He Kete Korero - Preserving the voices of our Kaumātua.

He Kete Kōrero is a community arts project dedicated to capturing and preserving the voices, experiences, and wisdom of our kaumātua.

Our Kaumātua hold invaluable knowledge about identity, whakapapa, whenua, resilience and cultural values. Much of this knowledge is shared through oral storytelling and lived experience, yet many of these stories are never formally recorded.

He Kete Korero aims to embrace and preserve the stories shared from a group of kaumātua from the Kaipatiki region of Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland—their reflections on life, journey, hopes, aspirations, and a message for future generations.

They will also contribute a creative element that represents their korero. These may take many forms, including weaving, carving, written words, taonga, or symbolic objects. The individual pieces will be brought together to form a collective sculptural kete. Traditionally, a kete carries food or precious items. In this project, the kete will carry wisdom and stories.

The creative process will be documented as a digital film series, capturing both the stories shared by kaumatua and the creation of the sculptural kete.

When we have completed the project, we will present the sculpture and film through an exhibition and screenings, sharing this taonga with the wider community.

With support from this campaign, we will deliver this kaupapa and ensure these stories are captured and shared in ways that reach both current and future generations.