Events - 2012
- 26th February 2012 - ZANZ TT Championship 2012
- 21st March 2012 - ZANZ Navroze Jashan
- 25th March 2012 - ZANZ Navroze function and Avan Roj nu Parab
- 18th April 2012 - ZANZ Tip Top Ice Cream Factory Visit
- 23rd June 2012 - ZANZ AGM
- 11th July 2012 - ZANZ Airport Tour
- 18th August 2012 - ZANZ New Year Jashan
- 18th August 2012 - ZANZ New Year Function
- 9th October 2012 - ZANZ's VISY Recycling Plant Tour
- 13th October 2012 - ZANZ Antakshari Night
- 8th December - Children's Christmas Party
| Date | 26th February 2012 |
| Event | ZANZ TT Championship 2012 |
| Venue | Pakuranga Community Hall |
| Description | Where were you on Sunday 26th Feb 2012? Did you know that ZANZ had organised a Table Tennis Tournament and at 2:30 p.m. the Finals started amidst a crowd of 90 people all cheering and clapping for the finalists? Can you believe this happening in Aotearoa? For the adults, it was like the floodgates of the past had opened up, reminding them of their youthful days in our Parsee baugs playing TT and enjoying every moment. Please read for further details.
ZANZ organised the tournament at the Pakuranga Community Hall. There were 36 participants who displayed fantastic skills and enthusiasm. The volunteers started organising the tables & nets at 11 a.m. and right from the word "GO", a potpourri of kids, teenagers and adults started practising some shots. With the draws all put up for display, the participants were eager to see who they were playing against and what their chances were to get to the finals. Our TT tournament had four categories Junior Singles, Men Singles, Women Singles and Jumble Doubles. All games were played for 11 points and we decided to have best of 3 games for the rounds till quarter finals. For semi-finals and finals, the winner was decided on the basis of best of 5 games. In the Junior category, the final was played between Zane Karai and Rishad Manecksha. Rishad won the tournament 11-7, 11-9 and 14-12. In the Women's finals it was a repeat from 2 years ago, the classic clash between the Sarkari ladies. Veera Sarkari played against her daughter Roxanne (last year's winner). But this time the tables were turned. Veera played some excellent shots which were well returned by Roxanne. Experience won against youth and Veera won 11-8, 8-11, 11-5 and 11-7. By 2:30 p.m. there was palpable excitement in the air as only one table was left in the centre for the finalists to play. Minoo Master kindly obliged to referee the finals. We started with the Jumble doubles final which was played by Sohrab Irani & Jarafshan Mistry against Dinyar Irani & Bilkish Vazifdar. Such was the intensity of this final that it extended to five games. Every time a shot was played or defended the crowd cheered the players. Dinyar Irani & Bilkish Vazifdar won the title beating their opponents 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 7-11 and 11-6. It was 3.00 p.m. and time for the main showdown. The Men Finals were about to begin. Sohrab Irani (winner of the last ZANZ TT tournament) was to play against Dinyar Irani. It was a classic tale of the clash between the experienced, cool and composed Sohrab against Dinyar's youth, vigour and exuberance. The final was exciting and pulsating with crowd cheers and calls; at times nail-biting, and mesmerising the whole atmosphere. An awesome display of chops, top spins, shots and equally good defence was enjoyed by all. Dinyar won the title with scores 15-17, 11-7, 12-10 and 11-6. It was a very exciting day for all participants and spectators. The prize giving ceremony followed and a special prize was given to Porus Kateli for his help with refereeing and setting up of tables. Minoo Master was also thanked for refereeing the finals. We would like to thank Viraf Todywalla for donating tickets to the upcoming show IndiKing as prizes. Other prizes included movie tickets and chocolates for the winners and runners up. No ZANZ event is complete without comments from Benifer Irani and she proved to be an excellent amusement with her Parsee comments "Fori naak", "Thaaki gyoj" etc. Also, no Parsee event is complete without food. The youth branch of ZANZ (Zoroastrian Youth of New Zealand) had food stalls set up. They sold Chutney and Vegetable sandwiches, Lamb Cutlets, Bhel, Kulfi, Raro, Mava cakes and Tea with Batasas. It was nice to see so many of our youngsters involved in fundraising for