The full programme of the WakaNZ: Navigating with foresight workshop concluded with a free public presentation at Te Papa Tongarewa’s marae on Thursday, 23 November 2017 to over 100 people. After spending the morning at the Institute going over their final preparations, participants headed over to Te Papa to get a feel for the marae, Te Papa Rongomaraeroa. A number of seats were reserved for ambassadors and the Board of Te Papa, who scheduled a break in their board meeting to watch the presentation.
McGuinness Institute staff and the workshop interns with Shaquille Shortland (centre left), taken to commemorate the Institute’s new name Te Hononga Waka bestowed by Shaquille.
Trevor Moeke opened the presentation with his usual gravitas and humour, reflecting the relationship that he built with the workshop cohort over the previous days (unfortunately Te Papa’s kaumatua was away). The presentation had evolved from the previous night at Government House, with personal touches added. Participants closed the presentation by thanking Wendy and the team for their hard work and openness in facilitating the workshop. They presented her and the Institute with a model waka engraved with the Māori name for the McGuinness Institute: ‘Te Hononga Waka’. This provided a formal and physical representation of the gift of the Māori name composed by participant Shaquille Shortland. Shaquille explained that the name means the joining place of waka and, rather than being a direct transliteration of ‘McGuinness Institute’, refers to the work that the Institute does in forging connections between people and projects. Wendy was invited to remain onstage with participants as they sang their waiata and closed the workshop with a karakia.
Leah Tebbutt speaking about identity at the Te Papa presentation
At the end of the presentation and after the guests had left, participants gathered in front of the stage to spend time as a group before making their separate ways home. The Institute staff enjoyed an afternoon of bonding with a handful of Wellington-based participants and those with later flights, going over their experiences of the workshop process in the sun. Over the next few weeks participants have the chance to further reflect on their experiences and ideas, and refine content to be included in the post-workshop booklet. We hope to publish the workshop booklet of refined ideas in mid-February 2018
The Institute would like to thank everyone who made the workshop possible. First and foremost, thank you to the participants for bringing their passion and values to shape our understanding of the future; thank you to the workshop interns for bridging the gap between participants and staff; to Dr Carwyn Jones and Trevor Moeke for their guidance and wisdom; to our primary collaborators and staff at the New Zealand Treasury and other collaborators at Government House, Te Herenga Waka and Victoria University, Te Papa, and Te Wharewaka o Pōneke for their generous contributions and support; to our esteemed guests and speakers, particularly Her Excellency Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy and Dr Richard Lum, for sharing their wisdom and insights; and finally to the McGuinness Institute staff for their long hours and positivity under pressure.
Keep an eye on the workshop website and the McGuinness Institute blog for more updates about the outputs of the workshop over the coming months.