SPEECH FOR PUKE ARIKI EXHIBITION OPENING - 17 MARCH Papatuanuku raua ko to hoa rangatira a Ranginui tena korua, tena korua, tena korua

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1 SPEECH FOR PUKE ARIKI EXHIBITION OPENING - 17 MARCH 2010 MIHI: A Io Matua ka nui te mihi ki a koe The divine Souce We greet you Papatuanuku raua ko to hoa rangatira a Ranginui tena korua, tena korua, tena korua To our Earth Mother (Paptuanuku) and your esteemed Partner Ranginui, we greet you both thrice. Ki nga Maunga, nga Awa, nga Ngahere, nga whanaunga, nga mea tatou katoa, tena tatou katoa. To all Mountains, all Rivers, all Forests, all our relations, to all things, we greet and acknowledge you all. Kia koe your Excellency raua ko to hoa rangatira Lady Satyanand - nau mai haere mai - tena korua, tena korua, tena korua. Kia nga Minita o te kawanatanga, o te Kaunihera tena koutou, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa. I am in a unique and privileged position to stand before you this evening your Excellency and Lady Satyanand as one example of the multidimensional roles and responsibilities of a fifth generation mokopuna of both sides of our Land Wars. I am part of a transitionary generation that is correcting and clearing the way for an even more exotic eclectic mix of mokopuna who are following hot on my footsteps. I am physically one, but I represent many. 1

2 In acknowledging you, your Excellency in your role and responsibility as the Tuakana the most senior representative in Aotearoa-NZ for her Majesty - the Queen of England and the many generations of her families I sincerely thank you for being in Taranaki today it is indeed tika the most appropriate action and acknowledgement to the foundation document and partnership of our country. Like me you do not stand alone in that role and I have acknowledged all of those whom stand alongside you. You too are physically one, but representing many. Quite a high form of leverage don t you think? Ka nui te mihi. Today has been a very significant day firstly in the history of Taranaki and it s people and secondly in the history of Aotearoa-New Zealand. 17 March years since the first shots that commenced what is now known as the Taranaki War and premised what are now also known as the NZ Land Wars. It is this single Historical fact shared in a conversation in 2005, with our then newly appointed Manager of Puke Ariki, Mr Bill McNaught, that we both recognized the numerous opportunities that such an historic event might present for our region. Several conversations followed and eventually a blueprint was developed. In 2006 a decision by thetsb Community Trust was made to support a 5 year exhibition programme COMMON GROUND with Puke Ariki. The amount approved by the TSB Community Trust was set at $200, per annum and the Trust committed to the duration of the 5 years in the lead up to this very day - The 17 March 2010! Whilst the decision by the Trust back in 2006 was a unanimous one, it would also be fair to say that there was a healthy level of discomfort that comes with healthy levels of not knowingness. 2

3 As serious guardians of a substantial regional resource and asset you often want security and to be sure that you have a return on this investment we had never made a commitment of this longevity before and $1million is a substantial amount of money in anyone s terms. How will it be done?, what challenges might there be? fears and excitement, opportunities- were all part of this decision making mix. But somewhere in those discussions came a sense that this was not only a good thing to support, but perhaps that it might even be the right thing to do like it mattered. This single decision by the TSB Community Trust of the day- in itself is a very significant event. It has bought us all here today and NEVER EVER could we at the Trust or those at Puke Ariki back in have ever seen the outcome of events that have culminated with this exhibition today! TE AHI KA ROA TE AHI KATORO TARANAKI WAR You could not have planned for the outcomes of the day if you had tried! So my first acknowledgements and thanks in terms of the opening of this fifth exhibition TE AHI KA ROA TE AHI KATORO TARANAKI WAR goes to those Trustees of the TSB Community Trust who made that courageous decision - and to all the Trustees to date that have agreed to continue the support for this 5 year exhibition programme. Rangatira ma ka nui te mihi kia koutou katoa, Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena tatou katoa TAKAPOU WHARIKI - SOCIAL WELLBEING - Dec Highlights: The use of modern technology by Puke Ariki to exhibit our people and tell our stories Taranaki Stories told by tangata whenua and 3

4 all those who now share this region with us woven together as a whariki (a mat). This exhibition brought life via ordinary every day people into it s midst and subsequently attracted a large number of visitors to the exhibition. Takapou Whariki went on to win an award The Creative Places Award 2007 presented annually by Creative New Zealand. TARANAKI WHENUA LIFE, BLOOD AND LEGACY Highlights: An exhibition that was building on the previous two and that was gently amping up the heat a little as these issues got reopened and reviewed. The Land, the war and the legacy. TARANAKI CULTURE CULTURE IN A BOX Highlights: A new perspective on Taranaki of old with 25 iconic Taranaki exhibits being brought out of the basement and bought forward in time by a new generation of Taranaki artists. The publication - Culture in a Box captured the collection of new stories, new perspectives, new context in which to re-examine where we have arrived through the eyes of a new generation. TARANAKI FORTUNES - Won and Lost Economic View of Taranaki Highlights: The opportunity to review our economic histories, developments, failures, opportunities and challenges. The series of public forums created to encourage open dialogue and conversations amongst ourselves has been a very successful starting place in which we can build on and I do hope that these continue to evolve. The highlight of this series was the DEBATE where we got to hear and experience a very special excerpt if you like - in the voices of two of our up and coming young leaders. 4

