Craft centre model for community education

Mana (Auckland), Volume 2, Issue 3, 4 May 1978, Page 7

Craft centre model for community education

“I believe that communities like Tokomaru Bay can be economically self-supportive and socially attractive and that the decay of such communities can be arrested”, says Mrs Ngoi Pewhairangi. Mrs Pewhairangi has been appointed the first Maori and Pacific Islander Continuing Education Officer with the National Council of Adult Education.

Tokomaru Bay is a small rural East Coast Community 55 miles north of Gisborne. Its population of just over 550 is principally employed in sheep and other types of farming. Three years ago, the people of Tokomaru Bay were leaving the area to find work. Mrs

Pewhairangi initiated a self-help community programme based on cottage industries, particularly weaving, knitting and pottery. “I believe our scheme, in its small way, may be a model for other communities. Its success has been mainly due to the fact that local people have made up their own minds about what to do and then have gone ahead and done it. The key, it seems to me, is local initiative and leadership. “In my new position with the Council I look forward to advising other people of our experience and providing support — but I am firm in my belief that leadership must be locally derived”.

In announcing the appointment today, NCAE’s Director,

Mr David James said, “Mrs Pewhairangi brings to her position with the Council a life-time of living Maoritanga. “The Tokomaru Bay craft centre, which she was instrumental in establishing, illustrates a community cooperative that uses and teaches both new and traditional skills to supplement the income of those involved. “It can been seen as a model for similar co-operatives and Mrs Pewhairangi will be exploring its possible links with other rural communities and the growing labour co-operatives already existing in the cities”. Last year Mrs Pewhairangi

organized a visit for her people to the Cook Islands. It proved to

be such an enriching experience that another is being planned to Hawaii. For many years Mrs Pewhairangi has been working in continuing education as a volunteer. She has a long association with teacher training colleges and the Maori departments of various universities. Her new position will enable more individuals, groups and agencies within the Maori and Pacific Island communities to seek her advice and support with particular activities. This appointment is the last of four newly-created positions to be made by the Council this year. Three other specialist officers are available as resource people in the fields of adult reading, the training of continuing educators, and continuing education broadcasting.