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An interview with Katalina Tahaafe-Williams, conducted at the time she took up her post as Secretary for Racial Justice in June 2001
Katalina where did you come from?
That is a hard question. Originally Tonga but brought up in New Zealand and I lived in Sydney, Australia from 1988 to 1997.
And you moved to London why?
My husband had been appointed to CWM and we decided I would leave my job in Sydney. I’ve always wanted to do postgraduate studies and this would be my chance – I’ve just finished an MA at the University of London.
This is not your first job in the multiracial field. You held roughly the same post in the Uniting Church in Australia; what did that involve? It was very wide ranging. I had to deal with issues from property sharing to youth empowerment, researching clergy from other countries, multicultural celebrations – and sit on different policy making committees to bring the voice of minority ethnic people.
Was it a happy experience?
It was never dull. It was frustrating, draining, very challenging, but it was something I felt totally alive to and thrived in it – I loved it. There were moments when you throw your hands in the air, really blessed to be in that position. There was never a moment I felt that I wanted to give up.
What was the best thing you achieved?
Explaining church structures to people on the ground – not just minorities but also the majority white grassroots. The Synod, the Assembly, the Standing Committees were a total mystery. They existed somewhere ‘out there’. I was so concerned to bring them to the ethnic groups I had to learn to explain them.
So part of the task is just to tell the people what sort of church they’re in?
I had to do a lot of work on that because when we received new minority ethnic congregations most of them would be in situations where there would be multicultural congregations and entirely white congregations. You had to find some way of bringing them together into the church. There was a whole process of meeting with them and bringing them all together and constantly having to explain what the synod and presbytery are, what people’s responsibilities are, how they can get access to services and who to talk to in the Church.
So you were bringing in minority ethnic congregations?
Yes, one of my main responsibilities was to find ethnic minority congregations who were using the Uniting Church properties and offer them hospitality and indicate they would be most welcome. In this part of the work I didn’t have the support of everybody in the Church especially the white Anglo-Saxon part. Some people were still a bit hesitant about welcoming these groups but that didn’t stop me as I felt that they were crucial to the enrichment of the life of the community that they belonged to and that we should anyway welcome people.
How do you see your work with the URC?
Well I know that a key issue is to promote and bring awareness and education to racial justice issues and multiple traditions to the church at large. My sense is that with the Uniting Church there was more awareness and more willingness to be open and reassess one’s position with regards to racism and racial justice. I think that I have to do a lot of work just to open hearts and open doors to what might be.
Why do you think that is?
I think because England, although it is a multi cultural society, has large enclaves of white Anglo-Saxon types who have had very little exposure to things other than what they know. I think that contributes to the sense that I get of people being very used to how things are done and not having being exposed to anything else.
Would you see the URC offering a home to many more single ethnic congregations?
In recent years we have in fact welcomed in one or two such congregations? I hope so, I very much hope so. I’m sure that there are many other groups there, which we’ll find by looking at who’s using the buildings. I look forward to that but I also know that I have to do this carefully, without alienating and stepping on toes too much – though I expect I’ll have to do that anyway!
But I’m very optimistic because I know that this is right and I have absolute faith in this ministry. I hope I can make difference to the URC, just helping the whole church to ‘own’ the ministry of racial justice as a ministry for the whole church. The ownership is so important because it opens doors to the possibilities that God has for us as the people of God. It’s about coexisting and living together and accepting each other. There’s so much richness that we’re not allowing ourselves to experience – it’s just a question of opening our hearts a little bit to God.
So opening yourself up to others is opening yourself up to God?
Exactly. For when we love God with all our hearts and minds undoubtedly we love our neighbour and every other lovable thing. And I can’t see you being unlovable and I can’t see me being unlovable. I’m driven by that and whatever little difference I can make in this position I thank God. I refuse to give up and to think that no difference can be made because how can you believe that – God makes a difference.
Katalina
Tahaafe-Williams was
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