Wednesday 24 August 2022

Opening our new Memorial Grove: All welcome

Tēnā koutou katoa

He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata he tangata he tangata. Te kanohi kitea ka hoki ngaa mahara ka heke ngaa Roimata. Ka mihi taatou ki te Maumahara Grove.

What is the most precious taonga in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people. The treasured memoirs of all the rangatira gathered in the memorial grove.

Stirs up the treasured memories of our loved ones, gone but not forgotten. The fountain of tears that conveys our korowai of aroha. We salute and acknowledge our treasured valours and special family and dear friends. We acknowledge Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka for the kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga. We welcome the new residential resting place of the illustrious “Memorial Grove”. Tihei Mauri Ora.

Official opening ceremony of our new Memorial Grove

I am pleased to announce that after months of work and delays due to Covid lockdowns, the Unitec Memorial Grove relocation is ready to be officially opened in its new location near Gate 4.

We will hold an opening ceremony including karakia at the new grove, followed by a cuppa and a bite to eat in Manaaki - our Wharekai .

When: 3.30pm, Monday 29 August, 2022
Where:

Ceremony: New Memorial Grove, near Gate 4 on the slope - red star on the map.
Followed by refreshments in the Wharekai, Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae - yellow star on the map

Please bring umbrellas and gumboots as the weather is changeable and the ground is very wet. Despite the recent wet weather we would like to continue with our plan to open the grove so families and staff can begin visiting memorials when they wish to.

Please RSVP for catering purposes
Register by 12pm, Friday 26 August 2022.

RSVP to attend the opening ceremony event >>

What is the Memorial Grove?

The original Memorial Grove was set up in 1990 to remember staff and learners who have passed away. Approximately 20 memorials have now been moved to our new grove on the slope near Gate 4. Whānau, staff and learners will be able to wander amongst the trees and remember their loved ones.

A team including Matua Hare Paniora, Chaplain Ricky Waters, Kaitiaki Taiao Whaea Tanya White and Head of Environmental and Animal Sciences, Dr Dan Blanchon, has worked to identify and set up this new site, in consultation with the families.

Whaea Lynda, Matua Hare and Matua Vince performing a karakia prior to work beginning.

We would like to acknowledge Matua Hare Paniora, Whaea Lynda Toki and Matua Vince Hapi who performed a karakia before the work began at the new site.

The forested area adjacent to the new space will also offer our School of Environmental and Animal Sciences another outdoor teaching laboratory area where ākonga can learn about planting and native forest regeneration.

Collaborating with whānau

Before the relocation began, our Chaplain Ricky Waters contacted the family members of our ākonga and kaimahi who are honoured in the grove. Whānau were invited to a private ceremony to farewell the old site and they have also been invited to the opening ceremony and karakia on Monday. They had the choice of taking their whānau member’s memorial stone with them, picking an existing tree in the new Memorial Grove space, planting a new tree, or transplanting the existing tree where it was possible to the new home.

I appreciate the ongoing efforts and support from Ricky Waters, Whaea Tanya White, Matua Hare Paniora, Dan Blanchon, Jaala Jacobs, Untaka Cai, Jason Cocker, Bill Dobbin, Ivan Shalley, Frank Reinhold, Greg Lokes, George Borich, Denis Murphy, and Tim Waddell as we have worked on the relocation of the Memorial Grove to its new home. It is an important kaupapa and I’ve been thankful that such a collaborative, considerate group has given this mahi the respect it deserves.

Map of memorial stones and trees

We look forward to officially opening this significant space.

Ngā mihi

Michelle Teirney
DCE – Operations