UCOL celebrates mana whenua legend with launch of children’s book

UCOL Te Pūkenga is launching a new children’s book The Legend of Okatia through the support of Rangitāne o Manawatū and Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-a-Rua.

Inspired by the legend about how Te Āpiti Manawatū Gorge came to life, The Legend of Okatia will be officially available to the public on Tuesday.

UCOL’s senior lecturer in music, Kane Parsons, said the inspiration for the book came from a learner assessment in illustration and a kōrero with Warren Warbrick.

“Many years ago, local kaumātua Manu Kawana shared a captivating legend with some of our UCOL graphic design ākonga (students) who were then tasked with creating illustrations based on the story as part of their assessment,” Parsons said.

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“The legend had real potential as a book, so I reached out to my colleague and fellow lecturer Steve Leurink, who had worked with ākonga on the original illustrations, and we transformed the legend into a children’s book. It’s incredible how it all came together.”

To ensure the story resonated with diverse audiences, Hone Morris, associate professor from Massey University, provided te Reo Māori translations for the book.

Recognising the significance of preserving this legend, Parsons emphasised the importance of passing it down to future generations.

“To ensure this story carries through the generations, UCOL will provide the book as a free resource to every primary and intermediate school in the Manawatū district.

“Horizons Regional Council has already generously purchased 85 books to share with schools across the rohe too. We’re very grateful for their support.”

The children’s book will be launched on Tuesday, followed by the world premiere of Parsons’ orchestral performance a few days later.

The Legend of Okatia musical performance at the Regent on Broadway will feature the Manawatū Sinfonia and combined choir led by the Renaissance Singers, conducted by Andrew Atkins.

Parsons said the community were invited to celebrate the work of students and staff, and listen to the story come alive through music.

“After hearing the story myself I felt inspired, and with the support of local iwi and kaumātua, was able to transform it into an orchestral piece.

“It’s been an incredible privilege to work in collaboration with mana whenua and see this important part of our region’s history come to life.”

Tickets for the premiere orchestral performance are available at regent.co.nz/shows/the-legend-of-okatia.