Walking for water and suicide awareness

WATER IS LIFE: Whatatutu man Marcus Lloyd is on a nationwide hikoi promoting water protection and strong hearts. After walking around the East Cape he will travel across to Auckland, and even down to the South Island, visiting sites where there are water issues and supporting groups standing up for water. Picture by Liam Clayton

A WHATATUTU man is on a nationwide hikoi to promote the protection of water and greater suicide awareness.

Marcus Lloyd (Nga Ariki Kaiputahi, Ngati Porou) left his home on Monday this week with a pack on his back containing little more than a tent, sleeping bag and warm clothes.

He plans to travel around the East Cape, across to Auckland and even to the South Island, camping along the way and staying with people he connects with.

During the hikoi, which may take a few months, he plans to take in the surroundings and issues facing each place.

“It is about protecting water and strong hearts,” said Mr Lloyd, who runs Gisborne IT company First Tribe.

“Water purity before water profits. The strong heart part is about a lot of the suicides that we have had. We need to strengthen our hearts physically, emotionally and spiritually.”

Mr Lloyd has drawn inspiration from his experience at the Standing Rock reservation in North America last year, which he visited with his family to support the Lakota tribe’s protest against plans to build an oil pipeline near their land.

Crossing all of the awa (rivers) on his walk, he is noticing effects on water quality.

“Between Whatatutu and Turihaua there was only one awa I felt I could drink water from — in Waihirere Domain.

There is no way I would touch any of the others because I know what is running into them from farming.”

Having recently finished a big work contract, Mr Lloyd found himself with a bit of downtime so decided to take a few months off to travel.

The walking element gave a different experience to driving, he said.

“Native Americans say when you walk, you massage Mother Earth. It is more spiritual. You take your time, think, feel, look and observe your surroundings. I must have driven the East Coast road hundreds of times but walking is a different experience.”

He first travelled through Turanga and is now making his way up the Coast.

After travelling around the East Cape he will head to the Coromandel to show support for a group opposing plans to mine for gold on conservation land in the Karangahake Gorge.

Other destinations include the site of degraded water quality in Kawerau, Ihumatao in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland), where a housing development threatens a culturally significant site, and the Waitaha River in Te Wai Pounamu (South Island), where a hydro power scheme is planned.

Walking along the side of the road Mr Lloyd will not be difficult to spot, draped in his Tino Rangatiratanga flag, “carrying Water Is Life” sign, and with a white quartz from Mangatu River hanging around his chest in a harakeke carry case specially made by Gisborne water protector Airini Forbes.

The white quartz is in remembrance of one of his tipuna and he will take it to the different sacred sites he visits.

“One of my tipuna was given a white stone by Te Kooti to bring back to Mangatu.

“My ancestor had to take a journey with that white quartz, for the land, and so this is symbolic — te kohatu o rangimarie, the stone of peace.”