Lionel Hotene
In New Zealand, I met a Maori community leader named Lionel. Like most Maori men that I met during my trip, he had an intimidating glare. Oppositely, much like many Maori men I met there, he also possessed an aura of peace and joy.
His laughter was pure and would boom across the room. His hands were always open, ready to offer help or bestow a warm embrace.
So when he told me about his childhood being one surrounded by anger and violence, it gave me pause, but I wasn’t surprised by the historical factors that consumed his father and grandfather with rage. The Maori, the original indigenous people of Aotearoa, have a huge presence in the country, yet, they were viewed as second-class or worse. After a while, oppression turned into hopelessness, depression, and rage.
Lionel saw how self-destructive that path was, both personally and as a community. He wanted something different. He believed that becoming self-sustainable with food is what truly gives a community back its power and confidence. And so Lionel began planting crops. A garden at first, but over time, it grew into a bustling farm where volunteers joined to grow and harvest for the sake of their community. He grows all types of crops, many of which are traditional, like the kumara, a sweet potato.
How many of us can say that we were able to break the toxic bonds of our past to nurture a new and healthy life for both ourselves and those around us? It requires bravery, and this man is a wonderful example of that.
This is a direct print of my friend Lionel, portrayed with various types of kumara leaves to depict his Maori origins, and the sprawling roots not only remind me of iconic Maori tattoos, but to signify his decision to grow new roots for all those around him.