Te Unga Mai
Gisborne

 

Te Unga Mai Trust

In May 2007 Te Unga Mai Trust was formed to continue the work begun with the 2006 Te Unga Mai festival. The Trust’s primary focus is education. The success of the 2006 festival highlighted the fact that many people within our own communities are unaware of the heritage of which they are a part. Te Unga Mai provides a platform to explore our stories, our heritage, and our unique place in the creation of the nation of Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The direction of the Trust has been set by the Trustees who represent a broad cross-section of this community and bring a diverse range of skills. The aims of the Trust include: promoting the protection and recognition of significant heritage sites in te Tairawhiti; developing quality bilingual educational material and resources; organising an annual Te Unga Mai festival; as well as developing an exhibition/road show to travel to schools, museums, marae and other centers nationwide.

The Trustees and organisers of Te Unga Mai are taking a strategic focus and have been planning well ahead for the staging of annual festival events leading up to 2019; the 250th anniversary of the first formal meeting between the tangata whenua of Turanganui a Kiwa and Captain James Cook, and the crew of the Endeavour, on Te Toka a Taiau. This will be a major event with a significant national and international focus. As we build to 2019 the annual events will provide many opportunities, acknowledging our place in history, as well as providing a platform to strengthen relationships within our own communities.

For further information and enquiries:
Te Unga Mai Trust
Phone (06) 863 3560
PO Box 746, Gisborne
teungamai@gmail.com