the upcoming World Zoroastrian Youth Congress to be held here in NZ in 2015. They were meticulous and well-organised. They will need your support over the next few years as they continue to fundraise for the big event. We take this opportunity to thank all the volunteers who helped us to set up the tables, referee and clean the hall. Big thanks to the spectators who proved to be an excellent audience and cheered for all the participants. A final thanks to Minoo Siganporia and Paeterasp Vevaina for helping ZANZ organise this event. They worked hard on the day and the weeks prior to the event to make sure everything went smoothly on the day. Best regards, ZANZ Management Committee |
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| Date | 21st March 2012 |
| Event | ZANZ Navroze Jashan |
| Venue | Te Tuhi |
| Description | Dear friends,
One hundred people attended the ZANZ Jamshedi Navroze Jashan on 21st March 2012 at Te Tuhi, The Mark. The ZANZ Management Committee would like to thank Viraf Fatakia, Khushru Master, Jamsheed Tata, Perzaan Mehta, Karan Bhandari, Rishad Katki, Navzad Chhor and Jehan Balsara for performing the Jashan. We would also like to thank Darius Mistry, Dilshad Shroff, Kairus Hansotia, Homai Elavia and Gulshan Vagal for donating cash for the Jashan. Thanks to Thrity Mistry for donating flowers, Cyrus & Rati Mehta for donating dry fruits and Ketty Fitter for making papris for the malido. The Jashan was followed by the sharing of chasni which was generously brought by Anahita Daruwalla, Anahita Vevaina, Armin Dadabhoy, Binaifer Homavazir, Daliah Kermani, Dinaz Cooverji, Faranak Kabir, Goolrukh Mistry, Havovi Chhor, Hufrish Mehta, Kashmira Amrolia, Kashmira Mehta, Tehmus Mistry, Thrity Mistry and Veera Sarkari. If we have missed naming anyone, we apologise but truly appreciate your kind donation. After everyone had their fill of the chasni, many also took some home for their families. The community spirit was alive and apparent at this Jashan and we hope to have many more like it. Kind Regards, ZANZ Management Committee |
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| Date | 25th March 2012 |
| Event | ZANZ Navroze function and Avan Roj nu Parab |
| Venue | Motuihe Island |
| Description | Over 100 people attended the ZANZ cruise and picnic on Sunday 25th March 2012. Mother Nature set a few hearts fluttering by offering morning skies filled with dark clouds and rain showers. By 10 a.m. there were blue skies and the ZANZ committee breathed sighs of relief as we headed to central Auckland towards the ferry terminal.
At the terminal, each passenger was handed a delicious and filling boxed lunch. The chartered ferry left the terminal and we headed towards Motuihe Island. At the ferry terminal, as we waited for the last few people to board the ferry, we were entertained by a spectacular air show. After disembarking from the ferry, we came together on the beach and held a humbundagi. After this people, were free to explore the island, swim, build sand castles, play beach games or just relax. On the island we were informed that there was going to be a special event on the island that afternoon. Sixty tuatara were being released back into the wild and we were invited to be part of the welcoming ceremony. In the culmination of an eight-year-project, the tuatara were flown by helicopter from Lady Alice Island in Northland to their new home, Motuihe Island. Some of us were there to witness this historical event. At 3:00 p.m. we left the island and sailed back to Auckland after a fun and relaxing day at the beach. The ZANZ committee would like to thank Hosi and Maharukh Katki for catering the picnic lunch that everyone enjoyed. We would also like to thank Firoza Saklatwalla for making over 100 delicious dar ni poris. We have received a lot of positive feedback from the community regarding this event and hope to host more unique events in the coming years. Kind Regards, ZANZ Management Committee |
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| Date | 18th April 2012 |
| Event | Tip Top Ice Cream Factory Visit |
| Venue | Tip Top Ice Cream Factory, Auckland |
| Description | Nine adults and twenty-six children visited the Tip Top Ice cream factory on Wednesday, 18th April for a tour. The tour started with Madelaine (our tour guide) telling us about the health and safety rules we had to follow once we were in the factory.
