Te Kanava ushers in a new era of doing things in foreign lands and a space for exploring doing things in a Tokelauan way as they themselves march to nationhood. It embodies a new approach that meshes modern operations systems with traditional support from elders as advisors and spiritual leaders.

Te Kanava, Tokelau descendants’ plan for NZ, diaspora and bridge to home

For Pacific Guardians by Lealaiauloto Aigaletaule’ale’a F. Tauafiafi

On Wednesday last week, descendants from the Tokelau atoll of Atafu packed out the Matauala Hall at Porirua, a 20-minute drive from New Zealand’s capital, Wellington.

It was the launch of ‘Te Kanava’, the 2017-2021 Strategic Plan for the Atafu Tokelau Community Group Incorporated, based in Porirua. Established in March 1981, becoming a charitable trust in 2009.

The launch was also one of two priority events for the historical 11-day Fakatahiga (gathering) hosted by the Society that brought together the Atafu diaspora and a delegation representing its home population. The numbers are still to be finalized but estimated that between 700 and 1,000 people from Australia, the United States, Hawaii, New Zealand and Atafu took part.

The other Fakatahiga priority was the formal documentation of the Atafu Gafa (genealogy) traced back to the couple that originally settled the atoll, Tonuia and Lagimaina.

Although ‘Te Kanava’ is an idea that is not new according to the Society’s president, Mr Lehi Tenise Atoni, its formalization as an official planning document for the organization does signal a paradigm shift for how it aims to deliver services to members/families – some 50 years after their first members arrived in the capital.

“We always knew we were going to have a plan,” Mr Atoni told Pacific Guardians in an exclusive interview.

“Over the years our members have always talked about their aspirations and dreams for our community. The conversations gradually evolved from ‘how can we move forward as a community’ to ‘how can we position ourselves and resources to better address our needs’.”

But don’t mistake “us talking about dreams and aspirations” over the years as meaning there were no actions taking place said Mr Atoni.

In fact, Te Kanava lists some of the milestones achieved over the past three decades that include five New Zealand Royal Honours Awards (late Mr Elia Tinielu, late Mr Amusia Patea, late Mr Lua Lepaio, Mr Niusila Taupe, and Mr Teaku Petaia); a Pacific Heritage Award in 2013 and publishing of a globally significant book Hikuleo i te Papa o Tautai in 2008 – to name a few.

The membership numbers have grown steadily over the past 35-years, the freehold land and buildings are multimillion-dollar assets, while contributions and civic participation in Porirua and national activities/policies testify to a group in participating fully in New Zealand society and development.

However, the only ‘thing’ missing from the group’s institutional make-up was a Strategic Plan to coordinate their activities, put in place a transparent governance structure, and clearly articulate its vision and strategic objectives on how they aim to transform dreams into reality.

“So when I became the president three years ago I said to our committee, let’s put together that strategic plan our members have always talked about. It’s time to put our dreams and aspirations on paper. We needed our members, our parents and elders to see those dreams visually in order to fully appreciate what the plan looks like and its potential to turn the many conversations we’ve been having into reality.”

At the Wednesday launch, Te Kanava revealed the blueprint, a roadmap for turning the Atafu-Tokelau group’s aspirations to reality with an ulterior motive of sharing positive benefits realized with other Pacific communities, host country New Zealand and Tokelau the nation.

In fact, Te Kanava lists some of the milestones achieved over the past three decades that include five New Zealand Royal Honours Awards (late Mr Elia Tinielu, late Mr Amusia Patea, late Mr Lua Lepaio, Mr Niusila Taupe, and Mr Teaku Petaia); a Pacific Heritage Award in 2013 and publishing of a globally significant book Hikuleo i te Papa o Tautai in 2008 – to name a few.

The membership numbers have grown steadily over the past 35-years, the freehold land and buildings are multimillion-dollar assets, while contributions and civic participation in Porirua and national activities/policies testify to a group in participating fully in New Zealand society and development.

However, the only ‘thing’ missing from the group’s institutional make-up was a Strategic Plan to coordinate their activities, put in place a transparent governance structure, and clearly articulate its vision and strategic objectives on how they aim to transform dreams into reality.

“So when I became the president three years ago I said to our committee, let’s put together that strategic plan our members have always talked about. It’s time to put our dreams and aspirations on paper. We needed our members, our parents and elders to see those dreams visually in order to fully appreciate what the plan looks like and its potential to turn the many conversations we’ve been having into reality.”

At the Wednesday launch, Te Kanava revealed the blueprint, a roadmap for turning the Atafu-Tokelau group’s aspirations to reality with an ulterior motive of sharing positive benefits realized with other Pacific communities, host country New Zealand and Tokelau the nation.

