Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono – UPDATE #27
Ni sa bulla,
Our Constellation Hui have commenced this week, with the first one to be held in Whakatane, then Auckland. Our Project Facilitators have been busy lining up more meetings face to face and also via Zoom around the country.
The three key focus areas are:
– Media as allies: How media can best support an inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand
– Te Toto Kei Roto: A Treaty that resonates with all Kiwis
– Having the important conversations
Media as allies: How media can best support an inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand
Ka hōkā a Tāhono i Uta! Ka hōkā a Tāhono i Tai
Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono (IACT) is led by the belief that, together, we can build an inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand, founded on the partnership of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We recognise that the media reaches into every home across Aotearoa in some shape or form. We also recognise that the media is a powerful platform, both positive and negative. It is shaping the views of all New Zealanders in ways that both enable and heal division, harden and soften prejudice and make people feel included or excluded from society. We have witnessed the corrosive power of the far right media in other countries. We know that media entities are businesses responsible to their owners and shareholders to deliver profit; it is not their job to create a socially just and equitable society. We also acknowledge a lack of cultural capacity within many media organisations can result in an inability to authentically represent every diverse group .We are encouraged by the increasing number of socially conscious media organisations within Aotearoa New Zealand assessing the way they are reporting stories. We want to explore how we can work together as communities and media businesses to fully and authentically represent the stories the country needs and wants to hear, without bringing harm. We are excited by what can be achieved when more media platforms harness their influence to make all people feel a strengthened sense of belonging and inclusion.
Te Toto Kei Roto: A Treaty that resonates with all Kiwis
Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono (IACT) is led by the belief that, together, we can build an inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand, founded on the partnership of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We recognise that Te Tiriti o Waitangi holds the potential to bind together New Zealanders of all ethnicities in a powerful and positive way and to promote the best of ourselves as a nation. We also recognise that conversations about Te Tiriti are sometimes difficult. They will open up discussions about the role of colonisation in our history. They will open up feelings of loss and resentment. They will challenge the narrative we have created of a nation of harmony.
We want to bring together individuals and organisations that are working to promote understanding of Te Tiriti and New Zealand’s past with communities whose voices are not always heard. The purpose will be, firstly, to clarify what is most important to the hui participants themselves and to gauge opportunities for further collaboration and community engagement. And, secondly, to assess the potential to expand our collective efforts to reach into all corners of the country to build a more socially inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand.
Having the important conversations
Ka hōkā a Tāhono i Uta! Ka hōkā a Tāhono i Tai
Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono (IACT) is led by the belief that, together, we can build an inclusive Aotearoa New Zealand, founded on the partnership of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
We recognise that not everyone who wishes to participate and contribute to Aotearoa, New Zealand in a meaningful way is given the opportunity. Some people are met with barriers that involve being discriminated against for being judged to be different. We also acknowledge racism which is a form of discrimination that extends beyond dishonouring Te Tiriti and includes the racialisation and exclusion of people that are not understood to be Pākehā.
Building our confidence around how we have the important conversations so that all New Zealanders are able to participate and contribute meaningfully and without fear of discrimination is essential. By normalising conversations around things like privilege, power, and anti-racist and anti-discriminatory practices at institutional level and having a plan, we can contribute to the positive life outcomes and wellbeing for many New Zealanders. We acknowledge that this will not be easy.
We want to bring together individuals and organisations that are interested in supporting the education and awareness of how we bring together work around Te Tiriti, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and anti-discriminatory practices with communities, organisations and individuals. This theme supports and strengthens voices less heard and our other themes which are TeToto Kei Roto and Media as allies.
If you would like to participate in any of the hui or if you have any questions, please, send them through to [email protected].
IACT – Te Tiriti o Waitangi Workshop
Last week, Inclusive Aotearoa Collective Tāhono spent the day at Papatūānuku Kōkiri Marae in Mangere, Auckland, on our Te Tiriti o Waitangi workshop. Our workshop was facilitated by Tangata Tiriti – Treaty People with Marisa Maclachlan and Fiona Ting. We thank them for their in-depth knowledge and for creating a safe space to walk us through the importance and the responsibilities that we hold to te Tiriti o Waitangi and to this whenua.
