The 231,801 Pacific Islanders that make up more than 6.5% of New Zealand’s population now have space they can call their own inside the Beehive - the Pacific Room.

Under a clear blue Wellington sky, a Pan-Pacific ceremony to solemnise the dedication began appropriately with a Maori powhiri followed by the handing over of the mauri stone from tangata whenua to Pacific leaders.

In the presence of senior political representatives and Pacific Island community leaders, Prime Minister Helen Clark proudly acknowledged the long association New Zealand enjoys with its Pacific people.

’Parliament belongs to all New Zealanders and we are proud of our Pacific people as members of our Parliament. Over the years the Pacific has shared its richest resource with NZ; talent, intelligence, creativity, innovation, flair and energy of its people,’ the PM said.

None was prouder than the four current Pacific Island Members of Parliament; Mark Goshe, Taito Phillip Field, Luamanuvao Winnie Laban and Anae Arthur Anae, who now have a sanctuary where they can receive and court important guests from the Pacific.

Located next to the Maori Affairs Select Committee Room - Maui Tikitiki a Taranga, the Pacific Room features a specially commissioned entranceway which was carved by Pacific artists Fatu Feu’u (Samoa), Filipe Tohi from Tonga, Ian George from the Cook Islands and Palalagi Manetoa of Niue.

Ian George says the commissioned artwork reflects the acceptance of the Pacific as an integral part of New Zealand’s identity. It also represents a balance between the spiritual and physical in Pacific cultures.

There are two carved posts on either side of the entranceway with a carved lintel above it. Totems on each of the posts depict the movement of people from their home islands to Aotearoa. The lintel painted blue to represent Moana nui (Pacific Ocean) while the vaka on the lintel symbolises the voyages of Pacific Peoples to Aotearoa.

A stained glass window above the lintel bears three symbols representing the central theme of balance with the frangipani (female), windmill (male) and frigate (ancestral spirit).

The Pacific Room showcases Pacific art works as well as gifts from Pacific nations to Parliamentarians over the years and now held in the Parliamentary collection.

One of the gifts presented to the Pacific Room is a traditional carved seat given to the Prime Minister when she attended the Cook Island’s celebrations to mark a 100-year association with New Zealand last year.

The dedication in Parliament was timed to coincide with a meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Pacific Region seminar on Parliamentary and Practice and Procedure.

The dedication in Parliament was timed to coincide with a meeting of the

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Pacific Region seminar on Parliamentary and Practice and Procedure.

More than 20 parliamentary delegates from Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue and Papua New Guinea, Fiji and American Samoa were in Wellington for the week long seminar.

Following the welcome address by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association by the Denis Marshall QSO, Secretary- General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Pacific Islands representatives were given an insight into how New Zealand’s system works.

With the exception of Niue and the Cook Islands (dependants of New Zealand), all Pacific Island countries represented at the Wellington seminar are now in Brisbane attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGRM).
 

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