March 22, 2013
Garden visit to foster connection to whenua
The chief executive of Taranaki's Parininihi ki Waitotara wants young Māori to consider careers on the land.
The incorporation and Enviroschools yesterday hosted more than 100 students from Taranaki schools at the world famous Pukeiti Gardens.
Dion Tuuta says Pukeiti or more properly Puke Te Whiti is one of the most tapu places in the region.
Mr Tuuta says the rainforest around the garden is PKW land.
”I thought well getting our tamariki and wider kids involved and that this place would be one way of enabling our kids back on to their own land and to get them realising that they are land owners. In the future they’re going to be the ones who have the responsibility of looking after this place and hopefully they will draw other members of their whānau back as well,’ he says.
Dion Tuuta says Māori incorporations struggle to find suitably qualified Māori to work the land, so it’s important to get young people connected to the whenua.
Copyright © 2013, Uma Broadcasting Ltd