108009646927337866

Nelson, New Zealand

Blogging on a sunny fall afternoon from Te Tau Ihu, or the Top of the South Island region of New Zealand. The beautiful weather here – including a brisk warm wind off the Tasman Sea coming over the light blue waters of Nelson Bay – kind of nicely reflects my mood at the moment.

I was invited here to facilitate a day of Open Space for an Maori economic summit which brought together entrepreneurs, iwi trusts, government folks and Pakehea (or non-Maori) businesses for the tourism, and resource sectors. Our day in Open Space was yesterday and it was a blast. People connected like crazy, including one woman whose topic was “I need a job.” in her session, four people joined her and created a business plan to get her into a viable self-employment situation. That experience wasn’t at all unique with other business plans drafted up around Te Reo (language) funding opportunities, and the creation of a Maori economic development forum in this region to support enterprise.

Like the use of Open Space in other indigenous communities, people in the closing circle claimed it as Maori, and in order to leave it here and support that idea, we are just now finalizing the logistics for a two training workshop that starts tomorrow to train folks in community agencies and government in the process.

More reports if I get a chance or when I get home. In the meantime have a look at the work being done by Wakatu Incoirporation, one of the sponsors of the Summit which is a trust that acts on behalf of five iwi (tribes) in this region.