Ngāi Tahu Communications
The past year has been one of consolidation for the Ngāi Tahu Communications team. We have built capacity within our ranks and focused on getting the best from our traditional communication modes such as Te Pānui Rūnaka, Te Karaka and the Annual Report, while building knowledge and expertise in the areas of new technology.
Early in the year we completed an important piece of work surveying Ngāi Tahu whānau attitudes and preferences in relation to the type of information they want to receive and how they want to receive it. This was valuable in that it confirmed that a large percentage of Ngāi Tahu rate the publications highly.
One of the most revealing results was the willingness of whānau to read the publications online. 66% indicated they would be happy to read the Annual Report on the Ngāi Tahu website, Te Pānui Rūnaka 45% and Te Karaka 42%. This research helped inform our decision to make all three publications available on the Ngāi Tahu website. Whānau still have the option of printed versions, but this is a strong indication that in the future, electronic publications and communication channels will be the norm.
This is already proving beneficial with substantial savings being made in the production and distribution of this year's Annual Report – one of the main reasons given in the survey by whānau for supporting online communications.
In line with these changes a lot of work has gone into rebuilding and improving the Ngāi Tahu website. Ngāi Tahu artist Ross Hemera played a key role in helping create the new look to compliment more intuitive navigation and increased functionality of the site. We have also launched a Ngāi Tahu Facebook site and have been supporting rūnanga to build new and update existing websites.
The biennial Christchurch Arts Festival was highly successful with the Snare/mahanga exhibition at the Robert McDougall Art Gallery, supported by a popular workshop and seminar programme, and the provocative public art installation called Waharoa:Storybox in Cathedral Square.
Mō Tātou closing: (left to right) Heather and Kukupa Tirikatene, Piri Sciascia, Mark Solomon and Anake Goodall.
The Mō Tātou exhibition has been highly rewarding. After three years at Te Papa, we were able to bring our kaumātua Kukupa Tirikatene and Te Whe Phillips home and return the mauri to the national museum. Major events such as Matariki and the Mō Tātou closing were a highlight of the year. Planning has been well advanced for the Mō Tātou tour which will see the exhibition hosted at Canterbury, Southland and Otago Museums over the next 18 months.