Te Kanava’s approach is similar to an oft quoted African proverb: “If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far, go together”. Which is why Mr Atoni’s group sought the blessings from the Atafu Taupulega (governing council of Atafu atoll) before going ahead with organizing the Fakatahiga – to bring together the Atafu diaspora for the first time.

With the blessings received from home, the Group issued the call to the Atafu diaspora. At the same time, they started work on the strategic plan, where one of the key actions was to promote collaboration for Te Kanava through “meaningful partnerships with government agencies, private sector organisations and education institutes”.

They wanted to go as far as possible, so they canvassed relevant partners and supporters and invited them to walk together with Atafu. Two dreams the Group had always discussed were: to become a ‘community service provider’ not just for Atafu and Tokelau, but also to the Pacific and other ethnic communities in the Wellington region. And second, to build a pathway, a bridge that will bring the Group/diaspora closer to the Atafu Taupulega, and the Tokelau government.

One of the main aims of such a bridge is direct access to Atafu elders, critical to shoring up the cultural and language resources in order to revive the Tokelau language, which is rapidly dying in New Zealand and outside of Tokelau; and in turn, “see what areas in Atafu, that the Taupulega feels would benefit from some input from us here in New Zealand,” said Mr Atoni.

“I truly believe there is room for us to work on shared projects, for example, we have a lot of people coming from Tokelau and staying in hotels and motels. Our society has land here. We can build a hostel for our people to come and stay here. A place where their families can come and be with them as well. And is open not just to Atafu, but all of Tokelau.

“It can be their home away from home which I feel would be better than staying in a hotel – that’s just an example of what could be developed jointly.”

Heading the delegation from Atafu was Acting Faipule (Member of Parliament) Kelihiano Kalolo. He told Pacific Guardians the launch of Te Kanava was very timely as Atafu’s own strategic plan had just been put into action.

“It’s very timely because Atafu and the other two Nuku (atolls) of Tokelau, Fakaofo and Nukunonu have also just recently put their strategic plans into action. Why that’s well timed is because all of these ‘Nuku’ plans are aligned to Tokelau’s National Strategic Plan, which means Te Kanava is now, also in that space.”

Common to all four plans according to Hon Kalolo are the priority areas: Traditional culture, good governance, accountability and sustainability.

“For me, what’s important is our culture, and the lessons embedded therein. The challenge we currently face is finding ways to transfer our core traditional values and the spirit of our culture to the children as pure, authentically as possible.”

And the Fakatahiga, and Te Kenava are two initiatives he sees as helping to provide answers and options to face the challenge.

Hon Kalolo re-affirmed the critical importance of transferring the Tokelauan values of love, respect, humility, sharing as expressed by the Inati system as they provide young Tokelauans with a platform where, “they will grow up as caring and responsible young people who will be leaders in the future. Building them up with those values will be able to overcome the majority of challenges they will face in the future.

“And that is why the Fakatahiga trip has been very important because it gave us opportunities to create educational resources for the general population. To help the diaspora and its youth re-establish their sense of identity – a critical characteristic to laying down a solid foundation for our young people.”

New Zealand’s member of parliament and first Tokelauan elected to parliament, Hon Kris Faafoi saw Te Kanava as an important enabler for the Tokelau community, especially its youth population.

“It means that for Tokelau youth, especially those in the Atafu community have now got some pretty solid frameworks for them to succeed in whatever they want to do,” he told Pacific Guardians.

“In terms of education, their own culture, their careers, they are going to have a community organization with a plan to support them, whether it be their education, housing, identity, mental health, there is a plan there.

“And one of the key points in the plan is that they need good governance and leadership and the fact they’ve got to this stage and put a plan together shows there is talent in the Atafu community.”

The comments by Hons Kalolo and Faafoi are reflected in the Te Kanava vision: “Our Atafu-Tokelau community aims to be an anchor for our families to be strong, resilient, well-connected and thriving”.

It is a vision founded on the characteristics of the Kanava Tree for which Atafu atoll is famous for. A tree sought after by master builders to carve amongst others, the legendary Polynesian voyaging vaka that helped them settle more than 10million square miles of the Pacific Ocean without navigational equipment – to this day, one of humanity’s greatest ever achievements.

It is this richly textured and spiritual background Te Kanava was crafted on four core values:

- Fakaaloalo (respect and dignity)

- Alofa (love and compassion)

- Ola faka-te-agaga (spiritual beliefs) and

- Tautua (Service and support to others)

The Te Kanava framework was woven using eight strands (guiding principles): Alofa ki te tama manu; Taofi ke mau ki na kupu a na tupuna; Fai nuku; Loto mau; Loto nuku; Loto tahi; Loto fealofani; and Inati.

While its direction and operations are paddled by six Strategic Objectives: Governance and Management; Health; Education; Culture and Identity; Housing; and Entrepreneurship.

Te Kanava ushers in a new era of doing things in foreign lands and a space for exploring doing things in a Tokelauan way as they themselves march to nationhood.

Te Kanava embodies a new approach that meshes modern operations systems with traditional support from elders as advisors and spiritual leaders. A combination that aims to maximize Atafu-Tokelau assets to take advantage of opportunities available in the New Zealand system that other groups are harvesting.

“This is about us moving forward with confidence in an environment that is not ours traditionally,” said Mr Atoni. “Its about harnessing the assets our tupuna (parents/elders) gifted us like the freehold land (estimated at 8 hectares) and buildings at Matauala estimated at $4.5million.

Physical assets that have now increased many fold with the addition of human capability and expertise acquired by first and second generation Tokelauans through the education opportunities made possible by their parents and relatives.

“With these assets as a base, we can now afford to strategically focus on community needs and deliver appropriate services such as educational programs, social support services, professionally through Te Kanava.”

He added, “The other thing I’m excited about is the fact we are focused on Tokelau as one nation not just Atafu, and beyond Tokelau, this is also about Porirua, about Wellington, about New Zealand – that as a Group, we are moving forward inclusively.

“I guess what we’re really aiming for is to start something small here. A ripple in the ocean that we hope will grow from Matauala and be generic enough to also help others around and beyond us. That ‘Te Kanava’ can become a useful model for other communities around New Zealand to benefit from.”

But as he detailed the vision and next steps to the audience last week, Mr Atoni’s keynote address paused several times as memories surfaced of the elders and tupuna who built Matauala from the very beginning.

“It got emotional because it’s been a journey”, Mr Atoni revealed. “I talked about Phase I, which took about 50 years to complete.”

In essence, in the space of 50-years, Te Kanava provides the answer to “Where to now after 50-years in New Zealand?”. It marks the start of Phase II for the Atafu-Tokelau Group in Wellington.

“Our tupuna began arriving in Porirua some 50 years ago. That’s Phase I, the migration of our people to New Zealand and the hard work and sacrifices they rendered that now, we, the younger generation are benefitting from.

“There are no words in our vocabulary to describe the enormity of their achievement nor the sacrifice and courage it took to leave home and sail to the unknown,” an emotional Mr Atoni explained.

“They came with absolutely nothing. But armed only with the spirit of our ancestors they worked hard, driven by the vision that a better education for their children is the path to success, a better life, and key to continuing Tokelau’s identity, cultural and traditional heritage and language.”

The early Tokelauans pushed their children through the education system. But at the same time they pooled extra resources to buy a piece of land and start building a complex as a central place of their own – a home away from home where they can be free to conduct their own activities without outside interference.

A place their children can call their own, and where they can be immersed in Tokelauan cultural mores, traditions and language.

Different countries of the world have, over time, engaged their Diasporas of different composition for different purposes. They maintain their engagement for the mutual benefits of all: home countries, the Diaspora and the host countries.

For Tokelau, the Atafu-Tokelau Community Group have made a bold start towards a higher level of social, economic and cultural wellbeing. A start they hope other Tokelauan groups would also take up.

With the unanimous endorsement of the Te Kanava strategic plan they aim to maximize assets to leverage the foreign systems of New Zealand for the mutual benefits of all: home country, the Diaspora and host country.

At the same time, Te Kanava has a clear and separate Tokelau objective – and why the Fakatahiga is not defined as a ‘reunion’.

“To me, Fakatahiga is not a reunion but it’s about ‘a coming together of a people to return home’,” Mr Atoni explained. “It’s a homecoming. A dream that perhaps in a few years’ time we will have this ‘coming together’ in Atafu. Where those who have yet to set foot on Atafu would finally see the ocean, wade into the lagoon, taste the salt, feel the breeze, see the stars, all those things that you can only experience on Atafu.

“Atafu is where it all started, it is our motherland, where our heritage is anchored. A Fakatahiga held there in the future is something every descendant of Atafu needs to experience. I mean, how special would that feeling be?

“It’s indescribable because that is your heritage. That is who you are. Your unique place of belonging. It’s Home.”

Lemi Iaseto from Dunedin has been away from Atafu for more than 30 years. He was asked about what it would mean if a Fakatahiga took him back to Atafu.

Tears welled, trail slowly down his cheeks. Too emotional to speak, he simply nodded.

A few days later, the descendants of Atafu regathered at Matauala. They voted to hold the next Fakatahiga in 2020.

In Atafu (if certain conditions are met).

This article was originally published on Pacific Guardians. Read the original article.

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