked and then drove back to the hall. 

When we got back to the hall we put on our togs and went to the pool that was right next to the hall. We were there for about 45 minutes because it closed 30 minutes before they said it would. But it was still a good amount of time in the pool before we had to go back to make dinner. 

Dinner was pasta which some people thought there wouldn't be enough of because we only brought one bag of pasta but it was enough for all of us. It also didn't take as long as breakfast. After dinner we were going to start making the cake but then we realized we didn't bring a cake tin but then someone suggested we use the pot we made the pasta in so we did we made the batter put it in the pot and then we put in in the oven and set a timer and went outside to play spotlight it was fun but there was a lot more people around. We went inside 15 mins before the timer went off because there were some people walking around the field and it was kinda creepy. When we were inside we checked on the cake but it still had a while to go so we played cards until it was done. After the cake was done we realized we still had to make the icing so we quickly made that and put it on the cake we also wanted milo but we had used the pot to make the cake so we had cold milo it was very good after we had eaten cake we cleaned the dishes and went to bed. 

Day 3

We were planning to get up at 7 on Sunday but the alarm didn't go off and so we ended up getting up at around 7.20. When we got up we packed up our beds and stuff because we were going home that day then we made breakfast which was scrambled eggs and bacon on toast but when we were cooking the bacon the stove we were cooking it on sparked so we turned it off and started using another one. 

When  we were eating breakfast we were talking about what we were gonna do that day and we were planning on doing a 10km bike ride but then Derrick told us that that would only take us half an hour so me Angus and Dermot went outside to talk about what we would do instead while everyone else cleaned up the inside of the hall. 

When we were trying to decide what we were going to do we decided that we still wanted to do a bike ride but a longer one that we had originally planned. Angus wanted to ride all the way back to Ngāti Toa but I thought 105km was to much and so we decided that we would ride over the Rimutakas on the Rimutaka rail trail and Derrick would pick us up at the carpark at the end and drive us back to the den. 

So we went inside to tell everyone and everything was packed up so we told people what we were going to do and at first they didn't really like the idea because it was still a really long bike ride but they didn't really mind when we were on the bikes. We loaded up everything into Derricks car and he was going to meet us at the start of the Rimutaka track that was about 25 km away but on his way there he stopped at the supermarket because we had to do something else for lunch because we had planned to have nachos at the hall but couldn't do that anymore. Once we had loaded up Derrick's car we left and Dermot was riding with us and had the map on his phone. The first part of the ride was pretty good we were on a bike path for a lot of it and there were some times we went on the road because it was easier to ride on but we only did that on roads that had barely any cars on them and if cars started coming we went onto the path next to the road. 

We took a couple of breaks and made sure everyone drank a lot of water and ate some snacks we brought with us so that people didn't get dehydrated and hungry. We got to the start of the Rimutaka track about just over 2 hours after we left. Everyone was pretty tired and not really excited about the big hill that we had to ride up next. 

We had lunch. Derrick had brought some lollies for energy and some tuna wraps. We stayed there for about an hour and then got back on the bikes and started up the hill. Rose was struggling a bit and wasn't feeling the best at the start so we took a little break and then kept going. We walked our bikes for a bit and then rode them for a bit and kept doing that and taking some breaks but not too many. We did that all the way up the hill to the swing bridge. I think it was a good idea to walk the bikes when we got tired instead of taking breaks so that it didn't take too long. Angus and Dylan were a bit ahead of us but stopped when they thought they were too far ahead. 

When we got to the swing bridge we knew we were close to the top we left our bikes on one side of the swing bridge and then went to have a look over the sides and stuff then we got our bikes and biked across on the other side of the swing bridge there was a tunnel so we a couple of people had torches so we turned them on so we could see. It wasn't a very long tunnel but it might have been more helpful if more people had torches. After another 5 or 10 mins there was another tunnel and then we were at the top. 

Once we were at the top we sat under a tree and rested for 15 mins. Then we went down the hill everyone was a lot more happy because we were going down hill and didn't really have to peddle. The down hill didn't really take us that long, only about half an hour and when we got to the end we saw Derrick and loaded the bikes onto the trailer and then drove to the den. When we got to the den we unloaded the trailer and put everything that needed to go back in the den. Then we all went home. 

It was a good camp and if i did it again i would probably make some changes especially in the planning but i think we did pretty good.

