An oral history project initially designed to improve Māori trust and confidence in Police culminated with the gifting of videos and other records to Te Atiawa iwi.
A moving ceremony at Te Māori Building at Waiwhetu Marae, home of their runanga, marked completion of a project which, in the meantime, has ticked a lot of other boxes.
It forms part of Wellington Iwi Liaison Co-ordinator Asher Hauwaho’s project management qualification; serves as an online learning pilot at the Royal New Zealand Police College (RNZPC); incorporates a best-practice pōwhiri which Te Atiawa hopes will serve as a model for other Government agencies; will be a training resource for Police; and exemplifies our values.
“It has been a rare and perfect alignment,” says project initiator Caroline Anson, who formally handed videos, photographs and other records to Te Atiawa rangatira Kura Moeahu at the ceremony.
Caroline and Wellington Māori Responsiveness Manager Inspector Dion Bennett kicked the project off mid-2019. Caroline, now a teaching and learning advisor at the RNZPC, came by way of Canada where she completed a PhD in negative cultural differences, 13 years with Hampshire Police, and a strong interest in oral history.
Arriving back in New Zealand she said she was amazed that she couldn’t easily find local iwi “sharing their stories in their own voices”.
Dion saw the opportunity and made it happen. He suggested working with Te Atiawa and gave the mahi to Asher in line with a move to equip all Māori Pacific and Ethnic Services staff with more qualifications.
First step was a project initiation meeting with the iwi. Asher then worked with videographer and photographer Rob Neil and his wife Kaye; RNZPC staff Ann Cronin, Archer Pang, Ebed Pohl, Saeran Maniparathy and Sailong Hu; and Te Atiawa to identify, visit and tell the stories of a number of local sites in the iwi’s own words.
“For me it was such an interesting journey, getting around our area and finding out, for example, that Courtenay Place was formerly Te Aro Pa," says Asher. "And that there is a memorial at Pukeahu [National War Memorial Park], right next to the main one, which commemorates the prisoners from Taranaki.
“People could walk past it every day and never notice it.”
By handover time the team had captured hours of Wellington history on video, having explored a range of historic sites with Kura.
Underpinning their work was Te Atiawa Rangatira Dr Kara Puketapu’s memory map. He grew up with elders sharing their oral histories with him. Now his memories of Wellington’s history, which incorporate theirs, are recorded for future generations.
Both parties got more than they anticipated when the project expanded to incorporate the pōwhiri for new Wellington District Commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell in September. Te Atiawa sees this as exemplifying best practice, and hope other Government agencies in the Capital will use it as an exemplar.
Dion says he wanted a kete matau (knowledge basket) which told the story of one of the mana whenua (there are others). He would like to see it used as part of leadership development in the district – and be a model for others.
“I wanted Te Atiawa to tell their story, not to use a version of it,” he says. “We have handed over the physical things, and found a medium to share their mātauranga (knowledge collection).”
Kura says many people walk through or past significant sites every day.
“Having the videos will allow the young ones to carry on the stories,” he says. “And it’s particularly exciting in view of the Prime Minister’s announcement in October that New Zealand/Māori history will be taught in our schools.
“I want to thank you for capturing these snippets of our uncle Kara’s library. He is not one to blow about himself – ‘Kāore te kumara e kōrero mō tōna ake reka’. I really appreciate all the people who have pulled this together for Te Atiawa.
“It was a privilege to be given this opportunity – and it is just the beginning.”