A Tātau Kōrero is a collection of stories of people in our community that highlight a rich tapestry of history, connections and values. From Te Kaha in the north, to Te Wairoa in the south, Te Tairāwhiti is full of people doing interesting and exceptional things in their respective areas. Whether it is in the arts, visual story telling, sports or farming, everyone has a story and these stories only enrich an understanding of who our community is and the uniqueness of what makes Te Tairāwhiti great. We wanted to find out who are our people in Te Tairāwhiti 250 years after the arrival of Cook and his crew on the Endeavour, and what are the things that make up our community including insights, reflections, views and opinions.
Karl Johnstone.
A descendant of the three iwi of Tūranganui-a-Kiwa and also from the first settlers, Karl has taken an interest in culture in all of its form and its expression across different mediums including exhibitions, art, architecture and design and business. He weaves all of these aspects of who he is into his work.Living locally, Karl continues to work globally with entities and governments to shape and tell stories including the NZ story. Karl talks to us about some insights he has seen in his work and where he sees our community today, 250 years after the arrival of Cook to Tūranganui-a-Kiwa.
