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Acclaimed Māori film maker, Wiremu Grace (Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Porou) was commissioned by the Embassy of the Netherlands and Toi Māori Aotearoa to produce a video that highlights the remarkable relationships forged between Māori and the Dutch through the practices of waka.
Grace’s video focusses on the intercultural exchange initiated by Te Hono ki Aotearoa as the only waka taua entrusted by the Māori people to a foreign culture.
As partners to the 100 year loan agreement, Toi Māori Aotearoa, Ngā Waka Federation, Museum Volkenkunde and Njord, the Netherland’s oldest student rowing club work together to ensure the livelihood of Te Hono ki Aotearoa in Leiden and use Tahimana to widely promote waka in Europe.
Since the handover in 2010, Ngā Waka Federation has hosted members of the Njord Rowing Club to participate in the annual waka pageant at Waitangi. With heart and passion the Dutch paddlers are enveloped in Māori culture and engage in waka protocols to bring new knowledge home to the Netherlands and invigorate their relationship to Te Hono ki Aotearoa in Leiden. Over the years, the relationship between Ngā Waka Federation and the Njord Rowing Club has developed as whānau, with the Dutch paddlers honoured to return to Waitangi every year.
Chris Buijvoets, a Njord waka crew member, said about her trip to Waitangi: ‘It was a great opportunity to get to go to New Zealand and experience the Māori culture on a daily basis instead of just getting told about it and people teaching you about it for one to two hours every week. And being there, you just dive into Māori family and you get to know their tikanga and their kaupapa. Māori have taught me many values that we in the Western world have forgotten, like what it is to be part of a community, what it is to be there for each other and you are part of a bigger group, you’re never just an individual by yourself so all the actions that you take have reactions on the people around you. That is something that I would like to teach my children and grandchildren.”
Grace’s video also captures the stories of those involved in the genesis of Te Hono ki Aotearoa and features archival footage from Jan Bieringa’s feature length 2010 documentary on the production and handover of Te Hono ki Aotearoa.
Dutch Ambassador in New Zealand Mira Woldberg says, “The 10th anniversary of Te Hono ki Aotearoa was an important moment to celebrate all these years of connections between our people, between nations, and between cultures. This is something we really hope to strengthen in the years to come.”
This commemorative project was made possible through the support of New Zealand Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ngā Waka Federation, Waka Gezelschap der K.S.R.V. ‘Njord’, Jan Bieringa and BMX Productions.
Wiremu Grace (Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Porou) is an acclaimed artist, writer and film director who uses moving image to enliven oral traditions to younger generations and capture new stories about Māori people.
The 10 year anniverary was also commemorated with a digital conference of te whānau ō Te Hono ki Aotearoa.
Lead by Tamahou Temara, Māori and Dutch kaihoe along with project drivers, ambassadors and Museum Volkenkunde staff reconnected and warmed the legacy of Te Hono ki Aotearoa through waiata and kōrero.
The Māori and Dutch kaihoe recalled the thrill and sense of responsibility they felt on the handover day and acknowledged the strength of those memories in their everyday lives.
Recent kaihoe assured the group that the kaupapa established on 18 October 2010 had been respected and carried forward by them.
Representatives of Ngā Waka Federation and the Njord Rowing Club affectionately expressed their mutual appreciation and respect with Museum Volkenkunde staff demonstrating the seriousness of their commitment as kaitiaki of Te Hono ki Aotearoa under the terms of the 100 year loan.
The video conference also enabled contributors to share their current experiences of COVID-19 which prevented the planned 10 year anniversary event being staged and celebrated in Leiden. However, the meeting resolved the strong commitment from Māori and Dutch to reconvene with Te Hono ki Aotearoa at the Museum Volkenkunde Leiden at the earliest and safest opportunity. The Dutch proposed to extend the cultural exchange and welcome Māori kaihoe to be hosted in the Netherlands.
In spite of the challenge presented by COVID-19, this meeting and commemorative video demonstrates the shared commitment for this intercultural partnership to continue to thrive for generations to come.
