Te Ara ō Rakimārie: The Pathway of Peaceful Living

Abstract

This paper traces the peacebuilding efforts of Anne Te Maihāora Dodds (Waitaha) in her North Otago community over the last twenty-five years. The purpose of this paper is to record these unique localized efforts, as an historical record of grass-roots initiatives aimed at creating a greater awareness of indigenous and environmental issues. It describes the retracing of ancestral footsteps of Te Heke Ōmaramataka (2012), the peace walk at Maungatī (2012) and the Ocean to Alps Celebration (1990). This paper also discusses the genesis behind cultural events such as Oamaru Stone Carving (2000), the short film entitled Tohu (2006), the dramatization of Te Maihāroa and Te Heke (2002) and the historically significant Waitaha Taoka (treasures) held within the Willets Family Artefacts Collection (1990). The accompanied whānau photographs present a visual snapshot of these experiences and provide a sense of the occasions. This paper is concluded with a brief synopsis of these peacebuilding activities, and the added richness to this rural community.