(Picture caption: The EFKS Church in Grey Lynn set the scene for a moving launch of the Vaka of Stories initiative, by Minister for Pacific Peoples Hon Barbara Edmonds.)
A vaka of healing has set sail across Aotearoa after the launch of Vaka of Stories – a series of story gathering road stops for those impacted by the Dawn Raids.
Pacific representatives, government officials and tangata whenua from the central Auckland hapū Ngati Whātua Ōrākei gathered at EFKS Church in Grey Lynn to launch the Ministry for Pacific Peoples’ (MPP) initiative Vaka of Stories.
Minister for Pacific Peoples Hon Barbara Edmonds says when the Government delivered its apology in 2021 for the trauma, hurt and pain Pacific and Māori experienced from the discriminatory Dawn Raids policies of the 1970s, we wanted to help usher in a period of healing.
“We also wanted to usher in a process where we can collectively work together to address the harms caused by discrimination in society generally,” Minister Edmonds says.
In Budget 2022, the Government invested $13.6 million to deliver on a Dawn Raids historical account package.
Part of this package was the $600,000 Teu le Va – Dawn Raids History Community Fund launched at the one-year anniversary of the Dawn Raids apology in August 2022.
Since then, MPP has been working to get the Vaka of Stories initiative on the road.
A vaka will travel around the country to collect stories and experiences of the Dawn Raids from communities, which will then be collated into a historical report.
“This initiative will facilitate the healing process by enabling people impacted by the events of the Dawn Raids, both directly and indirectly, to share their experiences in a safe environment,” Minister Edmonds says.
The travelling vaka will stop at locations in West Auckland, South Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, Christchurch and Dunedin over the next few months.
Vaka stops will have spaces where those who want to share their Dawn Raids stories and experiences, can do so in a private and safe environment.
Those who would like to share their stories or experiences privately, virtually and through a safe and secure online forum, can also visit the MPP website, where you can also find more information on the initiative.
The next stop for the Vaka of Stories is on July 15, at Avondale College, West Auckland from 10am-4pm.