Next year’s national commemoration event, Tuia – Encounters 250, has provided a platform to showcase leading Taitokerau Māori businesses.

Tuia 250 is a national event occurring in 2019 marking 250 years since the first meetings between Māori and Pākehā when Captain James Cook’s Endeavour arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand in November 1769.

A partnership between Te Hiringa Business Promotions Trust and regional organisers of Tuia –250, Te Au Mārie Trust, will see personnel spend two days promoting regional Māori businesses at the ‘Made in Italy’ expo on November 20th and 21st at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland. The trade fair hosts exhibitors from Italy, Australia and New Zealand.

Te Hiringa Trustee Walter Wells says Tuia 250 has provided an opportunity to showcase “what Taitokerau offers visitors and to showcase our businesses and boost trade with Italy.” He says this is especially key with the upcoming America’s Cup.

Italy is our fourth largest individual trading partner within the EU. In 2017 two-way trade between New Zealand and Italy was worth more than $1 billion a year.

Following the expo Te Hiringa will roll out a series of information hui across Northland for Māori businesses later in November. The hui are aimed at whānau-hapū-iwi, communities, organisations and businesses with a view to brokering opportunity for businesses and communities to showcase their projects, products and services alongside the Tuia Encounters 250 commemorations programme. The workshops will cover what Tuia 250 is and isn’t, how businesses and groups can get involved, and how to access resources for projects and events.

“We are partnering with Te Au Mārie Trust so we can ensure people are aware of the opportunities both regionally, nationally and even internationally,” says Wells.

Te Au Mārie Trust general manager Ngaire Wilson says, “at its heart, Tuia 250 is about people and place. For some people, the arrival of Cook is celebrated as the great discovery, but for others it doesn’t warrant celebration at all. Tuia 250 is about exploring our multiple histories. But to do that, we truly need to hear each other.”

“What we don’t want to do is let this opportunity pass us by. The fact that we as a region and indeed as a country have the chance to tell our stories, commemorate or otherwise, whatever way we want, then why would we not do that!”
Workshop venues and dates are:
• Whangārei: Tuesday 27 November, 9am-11.30am, St Andrews Church, Cnr Bank and Hunt Street
• Dargaville: Tuesday 27 November, 2pm-4.30pm Dargaville Museum, 32 Mount Wesley Coast Rd
• Omapere: Wednesday 28 November, 9am-11.30am, Copthorne Hotel Hokianga, State Highway 12
• Kerikeri: Wednesday 28 November, 2pm-4.30pm, Cornerstone Church, 144 Kerikeri Rd
• Kaitāia: Thursday 29 November, 10am-12.30pm Te Ahu Centre, Cnr of SH1 & Mathews Ave

More information can be found at www.teaumarie.org.nz

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