He mihi matakuikui matakoakoa ki a koutou katoa i tēnei wāhanga o te tau, ki nga whānau uenuku, aniwaniwa, kopere, takatapui nau mai whakapiri mai.

Tēnei te mihi ki ngā pae maunga, ngā awa, ngā iwi me ngā hapā o te Tairāwhiti. Mai te rangi ki te whenua, he mihi maioha tēnei ki a koutou katoa.

The Tairāwhiti Rainbow Collective (TRC) was established in 2019. It brings together Qmunity Youth Gisborne, Aniwaniwa Tairāwhiti and Tairāwhiti Rainbow Action. Its members are LGBTQIA+ communities and allies.

We have focussed our efforts over the past three years on advocating for a region that is safe, inclusive and supportive of our LGBTQIA+ communities.

This inaugural exhibition is a partnership between the Tairāwhiti Rainbow Collective and Tairāwhiti Museum to coincide with New Zealand’s Pride month, February 2022.

In it you will hear and see the stories and experiences of some of our LGBTQIA+ community members who have lived and grown up in Tairāwhiti.

We invite you all to join us at this exhibition; to share some of our stories, and to contribute with your own.