By Rachelle Tauroa – Mātanga Hangarau (Technical Support & Comms Specialist)
Kaimahi had two valuable development opportunities recently, where ariki (teachers) and ākonga (students) shared kōrero and experiences.
A deep dive into big topics
Two ‘nation building’ wānanga were held in August for kaimahi, at the Headingly Centre in Whakatū (Nelson) and at Waikawa Marae in Waitohi (Picton).
Te Ururoa Flavell (right) was compelling in his kōrero
These were noho marae-style, where we stayed together for a two-day immersion in the wānanga delivered by Te Ururoa Flavell and Hone Hurihanganui.
The focus was on Te Tiriti o Waitangi vs the Treaty of Waitangi and on the impacts of colonisation and racism. What I got from this wānanga was a deeper understanding and insight into how things played out from the day Captain Cook arrived to now, and how that has shaped so much of where we are as Māori today.
It was two full-on days with a lot to unpack, and gave lots of food for thought on what the next steps might look like and what can I do.
One of my key learnings was that you can’t do it alone – take others along on your journey. It’s about education and understanding and if we can do that in a clear but respectful way then we are heading in the right direction. Doing nothing is not an option.
Kaimahi engaged in intense listening, discussion and activities to bring learning to life.
