2006 International Peace Festival
Greetings from Parihaka and from the Festival organisers. It is without doubt because of every one who attended or supported our inaugural Parihaka International Peace Festival that a great success was achieved.
The festivals success is a victory for Parihaka which you all participated in along with the people of Parihaka. It is you who we thank for joining us to make the festival project successful…
Tēnā rawa atu koutou katoa mo tēnei tautuku aroha nui
March 10, 11, 12, 13, 2006 will be talked about for years to come but already the festival organisers have progressed talk into plans for the next festival.
Let’s briefly summarise March 2006 and look at our current situation.
Our core Parihaka management team took full control of the festival only days before the opening.
The Taranaki Community Events Trust ended their involvement in the project but volunteered to work on with us throughout the festival.
What was achieved?
A gathering truly befitting the mana of Parihaka converged on the land to participate in the hui and thereby affirm the place of the festival in their lives and as a premiere festival in Aotearoa NZ.
We celebrated the power of peace through dialogue with the original people (tangata whenua) of Rekohu (Chatham Is) while lead women wailed laments for the Rekohu victims of the Taranaki invasion of Rekohu in 1835. The ceremony marks the beginning of a new path together, forged on old Rekohu and recent Parihaka tradition.
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We established permanent infrastructure onto the festival site, a 2 million litre spring-water reservoir and water supply throughout the site, permanent roading and camping, we established a nursery and planted out substantial flax, we established the various performance and educational forum spaces and we made many improvements to facilities within the Pā itself.
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We established a vibrant website and a database of registered supporters. These allow us to keep you up to date with developments as well as receive your own input to the project.
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We have paid the bills and might have a very small income.
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We have established robust Governance and Management
These achievements place the Parihaka festival project well as a meaningful premiere event to be at and help grow to its full capacity
Our thanks, appreciation and acknowledgements
We thank our friends, hapuu, iwi, kaumātua and individuals for invaluable financial contributions. Your generosity got us to opening day and to where we are now, we shall never forget this.
Acknowledgements are gratefully extended to every business and organisation for goodwill and sponsorship of the infrastructure for the festival projects successful start.
Deep appreciation is conveyed to every volunteer on the festival project, the hundreds from throughout Aotearoa NZ and the world who worked in every aspect of the festival project.
"THANK-YOU ALL, YOU HAVE GIVEN OF YOURSELVES TO THE PARIHAKA LEGACY UPON WHICH OUR WORK WILL FLOURISH!"
The Peace Festival project vision
Parihaka was once rich in estates of lands, waterways, forests mountains fisheries and seabed and foreshore. It was rich also in leadership and organisation.
Then we became poor, landless, disorganised and marginalised through policies of confiscation and eviction by the New Zealand Government.
Lately we have become wise but impatient and long to fulfil the dreams of our forebears to a just equitable and stable society where ‘sacred peace’ as we understand it is not interfered with, where equity does equate to the justice, freedom and peace we fought for.
The Festival Project is integral to our fight for justice and peace. The festivals are our call to supporters who value the paths shown to us by example of our visionary leaders whoever they may be and including the Parihaka leaders.
Our collective vision will define the meaningful contextual elements of our festival events and also lead to the re-strengthening of Parihaka infrastructure more able to serve the present and future needs of the people who value Parihaka and Parihaka teachings.
The next festival
Planning is now well under way for the next festival in January 2007, the 100th anniversary of the deaths of the Parihaka leaders. This spectacular event will permanently fix our rightful place at the top of festivals in Aotearoa NZ and allow us to develop the full capacity of the festival project while we celebrate the lives of these great leaders. We will pursue their paths, their examples, their obstacles and victories. We will examine the injustices suffered and remedies sought by them.
The festival site continues to be developed throughout the year to prepare for the January moment. Camping is being extended. The craft and food village site is being completely redesigned and will be built by us. A space at the craft and food village will allow for performances there and will include the jammers stage. The dance zone will be moved up valley and be better provided with backstage and camps.
The performers camp will be moved closer to main-stage and food and craft.
The Rongoa “natural healing” will be moved to the festival site.
The medical staff and midwives will be situated in a large marquee and be more available to tired families as well.
Film and speaking forums will be at the former jammers stage auditorium.
The second Parihaka festival for Peace and Justice will be extraordinary and spectacular. Challenging speakers and workshop facilitators are being confirmed. The countries performing artists are being approached including a limited number of international special guests.
The prestigious Parihaka collection of art and historic photos “Parihaka The Art of Passive Resistence” is being brought to Parihaka for a special Parihaka exhibition during the festival. First curated and exhibited in 2000 at City Gallery Wellington it will accompany many other cutting edge art projects on at the festival not to be missed.
Management of the festival project is now solely in the hands of Parihaka people. Mainstage will serve as a ceremonial platform for our voices of welcome and farewell. Perhaps you felt our presence here in 2006. You will see, hear and feel our presence in 2007 from main-stage to speaking forums and through our special products and services. Our leadership will provide a template for any event and will place Parihaka at the top again for live-in festivals.
Permanent mainstage facility
Discussions are underway to build a main-stage facility. ‘Te Atamiranui Visionaries Stage’. We are keen then to attract and manage other events at the festival site.
The Parihaka people thank you all for making 2006 successful and look forward to your company again in Jan 2007.
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa
Nāku noa
Nā Te Miringa Hohaia
On behalf of the Parihaka Festival organisers