September 19, 2023
Graffiti stopper sketches path to unity
A Taranaki artist is encouraging his fellow pakeha to embrace the Māori world rather than fight against it.
Elliott Collins, who’s married to New Plymouth Māori ward councillor Te Waka McLeod, has been out cleaning off graffiti from the billboards from Te Pati Maori candidate Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.
He says it’s time to fight the cancel culture directed at Maori in the region.
“Different worlds can be really scary to walk in but I think Taranakitanga is a big help. Every time I walk into the iwi space, into Maori spaces, you’re really welcomed. It’s a very different way way of being. I think this is new for Taranaki as well – there’s lots of progress for Taranaki, obviously the mounga coming back to Nga Iwi o Taranaki as well, things like that,” Dr Collins says.