Show respect
There is a huge difference between tourism that is promoted with respect for events past and that which with tokenism and thus insult, and mana bashing causes angst and or whakama, amongst other feelings, for descendents. Last month’s series of events staged by and in conjunction between relative hapu and STDC across a number of said locations and ‘events’ attracted but a handful of attendees.
Yes, Nigel and Theresa Ogle at Tawhiti Museum do a marvellous, balanced and respectful historical awareness of events and are to be congratulated on the manner in which they present.
With the horrendous illegal and blatant acts of ethnic cleansing, with scorched earth practice, that has recently been acknowledged, apologised for by the Minister Chris Findlayson at Parihaka at least, and a programme of reconciliation proposed, I suggest it is too early to be ‘‘pushing’’ to capture the economic advantages to historic cultural tourism from such events. We also need to hear from descendents of von Tempsky, Chute, Cameron and the like, who interestingly are glorified with local street names (note Normanby streets) and yet very little ‘balanced history’ is reflected around the district. Their feelings of how and why their ancestors should become a tourist attraction is also important. Maori respect that, so should we all.
For those who might say why don’t ‘‘they’’ (the Maori) put up ‘‘their own’’ memorials, that is to be ignorant to the huge historical records contained in Moteatea, Karakia, Waiata and hapu korero that totally records the ‘‘events’’ but aren’t for sale at $10 a listen. Oh, and in terms of edifices from stone masons perhaps if all Taranaki land hadn’t been confiscated there might have been capacity.
Should it happen, questionable. Could it happen, yes. Will it happen, my guess is yes when the time is right (think respect). Who will present and ‘‘profit’’ (what does profit mean in this context) for a long term gain it has to be a collective gain so unlikely to happen in North Taranaki (ask Andrew Judd) but South Taranaki has some appetite, capacity and respect for a gentle development from some residents of varying fractions thanks to respectful historians here.
Mark Nicholas
Ka¯ karamea