Kumara Vine CE Update June 2022
Diversity makes us stronger and Community Waikato is committed to progressing our learning as we grow our understanding of what it is to live in a bicultural country and multicultural community. We are seeing tangible evidence of change across our country and region. We will celebrate Matariki as a holiday for the first time as a country in 2022, most of our Waikato local territorial authorities will include Maaori wards for the first time in the local body elections later this year and recently, Hamilton City Council voted to change the names of a local street and park, removing the connection to two controversial colonial figures and reconnecting those areas to their roots.
Previously Community Waikato has engaged in Te Waananga o Aotearoa learning (which we highly recommend) and Te Reo lessons. This year, we are exploring the region as a team to learn more about our history and we have dedicated this edition of the Kumara Vine celebrating our bicultural opportunities and our multicultural future.
Community Waikato will also be running our conference later this year, so check this edition of Kumara Vine for the details and save the date! We are very much looking forward to an opportunity to be face to face again and are confident we will all come away from the conference feeling inspired to embrace the challenge.