Hone Fletcher and Lawrence Ereatara took different paths to Hawke's Bay Regional Prison, but today they walk the same one, united by a shared belief in the power of toi Māori, tikanga and culture to transform lives.

Their collaborative leadership was recognised at Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards 2021, where they received the Arts Access Accolade.

The Accolade honours people who have made an outstanding contribution to Arts Access Aotearoa's vision of a society where everyone in Aotearoa can access and participate in the arts. Unlike the other awards, recipients are selected by Arts Access Aotearoa's staff and board.

Hone (Ngāti Rehia of Ngāpuhi and Te Paatu of Ngāti Kahu) came to Corrections after careers in education, counselling, addiction and mental health. He has also spent more than 40 years as a professional musician.

Lawrence (Ngāi Tūhoe and Ngāti Kahungunu) followed a more traditional Corrections pathway, working in a variety of roles during almost two decades with the Department.

Although their backgrounds are different, both men are deeply grounded in te ao Māori. Since 2019 they have worked together to implement the Māori Pathways programme at Hawke's Bay Regional Prison, supporting tāne to reconnect with their culture, whakapapa, whānau and identity through kaupapa Māori approaches.

Leading through partnership

Hone serves as Principal Advisor Cultural Practice Kaupapa Māori Pathways, while Lawrence is Principal Advisor Custodial Practice Kaupapa Māori Pathways. Together they have helped shape a programme that places arts, culture and tikanga at the heart of rehabilitation.

Their relationship with Arts Access Aotearoa has extended well beyond the prison. Over many years they have supported the Arts in Corrections Network and worked alongside tāne to carve trophies presented at Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards, generously sharing their knowledge, skills and commitment to toi Māori.

In recognising Hone and Lawrence, Arts Access Aotearoa said:

"Arts Access Aotearoa applauds the outstanding contributions of Lawrence Ereatara and Hone Fletcher, who go above and beyond at Hawke's Bay Regional Prison and in their work with us to promote toi Māori and tikanga as powerful rehabilitative tools. Their generosity is reflected in the way they work with carvers at the prison to create beautiful trophies for award recipients and in the way they share their knowledge and skills with the Arts in Corrections Network."

Reconnecting through toi Māori

For Hone and Lawrence, the greatest reward is seeing the confidence that grows when tāne reconnect with their culture.

"They're more confident, more motivated to understand and address the issues that have got them there," says Hone.

Arts are central to that journey.

"A major part of what the programme is asking for is about reconnection to culture, to whānau, to te reo – and what better way to do that than to start with the arts?"

Lawrence recalls introducing traditional Māori weaving to men who initially dismissed it as "women's work".

"But when they understood the whakapapa and the purpose behind it, they realised how much it grounded them, and they became some of our best weavers."

Both men continue to stay connected with many former participants after they leave prison, seeing first-hand the impact that reconnecting with culture can have beyond the prison gates.

"The most important thing we can do is to do things with aroha and enhance the men's mana," Hone says.