Cyclone Gabrielle: Dave Letele’s diary of the devastation and sense of hopelessness in rural communities

I wanted to see for myself what was happening in the communities around Aotearoa we are working with and supporting through the BBM charity. I also wanted to figure out what we could do more of and, more importantly, what we can learn from the devastation that Cyclone Gabrielle has bestowed upon many parts of our country.

Our team had seen first-hand the chaos Cyclone Gabrielle caused across Tāmaki Makaurau, which forced many whānau on to the streets with just the shirts on their backs. Working with like-minded south Auckland organisations The Fono, I Am Mangere, Two Seven Five and the Ark Collective (to name a few), we have delivered around 20,000 food parcels. Each food parcel represents a family. So, if you average that out, taking into account the average family size, it would be close to or over 100,000 whānau helped since the floods.

Arriving in Gisborne Tuesday, our team was picked up by Kristy Buckley, who we have been working with on the ground in the region, and she took us through the areas smashed by Gabrielle.

A community effort to clean up Takipū Marae in Te Karaka.

There’s been a tonne of clean-up, but unless you see for yourself the annihilation this weather event has caused, you might not believe it. Remember, this is three weeks after the fact.

We stood by bridges water had gushed over. It was hard to imagine the water rising that high, causing that much damage.

We were taken off the beaten track to houses that will never again be lived in. That was tough for us to see, and I guess 1000 times tougher for whānau whose homes they were.

The highlight was a visit to the Te Karaka school. We spoke with the kids, who were just so thankful for the support we had already given.

Dave Letele's team unloading supplies for whānau at Gisborne Airport.

The school, during the National State of Emergency, became a focal point, as two of the marae where locals would have gone flooded. It was heart-wrenching visiting those marae.

There are 17 families in Te Karaka that have lost everything. Their houses, their belongings - everything. It’s tough on the kids, who are now living outside the area but still want to go to school. It’s added some 40 minutes of travel time. I am in awe of their determination and courage.

We made a donation of $20,000 to the school, to use as they see fit. They are the ones on the ground and know the needs of their community. That was a humbling experience for me.

I also met a local, Pat, whose house is gone. He is now living at the Te Karaka police station. I think he was the only local able to be rehoused in town. We hugged for a couple of minutes. It was very emotional.

Meeting someone you don’t know for the first time, and soaking up the aroha they have for you because of the help you have given - it was an amazing moment for all of us. Pat, who was in gumboots and covered in silt, thanked us for the work we’d done and support we had sent to them.

Our team had witnessed the devastation in bucket-loads first-hand in Auckland, but being in Te Karaka, I sensed their feeling of destitution.

It’s hard to compare the emotions our Auckland whānau affected by Cyclone Gabrielle were feeling to that of our Gisborne whānau, but in Auckland there is a lot more support, whereas in rural places, they don’t have the organisations to reach out to.

Te Karaka Area School’s principal says locals feel the official Government support stops at a point in Ormond.

It’s tough because areas like Te Karaka are so far spread out, and now feel left out.

My takeaway from heading to Gisborne is that we need to do better in terms of support. How can the official support work better with local organisations like marae and community groups to ensure the affected whānau are supported?

We keep saying, ‘How can we learn from this?’ The learnings are to support the community groups who are doing the mahi, and not leave families out or let them down.