Despite the run of unfortunate events that cancelled Hui Fono Nelson, its spirit was celebrated across many parts of the country as we took Hui Fono Regional Workshops back to the people. From Hastings to Blenheim to New Plymouth to Christchurch to South Auckland to Oamaru; our fantastic educators Dr Edmond Fehoko, Aiono Manu Fa’aea and Te Hau Winitana inspired communities as they affirmed the role of cultural practices in navigating communities and the world of life-long education. Edmond shared that the learnings taking place throughout the Hui Fono Regional Workshops was a reminder that the greatest good that people can do is not just to share their riches but to help reveal to their learners and community members their own.
In Hastings Te Hau Winitana took Hui Fono Regional Workshop participants on a journey of learning through Ura. Te Hau demonstrated how Ura and its application to Cook Island life, is a way of passing on ancestral knowledge. It was now our turn in the spotlight to apply the learnings by telling a story of our natural surroundings through the beauty of ura. Te Hau discussed that ura is a reciprocal process of life-long learning that once it is shared with you, it must be passed on to others. To be immersed in the culturally rich pedagogy practice allowed workshop participants to look beyond the four walls of a classroom as a learning space and truly value cultural experiences and practices as a way to educate.
In New Plymouth, through the talanoa circle Aiono Manu Fa’aea captured the attention of our Hui Fono whānau through the recognition of vā (relational space) and the role it holds within the community. The scene was first set through whakawhangatanga. It allowed us all to embrace our own personal experiences by actively listening and sharing to help activate vā. As we sat in our talanoa circle and then breakout groups, we all visualised how our personal values can be used to activate vā in the spaces we occupy. It was almost as if we had been practising vā without the deeper meaning Aiono had shared with us. Her guidance encouraged our Hui Fono whānau to view vā as a foundation and means to support the realisation of the aspirations of the communities we belong to. But more so learning about vā helped everyone to better understand, and respect the other side of the story that many are so quick to assume.
Our journey of building cultural capability and capacity made its last stop for 2022 in Oamaru. Dr Edmond Fehoko honoured Hui Fono through the opportunity to learn about the Tongan cultural practice of faikava and the kakala framework to help deepen our understanding of the intersectionality many of our Pacific people endure in Aotearoa New Zealand. Over the course of Dr Edmond Fehoko’s workshops across the country he inspired every faikava circle in a humorous fashion. There was lots of laughter and the memories shared fostered an instant connection.
More importantly as the Hui Fono Regional Workshops made their way across many communities it allowed those with limited access to professional development to build their cultural capacity and capabilities. Aiono, Edmond and Te Hau each opened up the minds and hearts of our Hui Fono whānau to appreciate the knowledge shared, and to frame cultural practices as legitimised approaches to successfully navigate western frameworks.
Participants have given their feedback stating that for those with Pacific heritage it encouraged them to be authentic and share their specific cultural perspectives in their work. For others it helped them understand their part in working with Pacific learners and identified being humble, quiet, respectful and peaceful as a way to interact.
The Hui Fono Regional workshops successfully drew a visual representation of vā, faikava and ura and how it can be activated for those who took part in the many workshops when going back into their communities. This was just a taste of what to expect at Hui Fono Whakatū, Nelson 2023, and we look forward to continuing the Hui Fono spirit.