Whiting’s work

Much has and will be made of Cliff Whiting’s achievements over his lifetime (July 17). His body of work is forever now on display in many of our public spaces. However, there is an aspect of his work that, in my view, is more significant.

For Cliff, art was never just for the sake of art. He saw it rather an important tool for enabling others to discover and release their own creativity. For example, the project he led in the early 1990s in Kaikoura for Ngai Tahu during his term on the Council for Maori and Pacific Arts was not simply about decorating the Takahanga marae. It was, more importantly, a way of introducing Maori in that community to the rich heritage of their culture, to learn about it and embrace and celebrate it.

His leadership role was not confined to our shores. He had a major influence throughout the Pacific in sharing his knowledge and assisting their efforts to revive, reclaim and develop their arts and culture.

While there are real concerns about the status of te reo and its survival, the renaissance of Maori arts and culture in the last 40 or so years is the result of the vision and leadership of such inspiring people as Cliff. He has truly left our country with ‘‘a monument more lasting than bronze’’.

PETER QUIN Waikanae [abridged] which is also subsidised by the rest of us.

The money Fonterra makes is produced by rural areas and this milk is processed by factories in the provinces. Their head office produces nothing yet consumes a lot.

If subsidies are to be given, then they should be given to our capitalstarved provinces. BRIAN BAGGOTT

Paraparaumu