5 SO WHAT HAVE WE ACHIEVED FOR $1MILLION DOLLARS AND FIVE YEARS OF EXHIBITION? From where I am sitting and looking back what do I see? I see a large number of Taranaki people and many from beyond this region, whom through these five years of five very different exhibitions have had a series of opportunities. The money of the TSB Community Trust and the Creative minds and energy of Puke Ariki got the opportunity to create a catalyst - a catalyst/a waka - for a review and a re-examination of ourselves, our space and our place by ourselves and hopefully for the betterment of ourselves and future generations. And what have those Opportunities been? The Opportunity to Learn about ourselves our region, our histories, our people, our land, our strengths and our weaknesses all in a very safe and user friendly way The Opportunity To re-examine ourselves: as individuals, as communities, as tangata whenua, as families etc all in the context of this space and place we all Taranaki. Again we have been able to do this in a very safe non intimidating way. Another opportunity to achieve more of the much needed HEALING between ourselves and specifically as Tangata Whenua and all those with whom we now share our region and our country with. And the biggest gift of all the opportunity to reduce our own levels of ignorance and increase our own knowledge base that can lead to increased levels of understanding when WE ALL have a common understanding, when WE are ALL free from fear, 5

6 when WE are ALL free from guilt, when WE are ALL free from the maemae, (the grief and pain) ONLY then will we all be in the very privileged position to see te Ao Marama the world of enlightened possibilities and oh what a wonderful site that will be! WHERE TO FROM HERE? Let the War end here today. We have all survived, Let that era remain preserved. Let us all grasp the opportunity and challenge for Taranaki to show the world how to achieve PEACE - for everyone and for every living being within our midst. This is the time for creating & cultivating creating and cultivating like we have never done before! It is time for - The new! Where are the new songs? - Ad Lib: You do not want to know the words to some of those old songs they are sad, sad songs, very sad songs. Where are the new stories? Where are the new leaders? Where are the new movies? What will the new exhibitions be? Where is the new poetry? and now we know where some is thank you Elizabeth Smither Where is the new Art? Perhaps the new exhibition is: 6

7 TE WHARIKI HOU (The new woven mat)? REFER TO THE PARIHAKA NEEDS ANALYSIS FOR EXCERPT FROM RANGATAHI an received from a mokopuna of Parihaka who was living in London during the time I was working on the Needs Analysis for Parihaka in Her was in support of the work that was being done and her response. It is pure wisdom. Parihaka 2029 Needs Analysis Report 2004 C Tuuta, page 69 OUR PAST OUR FOUNDATION not OUR EXCUSE: as uri o Parihaka we lament about the fact that we have inherited a legacy of mamae and dispossession but at what point do we say that we want our children to inherit a future of hope and prosperity, I am taking responsibility for that now, we will never forget what happened, it has in fact moulded and shaped my world view, this is why I have a strong sense of justice, that is why I want to see the wrongs corrected, but that doesn t mean I have to take on the hurt There is power in remembrance and reconciliation, but not in holding onto the mamae, holding on only holds us back (A mokopuna participant at the Maori Ambassadors hui, Te Niho o Te Atiawa, Parihaka Papakainga 2003). This mokopuna inspired me and captured all that I was feeling, hearing and seeing at that time. She confirmed for me that it was indeed time and safe to let it go and move forward to te Ao Marama (the world of enlightened possibilities) Tena koutou, tena kouto, tino arohanui ki a tatou katoa. Waiata: Aio ki te Aorangi Peace to the Universe 7

8 Aio simple meaning peace Spiritual the Divine Mother, Father and Child that is in each and everyone one of us also links to 3 the trinity. Colleen Tuuta Chair TSB Community Trust 17 March 2010 AIO KI TE AORANGI PEACE TO THE UNIVERSE Written by: Dr Rangimarie Turuki Pere CBE, CM AIO ki te Aorangi AIO ki te Aorangi Peace, Peace, Peace to the Universe Peace, Peace, Peace to the Universe AROHA ki te Aorangi AROHA ki te Aorangi Love, Love, Love to the Universe Love, Love, Love to the Universe KOA! KOA! KOA! Ki te Aorangi Joy, Joy, Joy to the Universe KOA! KOA! KOA! Kit e Aorangi Joy, Joy, Joy to the Universe PONO ki te Aorangi PONO ki te Aorangi Truth, Truth, Truth to the Universe Truth, Truth, Truth to the Universe 8

9 TIHEI MAURI ORA! To life!, the divine spark! 9