One month becomes three - Tuku 22 extends to bring heritage events to Nelson

Nelson City Council’s annual heritage month has been expanded to ensure small, COVID-resilient cultural events can be delivered for Nelson Whakatū.

This year’s Tuku 22 will take place over April, May and June, to ensure public events have more space between them and have more time to be postponed if needed.

Community and Recreation Committee Chair Councillor Tim Skinner says adapting the event’s usual timing to make sure it could still go ahead this year is important for celebrating and supporting Nelson.

“The Tuku 22 Whakatū heritage events create a space for telling the diverse stories that weave together to form Nelson’s past, and offer a deeper understanding of our city, our community, and our heritage.”

“Tuku 2021 events had an estimated $495,000 of economic benefits to Nelson. We’re excited to be enabling small events for the community to enjoy, which will also help to revitalise our city in a difficult time.”

Tuku 22 Whakatū Heritage Months is a community-focused series of small events, organised by multiple organisations and community groups with Council support. 

Events in the Tuku 22 calendar include:

• Ngāti Kuia kaitiaki Lewis Smith, an expert pakohe carver, is leading a guided tour up Maungatapu to the Rush Pools. Listen and learn as Lewis shares his knowledge of pakohe (argillite stone) and the Ngāti Kuia connection to the whenua. Email vanya@ngatikuia.iwi.nz to book your place. 
• Cultural Conversations on Hardy Street is showing a series of filmed interviews with recent migrants exploring their struggles, joys and feelings about their new home.  
• “Histrionics” is performing a dramatic recreation of the region’s first aircraft flight and landing in Stoke just over 100 years ago.   

Visit itson.co.nz to learn more and see the full programme of events.

The word “Tuku” was gifted by iwi in 2021 and means “to share” or “exchange” in Te Reo Māori. It is an expression of our diverse and unique stories, histories and heritage, and reflects the value of biculturalism in the name “Tuku 22 Whakatū Heritage Months” that includes a combination of both Te Reo Māori and English.