First Impressions of Te Karaka-as-a-Service
“Um, right, okay, cool. Have you been there yet?”
That was often the first reaction of people who had been to Te Karaka, immediately after telling them about this awesome project I am doing with this amazing community.
I won’t lie. That response was a little disconcerting as far as first reactions go. The matching expression on their face was usually a curious bemusement rather than indignation, which gave me the impression they thought I was a bit crazy. But that’s fine with me, because I probably am — in a good way.
I’ve also been to Las Vegas. Not just during the night time, which is what you see on television or in magazines. I’ve also walked around the streets at breakfast time on a Saturday morning. And at that time of the week, let me just say that everything looks hung over. The people, the footpaths, the faded signs, the peeling paint on the walls, the trashy magazines in the beaten up newspaper vending machine, everything. In the cold light of day, the place looks far more tired that the bright lights, party all night, beer goggles version does.
That is lesson number one for a place-as-a-service. The preconceptions, and the sense of perspective you bring with you will have a major influence on your experience of a place. This is what I was reminded of when I was asked if I had been there yet. In truth, I hadn’t even taken a peek on Google Street View, let alone visited in real life. I had only experienced the place through its people and their work, in the form of their Community Plan, which illustrates the passion within the community. This was my first experience of Te Karaka-as-a-Service:
I was really looking forward to meeting some of these people in person, and after a short 30 minute drive from Gisborne, I had arrived. Rather, I had arrived at the point where traffic engineers had unceremoniously ejected me from State Highway 2.
Which is a shame, because all the white and yellow lines and reflective signage was quite a distraction from the beautiful green landscape that surrounds Te Karaka. I was to learn later when talking to the community that a wonderful welcome sign made by the children of Te Karaka School was not allowed to be displayed on the highway roadside because Transit New Zealand said it would be a driver distraction.
As I drove slowly into the town from the south, I was greeted with a sense of the town’s history. I stopped to pay my respects to the fallen soldiers from ‘The Great War of 1914 - 1918’. No less than 40 young men by my count. A short distance down the road was another glimpse of different times. A derelict building that must once have been the place to be on a Saturday night. A theater that looks nothing like any of the community halls that I have seen throughout rural New Zealand. It almost looks like something you would see in old Eastern Europe, and it had me immediately curious about who the architect was, and where they were from. The building wears the name “Waikohu Hall 1927”, and would be the keeper of many secrets I expect.
A stone’s throw behind the hall is the Saint Johns Te Karaka Waikohu Cooperative Parish, complete with white picket fence and rose garden. Next door to the hall is what was once a service station, but after the petrol company left town, only the garage part of the service remains. But as I slowly headed further north along the road into town I was stunned by the eye-catching contemporary architecture of the brand new Te Karaka Area School.
Turanga Tangata Rite — Achievement through Unity
After I short tour through the school, I was immediately inspired by it’s story. It is a fully digital connected school that runs a modern learning environment, (complete with Maker Space — I’m so jealous), and promotes innovation through inquiry learning. As a father of three boys under 7, I would absolutely love to have them attend a school just like this one. It is a truly amazing community asset, and I think we may just have found the perfect venue to run our community event!
As I headed further along the main street in the village, I saw the remnants of more prosperous times. Well, in an economic sense that is, because the buildings that look particularly unloved by their owners have been given some tender loving care by the resident community. Between the boarded up windows & doors were colorful murals, quite obviously painted by people who are bright and optimistic for the future.
And so they should be.
