A place of learning in Christchurch Men’s Prison

27 May 2009
Te Whare Wananga o Te Whatukura a Toi was opened as a place of learning and to provide educational programmes for prisoners at Christchurch Men’s Prison in March 2008. It is the first part of a potential three-stage project.

The idea came about two years earlier when gang leaders, in discussion with senior management of Canterbury Prisons and Kaiwhakamana (Māori elders)  decided that the whare in Christchurch Men’s Prison needed to be established formally as a whare wananga.

This meant that the existing whare would be given a name, and would have purpose and a life.  

Moana Tipa, prison arts facilitator in Canterbury Prisons, says it also meant that prison artists would make art for the walls of the new whare. The art would reflect the things that were most important to them, taking “the institution” out of the whare and replacing it with something that reflected the heart of those who were serving time within its walls.  

“It used to be a cold, concrete room that had the term ‘whare’ attached to it,” Moana says. “The artwork filled it with warmth and it’s become a very welcoming place within the heart of the prison.

“There’s respect among the prisoners for this whare wananga and the thinking behind it.”

Over ten months, 30 works – carvings, paintings, steelworks and one large drawing – were made by art makers from B and C Blocks, Tirohanga Paeroa, Kotuku, Youth, Women’s Prison and Rolleston’s Kowhai unit. Most of the works measured 2.4 x 1.1 metres.

A four-metre totara pou, originally carved in Rawhiti (East Wing) and stored for a number of years,  was completed and installed. An artist from Christchurch Women’s Prison painted two large works that sit at either side of the pou.

In the D Link corridor, the carved work Kaitiaki flanks the point of entry into Te Whare Wananga o Te Whatukura a Toi, a name given by the Rev. Maurice Manawaroa Gray. Its meaning is associated with the mauri stones contained in the basket of knowledge while “toi” is a term associated with whakairo (carving), raranga (weaving) tukutuku (lattice weaving) and kowhaiwhai (patternings).

Philosophically, the whare reinforces identity and supports creative thought and expression as a core element of wellbeing.

At the request of gang members and art makers, the content of the work was focussed away from individual tribal histories and whakapapa towards generic aspects of te ao Māori – Māori life and thinking.

Part of the original vision is to landscape the surrounding grounds so that eventually, whanau may be able to visit prisoners there.