Marking 25 years since Pākaitore/Moutoa Gardens occupation

Blankets stitched into flags in remembrance of the Pākaitore occupation will be brought out at many future Whanganui Iwi events, Sister Makareta Tawaroa says.

About 12 blanket "flags" had their first outing at the Whanganuitanga@Pākaitore celebrations yesterday . Their display joined food and information stalls in a day of memory, meetings, greetings and entertainment.

All the flags are about the occupation/reclaimation of Pākaitore/Moutoa Gardens, which began on February 28, 1995.

"The day that we claimed Pākaitore as Māori land. We are here to remember that day."

The women's project was inspired by seeing the work of Te Tai Tokerau (Northland) women, who had stitched the images of objects exchanged for a last 50 acres (20ha) of land. Some of those objects were blankets - "common currency used throughout the whole country", Sr Makareta said.

The Whanganui blankets show images relating to the 1995 occupation. The two marae at Ranana that supported it, tears for the people who have died since then and even an image of the late Piripi Haami's black dog, Bugger.

All were stitched during the last few weeks in shared sessions at the Alexander Heritage Library, with wool donated and a pause to decide what the women wanted to say.

It was a way of getting closer to what happened "in a domestic kind of way through thread and wool", Sr Makareta said.

During the day of celebration that began with dawn karakia, a 25th anniversary cake was cut around 1pm. People who have died since the occupation were remembered in the pōwhiri and their photographs were displayed in a memorial tent.

In the paepae tent were mementos of the occupation - photographs and newspaper clippings.

The Pākaitore Historic Reserve Board was giving away a pile of booklets prepared by Meri Haami, Dr Cherryl Smith and Dr Rāwiri Tinirau. The booklet, titled "Pākaitore: A history", starts its story before European settlement began.

Its purpose is to build a bridge to understanding between the two cultures, reserve board member Mariana Waitai said.

Also available for the taking was an article written by Waitai, Rosemary Hovey, Jasmin Ratana and Lynette Shum. It's about the Pākaitore Oral History Project and was requested by the National Oral History Association of New Zealand.

Many kura Māori (Māori schools) visited during the day, and stalls presented information about services.

At the Te Oranganui stall, Tom Johnson explained the iwi health authority's Rangatahi Innovation project. It's a programme whānau asked for, he said.

In its first trial, 12 young unemployed and out-of-school males spent three months learning "through a Māori lens". They visited marae up the Whanganui River, paddled down it, and learned skills like scaffolding at the YMCA.

There was an amazing retention rate, Johnson said, and the young people are designing their own graduation ceremony.

"An unexpected outcome was that they got really interested in kai. They mapped out where they can harvest for the kai. That's a big win for me, watching them take personal responsibility."

Moving among the celebrations, Whanganui Land Settlement Negotiation Trust chairman Ken Mair said it was a great day.

"What's always important is that our tamariki, our children, come and understand the importance. Our children are being imbued with our history, our perspective, our knowledge."

Laurel Stowell
Whanganui Chronicle 29/2/20