Dylan & Cameron's Chief Scout Journey

Trip Report

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1. Trip Details

• Destination: Lake Taupo

• Travel Dates: October 10th to October 13th

• Purpose of the Trip: Chief Scout Adventurous Journey

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2. Travel Companions

• Leaders: Dougal and Derrick

• Organizing Scouts: Dylan and Cameron

• Scouts: Trinaya, Rose, Tara, Angus, Flynn, and Toby

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3. Itinerary Summary

• Day 1: The first group arrived at 7:00 pm, meeting with Wontolla, who runs the Taupo Scout Ship. He gave a tour of the den, explaining rules and guidelines for our stay. The second group arrived later, around 11:10 pm, and after everyone was settled, we quickly got ready for bed and fell asleep. From Day One we learnt that arriving at 11 at night is quite a challenge, especially unpacking the boats late in the night in the rain. Ideally, if we were to do the camp again, everyone would be able to leave at the same time.

• Day 2: We started the day early, waking up at 7:30 am to make a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs. Later, we embarked on a hike up Mt. Tauhara, taking in the incredible views from the top. Afterwards, we visited AC Baths, which was a blast and a refreshing way to wind down. On day two we should've pushed scouts harder to do the things that they needed to do so we could get going faster. We ran behind schedule all day but they wouldn't have been a problem he we encouraged scouts to do what they needed to do in the morning

• Day 3: We woke up at 6:30 am and kicked off the day with a fun breakfast of blue pancakes. Afterwards, we began rigging boats, but it took longer than anticipated, and unfortunately, we popped the patrol boat. This led to a change in plans, so we ended up sailing back and forth within the bay. After sailing, everyone was cold, so we took a trip to the natural hot springs to warm up. Although the water wasn’t as warm as we’d hoped, we still enjoyed the experience and made the most of it. On the third day, our biggest error was probably forgetting to put the bungs in. if we had done so we wouldn't have popped the patrol boat and we may have been able to go to the Maori carvings. However, we did adapt well and came up with alternative options.

• Day 4 (Last Day): We woke up at 6:30 am again, which didn’t make everyone happy! After that, we began our pack-up process: everyone had their designated jobs as we mopped, swept, and cleared out the den. We then dropped off the rubbish and delivered a thank-you cake to Wontolla for hosting us and assisting on the challenging sailing day. From there, we drove to the Whakapapa side of Mt. Ruapehu and enjoyed a beautiful walk to Taranaki Falls, an impressive sight. Finally, we drove back to the den to unpack after a long and adventurous journey. On the last day of camp we should have slit up, one car going to Steve's place and one going to the tip. Other than that I think Day 4 went very smoothly. 

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4. Accommodation Details

• Hotel/Location: Taupo Scout Ship

• Type of Accommodation: Den

• Quality and Experience: A good place to stay with easy access to the water, ideal for sailing activities, and a private environment perfect for scouts.

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5. Transportation

• Main Mode of Transportation: Car

• Experience: Convenient and flexible for the journey; allowed easy travel around Lake Taupo and direct access to the Scout Ship.

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6. Highlights of the Trip

• Top Attractions Visited: Mt. Tauhara and Taranaki Falls

• Favourite Experience: Learning to play poker with everyone, which became a fun group activity

• Must-try Food or Drink: Blue pancakes—a memorable and tasty part of the adventure

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7. Challenges Faced

• Issues with Accommodation/Transportation: None reported.

• Health/Safety Concerns: Having a smaller patrol boat led some safety concerns on the water and some scouts not being as confident with the conditions at hand which also caused a leader to be on a boat to help teach

• Other Obstacles and How They Were Managed: On Day 3, the patrol boat was damaged when it popped, and high winds, combined with scouts not having their boats properly rigged, created additional complications. These challenges led to a necessary change in plans to ensure safety and manage resources effectively.

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8. Budget Overview

• Total Cost: $904.67

• Main Expenses: Food, Petrol and Boat repairs.

• Left Over: $135.33. This translates to 16.9 dollars per person

• Cost-saving Tips: Choose the cheapest options for food and don’t break the patrol boat.

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9. Key Takeaways

• Memorable Moments: Reaching the top of Mt. Tauhara with all scouts and leaders and enjoying the amazing views.

• Lessons Learned: The importance of proper preparation, especially ensuring that boats and gear are ready and rigged on time for activities.

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10. Photos