Once inside the factory, we were given a step by step tour of how Tip Top make their famously creamy ice cream. We also watched ice cream production from enclosed viewing galleries. There was a smelling competition where we had to identify 4 different flavours of ice cream. The children did a LOT better than the adults! After a Q&A session, we FINALLY got to the best part of the whole tour... getting a chance to sample one (or in some cases two) Tip Top ice cream cone/bar while watching a short DVD about the history of Tip Top ice cream. It was a sweet and satisfying end to an informative and fun morning. As it was a beautiful day, many children stayed back to play in the playground before going home. The ZANZ Management Committee would like to thank Anahita Gonda, Rohinton Fitter and Shahazad Contractor who generously agreed to drive children who did not have transport to and from the factory. We hope to organise more school holiday events in the future for our children and once again will call on parents to assist so that more children can participate and have fun. Kind Regards, ZANZ Management Committee |
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| Date | 23rd June 2012 |
| Event | ZANZ AGM |
| Venue | Te Tuhi Auditorium |
| Description | The minutes of the ZANZ AGM can be obtained by emailing the ZANZ committee on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Kindly note, the meeting minutes will be emailed / distributed to ZANZ members only. |
| Date | 11th July 2012 |
| Event | ZANZ Airport Tour |
| Venue | Auckland International Airport |
| Description | Thirty-eight children and adults congregated at the Pakuranga Mall on a cold morning on 11th July waiting to get on a bus to take them to the Auckland International Airport. A rumour amongst the children was that we were going on a double-decker bus. The rumour turned into reality when we walked to the bus stop and lo and behold, a double decker bus was waiting for us! It was as much a surprise for the ZANZ Management Committee as it was for the children. The bus company had decided to send the bus especially for the children who were excited to grab the front seats on the upper deck as they rushed into the bus. Benifer Irani led the adults in Gujarati songs as we traveled to the airport. Thirty minutes later, we were at Auckland airport and were greeted by our tour guide and hostess, Tiana Samasoni, who took us to a private conference room on the third floor of the International terminal. After an interactive presentation on the history of the airport and the different types of people who work there, Tiana had a treat in store for us. She said we had two guest speakers who were bringing their special friends. The speakers were Customs dog handlers who work at the airport and the special friends were two Labrador sniffer dogs. We saw a demonstration of how the dogs can detect certain 'chemicals' on passengers. The children also got a chance to pet the dogs and play with them. Then it was time to make our way to the observation deck where we saw several planes take off and land. Once back at the conference room, we had a delicious lunch from McDonalds followed by cookies. Tiana gave each child goodies including lollies, airport flags, stickers and cards. Three lucky people (Sheroy Gonda, Zack Karai and Thrity Mistry) even won large informative books on the history of the Auckland airport. Soon, it was time to head home and everyone piled into the bus. Spirits were high in spite of the fact that we got stuck in traffic and arrived in Pakuranga an hour later. After thanking our friendly bus driver Dave, everyone went home with smiles on their faces and a head full of airport facts. The ZANZ Management Committee would like to thank all the parents and grandparents who attended the tour and helped supervise the children. We are organising another informative tour for our children in the October school holidays so make sure you sign your kids up fast as these tours fill up very quickly. |
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| Date | 18th August 2012 |
| Event | ZANZ New Year Jashan |
| Venue | Te Tuhi, The Mark |
| Description | Dear friends,
Nearly one hundred people attended the ZANZ Parsi New Year Jashan on 18th August 2012 at Te Tuhi, The Mark. The ZANZ Management Committee would like to thank Viraf Fatakia, Jamsheed Tata, Khushru Master, Karan Bhandari, Navzad Chhor and Jehan Balsara for performing the Jashan. We would also like to thank Darius Mistry, Vicky Mistry, Xerxes Saher, Binaifer Homavazir, Gulshan Vagal & Goolu Balsara for their monitory donations and Ketty Fitter, Goolrukh Mistry, Tehmus Mistry, Armin Dadabhoy, Anahita Vevaina, Arnavaz Irani, Yasmin Karani, Daliah Kermani, Faranak Kabir, Khushcheher Contractor, Paricheher Contractor, Cyrus Khambatta and Roshni Daruwalla for donating papris, sev, malido and ravo. If we have missed naming anyone, we apologise but truly appreciate your kind donation. After everyone had their fill of the chasni, many also took some home for their families. The ZANZ Management Committee also took 2 bowls of sev for next day's Senior Citizens Coffee Group. The sev was enjoyed with dahi as a morning snack. The community spirit was alive and apparent at this Jashan and we hope to have many more like it. Kind Regards, ZANZ Management Committee |
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| Date | 18th August 2012 |
| Event | ZANZ New Year Function |
| Venue | India Gate Restaurant |
