Let’s Talk About It: How Conversation Can Impact Social Change for Māori Communities
Sunday 23 August, 11am
Free | Registration required
Artist, Law Professor and former politician Metiria Turei chairs a panel on the potential for change that can happen by talking about hard things? Maria Bargh, Kassie Hartendorp and Jack McDonald will draw on their experience and expertise to discuss why we need to have challenging conversations about the difficulties for Māori in order to make significant change.
Responding to the Dowse exhibition Things We Don’t Talk About, that highlights unspoken or unheard challenges that Māori communities face in Aotearoa. Moments of cultural tension, conflict, and sadness that have occurred over many decades are echoed here alongside present-day stories of resilience, perseverance and hope. This panel will reflect on the possibilities of what can happen when issues are brought into the light and how change has been made through acknowledging uncomfortable truths.
Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Āti Haunui a Pāpārangi. Metiria Turei is an Associate Professor at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, teaching tikanga Maori law in Te Kaupeka Tātai Ture, the Faculty of Law. She was a member of the New Zealand Parliament and Co-leader of the Green Party. Turei built a career as a social activist before moving to develop her art practice . Her art work is in performative textiles, photography and sculpture, Indigenous Futurism and rangatiratanga.
Maria Bargh is from Te Arawa and Ngāti Awa. She is a Professor of politics and Māori Studies and researches and teaches in Te Kawa a Māui, Māori Studies, Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington. She is co-chair of her hapū Ngāti Kea Ngāti Tuara Reservations Trust for lands at Horohoro and in Rotorua.
Kassie Hartendorp (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) is a community organiser for social justice and Te Tiriti justice. She is the Director for ActionStation, which created Together for Te Tiriti and led campaigns against the Treaty Principles Bill and to keep Māori wards.
Jack McDonald is an uri of Taranaki and Te Whakatōhea. A political campaigner and activist, Jack currently works as Te Kaihautū Māori at the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. Previously he worked as Te Pāti Māori's Policy Director and before that he helped lead the Green Party’s Māori political work. A writer and music obsessive, Jack is interested in exploring creative and artistic expressions that raise consciousness and drive social and cultural change.