Poipoia te kākano, kia puāwai
Nurture the seed and it will Blossom
E rere ana ngā mihi ki te whānau o
Papatuanuku Kokiri Marae
Mō koutou i āwhina mai i ō mātou rōpū. Mō te manaakitanga me te aroha.
E whakaohooho ana ō mātou rōpū e te manaakitanga. Ko te pīrangi ā mātou hei hōnore i Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Many thanks to the whānau of Papatūanuku for supporting our group. For their hospitality and love. Their generosity inspires us, and we are grateful that we were able to learn how to better honour te Tiriti o Waitangi in the space they provided for us.
Please check out their website as they do so much for the communites in feeding, teaching and offering support to those in need. They are also always looking for volunteers to help with their mahi, so if you have some gardening gloves and have some spare time, please reach out to them.
In the News!
IACT are a Finalist for the – 2021 People’s Choice Accessible Business Awards (The Access Alliance)
IACT has been selected as a finalist for the Social Inclusion & Leisure ‘area of life’ category! We thank Access Advisors, who recognised that we work hard to make sure everything we do is as accessible as possible. We always welcome feedback so that we can be better! We would also like to thank the public for their support in voting for our organisation – we really appreciated this!
The next round of People’s Choice Voting will commence during the week 7 – 13 June, you can vote for us, and we will provide the link when available on our Facebook, Instagram and on our website.
The finalists with the most votes will become the People’s Choice Accessible Business Award winners.
The 2021 People’s Choice Accessible Business Awards Ceremony will be on at 6:00pm, Tuesday 15 June 2021
More information can be found here.
Stuff Stories: The non-binary kid who changed the way their school thought about gender!
After the March 15 terror attack, a collective of 800 New Zealanders drew together nationwide to strategise against hate. This is Christchurch teenager Logan Rielly’s story of how they overcame it.
Logan Rielly is strutting towards the photographer, serving up a look. “Be staunch,” a man yells, passing by.
What?
“Oh, honestly,” Logan says, flipping a dismissive hand. “I’m so used to that, it’s just nothing.”
Earlier, they explained their philosophy. “Personally, I believe if you put something out in the universe, you’ll get it back.”
Plus, they know they won’t be here forever. “I mean Christchurch is my home but,” Logan pauses, arching an eyebrow; “She’s boring.”
Full interview can be found here.
IACT Volunteers
We want to thank our wonderful volunteers.
We’ve set up a Volunteers Facebook Page (closed group) – so please feel free to join and we can approve your request asap – here.
This page is for our volunteers to organise and discuss how they can support the work of IACT. It is a private group, and any materials is confidential to the group members.
People are welcome to share IACT articles and events.
If you would like to join our volunteers group, please feel free to make contact with us at [email protected] or sign up on our Facebook page as per the link above.
Upcoming Events
The National Race Unity Hui – 9am–9pm, Saturday 8 May 2021
The National Race Unity Hui will give over 100 young people (15-30) and their supporters a chance to share their views, listen to one another and build a common vision of the future of race relations in Aotearoa.
Register at: www.raceunity.nz/huirego
Theme: Kia kotahi te hoe – Paddle as one
When: 9am–9pm, Saturday 8 May 2021
Where: Ngā Kete Wānanga Marae, Manukau Institute of Technology, Ōtara, Auckland
Free to attend – kai provided – koha appreciated.
More information can be found here.
Our Resources
We have several resources that you can access, so please take the time to review our website.
Mapping Directory
We’ve put together a mapping directory of groups and organisations working in the Belonging and Inclusion space which can be found on our website here (make sure you scroll down the page and select the region). If you would like to be included in this directory it’s not too late. Please send your organisation’s contact details to Talie at [email protected].
Tools for getting started!
We have a number of tools on our website to assist with your journey.
