Thousands of indigenous leaders in education have gathered in Auckland for the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education, the event returning to New Zealand for the first time in 20 years.
Hosted by Auckland University of Technology and in partnership with iwi Manaaki Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the conference launched on Sunday with a pōwhiri at The Cloud and a parade of nations up Queen St. Keynote speakers, panel discussions and workshop sessions started today.
Professor Ella Henry, the event’s academic committee chair, described he World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education as the “Glastonbury of Indigeneity” that brings together scholars, communities, and leaders to celebrate the survival of indigenous peoples.
“We've been working on this for three years at AUT, but nothing prepares you for that feeling of thousands of us with our hearts open, ready to share strategies for survival, solutions for our language [and] our culture.”
During the pōwhiri, Ngāti Whātua leader Taiaha Hawke drew applause as he referred to the shared experience of colonisation and its impact across indigenous communities around the world.
“Our ancestors are crying for us, and not because we have suffered every indignity known to the oppressor, they cry because we have survived it. They cry because we are still alive.”
He added: “Many of us in this room here, we know this all too well, but it didn’t kill us, and it won’t kill us, we will survive.”
World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education co-chair Professor Meihana Durie said it was important to celebrate the distinctiveness of culture and language as well as identifying what brings indigenous peoples together.
“As indigenous peoples we've all experienced colonisation at some point in our history, and that shared experience, despite it being such a negative one, has actually really affirmed our direction in terms of the importance of education, the indigenous scholarship. But, actually, what I would call 'trans-indigeneity' where we're starting to work far more closer together in areas like education, health, finances and so on.”
He said trans-indigeneity was about how indigenous nations could work together beyond territories to become less reliant on political edicts of “governments of the day” and come with “our own systems of economy, our own systems of governance, our own systems of health”.
He added: “If we look around us today we can see that we flourish, in spite of all of the struggles we continue to move through. Indigeneity flourishes and we have a very, very important role in this world which is to look after and tiaki our environment, to protect our languages, our cultures, but also we have something to contribute.”
'Connection with everyone'
Native American leaders Dr Vivian Ayoungman and Phil Beaumont served under World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education International for decades. Both attended the last conference that was held in Aotearoa, 20 years ago in Hamilton.
As part of the international committee, Ayoungman said they got to attend most of the conferences around the world.
“We were here before in Hamilton when it was hosted, I believe it was 2005. We've gone to most of the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education conferences. It's a wonderful experience to share with other indigenous groups.”
Tankwasa Wahkan from Treaty Six Territory, Turtle Island-Canada, said he felt “at peace” among other indigenous peoples who are still “speaking our languages and dancing”.
“I look forward to learning how New Zealand has managed to integrate the language into their education system and we want to do the same,” he said.
Mario Fiddler from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in Canada, said it was a culture shock to see all the different cultures from around the world.
“It's because back at home in Canada, usually we're the culture, we're the locals and getting to experience being a tourist is one of the awesomest feelings.”
A delegation from Okinawa, located between Japan and Taiwan, walked in the Parade of Nations with placards in support of te reo Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Eric Wada, a fourth-generation Okinawan settler from Hawai’i, said being welcomed was an emotional experience, reflecting on the similarities between Aotearoa and Okinawa.
“Knowing what Aotearoa or the Māori people are going through right now we wanted to show support, and also we want to learn because you guys have been such an inspiration to us for our revitalisation of language and decolonisation.”
For Trish Daniel, a "proud" Bidjigal Wandi Wandi woman from New South Wales, Australia, the experience has been "a little bit" overwhelming but very exciting.
She said she was most looking forward to connection. "Connection with everyone. Just being together with all mob - look at us all! Can't get any prouder than this."
Visitors expected to bring $8 million economic boost
Auckland Convention Bureau’s Ken Pereira said there were around 4000 delegates attending the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education, making it New Zealand’s largest conference this year.
“As a city, indigenous communities and content around indigenous conferences is something we're keen to really accelerate and there'll be more of these types of events happening here in our city.”
He said the conference was expected to deliver in excess of $8 million to Auckland’s economy.
A village marketplace in Aotea Square is open to the public during the week-long event featuring food, craft, art and music.
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