Cultural Exchange & Universal Values

Nau mai, haere mai.

At last week's cuppa gathering, it was cool to have so many individuals with us. Continuing the theme from last week, we asked folks to share an artefact representing who they are. We deeply appreciate and value the stories that people shared.

Our stories ranged from cherished memories to poignant tales of overcoming challenges and navigating life’s experiences.

Memories of Mexico and Culture: Our first story shared were cherished memories, which explained a deep connection felt to Mexico due to the amount of time and experiences they had there. They recounted summers, holidays, and cherished memories of the country and people. A photo of the interior of an adobe [traditional Mexican home made from earth] and one of a time when an uncle's truck got stuck in a river, ‘There's a part of my identity and self that feels very Mexican from the amount of time that I've lived in there. There's something about just the beauty and the wonder of being in Mexico, the taste, the smells. It’s part of me and what I love about it as part of my own identity.

Cultural Iconology: A religious artefact depicting Mother Mary was shared with a story about religious iconography, ‘a whole bunch of Catholic icons that I've been given over the years from my mum and other relatives, are linked to my orthodox upbringing. I wanted to share this because it's kind of been a journey of embracing and rejecting at the same time as there are so many things about my faith that I see more as culture now than who I am and how I am in my world today’.

Learning from Weaving: The next taonga - or precious item was a woven kete - basket. My mum is a weaver and I think it’s a really cool kaupapa to get involved in the community. The basket, woven from harakeke - flax, was adorned with a series of colourful and intricate patterns each with their own story and meaning. Each pattern tells a story. There is so much to be learned from the art of weaving.

Recognition of the Past: Next, the artefact shared was about a fictional novel of stories that aim to highlight that which is not yet fully understood. They shared the following: 'I don’t think the vast majority of the Australian population yet understands the effects of colonisation, and what has occurred for indigenous people. And I'm not just talking about Western Australia or Australia. I'm talking about any country that was colonised by European nations going back to 1400. They have all suffered some sort of attempt to make them more like the coloniser, in that way they've tended to destroy, not destroy, but make survival culture so much harder and pushed it underground. And that's what comes out of this novel'.

The Urban Drift: The next artefact shared was a picture of five generations of tūpuna - ancestors/grandfathers, and the focus of the story was the drift away from traditional Māori culture, coupled with legislation which prevented Māori from speaking their language and retaining their lands. Prior to these two limitations, my dad and grandfather, and ancestors spoke only Māori, culture was compromised and in fact was cut off at a certain point. That impact became entrenched trauma, but as they claimed, the job now is heal, regenerate, reclaim and we have to, redefine culture, as you guys said, for yourself, and to use that in positive ways.

Pacifica Navigation and Way-finding: We were treated with an ornamental paddle from Rarotonga created by a well-known local artist. The message in this story was a good one for us to reflect on, ‘Pacifica people traversed across the Pacific Ocean and gave inspiration that we are all explorers seeking new horizons, new lands. We shouldn’t lose the inspiration to explore, but rather recognise the indigenous knowledge living where we land, reading the highways of the ocean we traverse and being part of understanding and protecting the environment as well as the ocean’ In mentioning the Cook Islands, there were connections with the previous stories,’ I often go to the church, not to pray to God, but it's where I can hear the (Cook Island) language being spoken, and where I can hear traditional people singing, although over decade or so, the traditional type of imene [hymns] heard is more western style singing has taken over. I think that's such a shame bec ause I go to the churches to hear that traditional spiritual type of singing in Cook Island language. It is called Imene Tuki which is a style of singing. It has a pitch which, for me, connects me spiritually to my tupuna- ancestors.

Building a Community: The next story shared was as the first Muslim family to permanently settle in Kirikiriroa - Hamilton. Photos were shared of their new home when it was first purchased in 1975. ‘So that is the house where we had the first Friday congregational prayers that the city held regularly, and Eid prayers at the end of Ramadan'. With settling in a new place, challenges presented themselves, ‘I think back to growing up that time, and I mean, I never liked going back into my childhood, because it was a history of isolation at 'othering' and bullying. With this going on, there was still a positive movement which has worked to continue despite discrimination, towards expansion with now a large institution catering for the needs of many Muslims in the city.

Differences between Race and Culture: Our last though not least, sharing was reflective of the stories shared. ‘I'm always interested in the difference between race and culture. I think race is a blur that confuses people. And I'm far more interested in similar cultures of people. For me, when I connect with people who are interested in food and cultures, or healthy landscapes, it transcends, the culture is universal, it's actually something that goes hand in glove. I can connect with people globally.

In Conclusion: Indeed, culture can play a crucial role in fostering connections and understanding among and between individuals. At the same time it is essential to acknowledge and respect one's race, ethnicity, and affiliations. Valuing that which is different as well as that which is similar is a key for us in Walk Together in supporting individual cultures to retain Mana Motuhake - sovereignty or separated identities.

Please join us at the next cuppa where we’ll facilitate a few short activities to think about how we expand this cuppa concept and themes. If you are interested in doing this with us, please join us next Monday 10th July. We would love to have you come along to participate. Please register by visiting our Cuppa Page.

Mānawatia a Matariki - Happy Māori New Year

Arama