Another vibrant conversation took place on our Community Voices #3 – Exploring the Te Tiriti learning journey.  Hosted by IACT Facilitator Aram Wu, we were joined by special guests:

• Neelum Patel – freelance research design and evaluation specialist, currently working at Tātou Tātou
• Andrea Gardner – organisational psychologist with Strategic People Group
• Rebekah Juang – public health medicine trainee, researcher and local community organiser for Korean New Zealander’s for a Better Future

Each of our guests talked us through what sparked their interest in learning more about Te Tiriti ō Waitangi and whether there was any specific turning point or catalyst that inspired them to start their learning journey: 

“It was a realisation I came to, learning about New Zealand history at a very young age, and I started to feel like, as a New Zealander of European descent I suppose, I started to feel like I was a little bit embarrassed about what my ancestors had been up to. There were a number of inequities and unfairness in what had gone before. So it wasn’t specifically related to the Treaty, it was just trying to rationalise history and what had happened and where I saw myself fitting into that.” –Andrea Gardner

They then shared what this learning journey has been like for them: 

“One thing that I tried to think about all the time, was the idea of being mana enhancing. I think especially if we’re in activist roles or spaces a lot, it’s easy to get trapped in just being critical and oppositional…think in a way that isn’t just oppositional but is creative and expansive and world building. It teaches me to think in a way that’s more hopeful even when you’re in really difficult and upsetting situations.”  – Rebekah Juang

And finally the advice they have for others who are currently on this journey or have just started learning: 

“It’s a real privilege to have this journey, and it’s one you have a lot of responsibility to, and to Tangata Whenua and to everyone else in Aotearoa, to do a good job of it, so we can have an inclusive Aotearoa for the future.” – Neelum Patel

Watch the full Community Voices webinar below: