Leading from the front issuu

PUTIKITIA TE AROHA
by hon dame tariana turia
One of my favourite memories of my childhood is my
years growing up at Putiki Pa in Whanganui.
The original name of the pa was Putiki-wharanui-a-
Tamatea-pokaiwhenua. Its name is sourced back to Tamatea
Pōkai Whenua Pōkai Moana, who visited the rohe
of Whanganui in the 14th century, accompanied by his
son, Kahungunu.
As a young woman I was involved in the Putiki Youth
Club, formed in May 1952. The ideals of the club were
to preserve our reo, haka, waiata, poi but also to bind
together in love — Putikitia te Aroha.
It is with these thoughts that I think of my relationship
with Pat Magill — the shared learning between our peoples
in Whanganui and Kahungunu; the vision of a foundation
of shared interests; the aspiration for our communities
to be learning, mana-enhancing, health-giving.
All of these thoughts come together in the person
that is Pat Magill. Pat has been a champion for social
justice, a hero for prison reform, long before it became
fashionable. Many years ago he initiated Treaty seminars
throughout the Hawke’s Bay way before the State took
up the responsibility.
He is a thought leader and a shape shifter: establishing
Unity Week; the Unity Robson Lecture; the Unity
Forum, the Unity Dinner — all designed to recognise
the contribution to community development and bicultural
partnership. The Walk for Unity has been occurring
for well over thirty years since the inaugural hikoi from
Taupo to Napier in 1990. Of course the walk itself has
never been an issue for you — even in your 90s I understand
you have been walking the 3km track around
the Ahuriri Estuary in Napier with characteristic commitment;
a source of inspirational motivation for us all.
The Walk for Unity always culminates in a presentation
of Pilot City Trust Awards and the Robson Lecture on
social justice issues, which has strengthened our conversations
around nationhood, around community, around
fairness, around equity.
Pat’s vision for the Napier Pilot City Trust was indeed
legendary. Over thirty years ago, in January 1986, Hon
Anne Hercus nominated Napier to be a pilot city for the
study and implementation of positive alternatives to vio-
Above: Dame Tariana travelled from Whanganui to Waiohiki to personally present Pat with a korowai on his 93rd birthday hikoi
celebration, in 2019. (The above photo is from another event.)
Restorative Justice – for an unjust justice system 173