Jonah Lomu To Cut Te Papa’s Giant Lamington

13 February 2008

MEDIA RELEASE

Jonah Lomu To Cut Te Papa’s Giant Lamington – Saturday 16 February

Rugby legend Jonah Lomu will cut Te Papa’s lamington birthday cake at 12 noon on Saturday 16 February in the Oceania function area on Level 3. Mr Lomu, who features in Te Papa’s Golden Days and Tangata o le Moana exhibitions, will be assisted by ten children born in 1998, the year Te Papa opened. The Honourable Judith Tizard, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage will participate in the cake cutting. The popular television presenter Suzy Cato MC’ing the event as well as other events planned for the afternoon.

Visitors will also be able to make a donation to Mr Lomu’s charity, Kidney Kids of New Zealand, a parent driven organisation set up to meet the needs of children, and the families of children, who have kidney disorders.

The lamington, created by Te Papa chefs, will be a massive 20 metres long and will weigh 350kg. It will take six chefs 10 hours to assemble in time for the cutting and there will be enough pieces for 4,500 people.

However there won’t be any candles on the lamington to blow out noted Paul Brewer, Te Papa’s Director Marketing & Communications.

‘We have replaced the candles with a fireworks salute to each of the ten years Te Papa has been opened at 10pm by Te Papa’s waterfront’, Mr Brewer said.

The lamington consists of 110kg flour, 96kg sugar, 2100 eggs, 7 kg baking powder and 20-30kg coconut. Cadbury Confectionary has donated cocoa and chocolate for the 80kg of chocolate icing needed to finish the cake.

Te Papa chefs will on hand to serve visitors their free piece of cake until it is gone.

ENDS

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