| Description | The youth organised the annual ZANZ New Year Function on the 18th of August to fundraise for the upcoming 6th World Zoroastrian Youth Congress in 2015. The theme was "I'm Bawa & I Know it", giving all individuals the opportunity to dress and impress in their best Bawa Outfit. Overall, it was a fantastic evening with a splendid buffet spread followed by dancing, raffles and spot prizes. The evening would not have been as successful as it was without the overwhelming support of the community. A big thank you to our generous sponsors and donors: Businesses
Individuals & Families
Kind Regards, Tinaz, Nazneen and Roxanne |
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| Date | 9th October 2012 |
| Event | ZANZ's VISY Recycling Plant tour |
| Venue | VISY Recycling Plant |
| Description | An excited group of children and adults boarded a Ritchies bus in Pakuranga on the morning of 9th October. The bus was going to take us to the VISY Recycling plant. It was a short trip so there wasn't enough time to organise teams for antakshari (as requested by Benifer Irani). Once at the recycling plant, we were taken to the Education Centre where Meredith, our tour guide and educational facilitator, told us about all the different types of products VISY recycles. She quizzed the children on items that can and cannot be recycled and was very impressed by their knowledge and responses. After an informative and interesting animation which showed us how the MRF (Materials Recovery Facility) sorts and separates all the recycled materials collected from different areas in Auckland, she gave us High Visibility vests, safety glasses and closed footwear (for those of us who had open-toed shoes) and took us outside. The whole group was first weighed on the scales which trucks are weighed on. Our group weighed in at 1540 kg. We then made our way to the area where recycling trucks dump their loads. In the brief time we were there, we saw 6 trucks depositing recycled materials collected from Auckland neighbourhoods and even from areas outside Auckland. There was an unpleasant smell (as expected) around the area but we soon got used to it. Due to health and safety reasons we were not allowed inside the recycling plant. On the way back to the education centre, we were weighed once again and somehow had lost 20 kg!! After making sure we hadn't lost anyone in the huge mountain of recycled materials we went indoors. Meredith then told us what happens to plastic, metal, cardboard and glass products after they are recycled and showed us how these materials are converted into new products. The children were amazed to see how a small plastic 'test tube' could be converted into a plastic Coke bottle and how aluminium cans could be recycled indefinitely. After thanking Meredith, we made our way back to Ian (our friendly bus driver) and the bus. We snacked on chips and lollies (thanks to some generous parents who had brought food) and were soon back in Pakuranga. It was an informative and interesting trip enjoyed by everyone who went. Please see how much fun we had by looking at the attached pictures. For more information about VISY recycling and online games and prizes for children, please visit VISY Recycling Plant Kind Regards, ZANZ Management Committee |
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| Date | 13th October 2012 |
| Event | ZANZ Antakshari Night |
| Venue | Bucklands Beach Hall |
| Description | A total of 7 teams (with 6 participants each) took part in the ZANZ Antakshari Night. There were 7 rounds in total; some were easy and others left participants scratching their heads. The last round had a twist. The English meaning of a song was given and the teams had to guess and sing the correct Hindi song. Many teams did very well in this round. The winning team "Rangeelay Ratan" did an awesome job of scoring 140 points by getting points in 12 out of 14 rounds. The runners up, "Fitter ki toh nikal paddi" got 120 points with a close finish against "Saaz aur Awaz" who came third with 110 points. Everyone took the challenge with good spirits except for a few who found it very wearisome. The Zoroastrian Youth of New Zealand (ZYNZ) had put up food stalls as a fundraiser and did a marvellous job selling sausages, bhel puri, mava cakes, cutlets, tea, drinks and fries – everyone loved the food and it was sold out in a flash. The ZANZ Management Committee would like to thank all the volunteers who stayed back and helped clear the chairs and tables. Huge thanks also go to Paeterasp Vevaina who helped Roshni Daruwalla with the organisation of this event and to Baji Antia for once again doing such a fantastic job as MC. |
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| Date | 8th December 2012 |
| Event | ZANZ's Children's Christmas Party |
| Venue | Swimsation East Tamaki |
| Description | Children had a splashing time at the ZANZ Christmas party held at Swimsation East Tamaki. For the first hour, they were in the pool splashing around and having water fights. Lucas, our wonderful lifeguard and host, also held racing competitions between the girls and the boys. It was then time for some well-deserved snacks of burgers, chips and juice. Santa arrived to give presents to all the good boys and girls. The children were then surprised with a really cool treat. ZANZ had hired a Super Kool ice-cream truck and the children each chose an ice-cream cone before they went home.
ZANZ would like to thank our very special ‘Santa’ and all the parent helpers who helped us to set up and then tidy up the place. We have had great feedback from the children about the venue and are considering having a mid-summer pool party early next year, so watch this space. Kind Regards, ZANZ Management Committee |
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