Bless those briquettes

I arrived a little late to the blessing of the Solid Energy briquette plant at Mataura, which in itself was a blessing because I didn't have to wear one of the stupid hi-vis vests like the ones the other guests, including all of the rangatahi were wearing. Even Bill English had one stretched over his MP suit. Roly had mis-timed our entrance, so we slunk in at the back of the marquee and watched the proceedings in relative anonymity. We thought.
The kapahaka group belted out a mighty haka and the wero was laid down by a fearsome lad wielding a taiaha that seemed to hypnotise Bill so much that someone from the crowd had to yell out 'Pick it up!'.
A karakia was intoned over a white china bowl of briquettes.

A sod was turned (I'm resisting a very strong temptation here!)

There were plenty of media, suitably attired for the dangerous environment of gravel and grass.

My best shot, photographically speaking, was of two 'coats' left lying on a table while the speechifying went on: a Solid Energy vest and a korowai from the Hokonui Runaka. Poignant much?

After the hole was dug, and as I stood in the sunniest, warmest spot out of the keen wind that blew in from the southwest, Bill Luff, Group Manager External Affairs came and introduced himself and we had a very convivial talk about issues of Christchurch and Solid Energy respectively. Don Elder joined us (he has a Hone Hariwira handshake, warm and prolonged, in case that sort of detail interests you) and made a good job of allaying my concerns about some things. Not all by any means, but we only had 20 minutes until the show was closed and I had to leave for Invers.