Ā mātou kōrero

  At the end of the first 24 hours of our Manaaki survey having been out, we had received 294 responses representing over 1000 whānau members. One comment struck me with a simple respect that in many ways is remarkable…

  In less than a month, we have gone from the first case of coronavirus in New Zealand on 26th February, to now 39, and growing every day. In that same period we commemorated the massacre against human life that…

  Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu is postponing its annual symposium which was to have taken place in Ōtepoti (Dunedin) at the end of this month (25 – 27 March 2020). Around 350 people were due to attend the symposium…

  Our eleven year old son sneezed this week.   Hardly breaking news. But with the context of coronavirus now permeating every conversation it wasn’t long before he was asking how would we know if he had caught the virus…

  This week the sun set on two beautiful men, the pillars of their whānau, the heart and soul of their community.   Our love and condolences are extended to the whānau pani of Pāpā Arama Hula Cooper and Matua…

  Iti rearea teitei kahikatea ka taea   The bellbird (rearea) is one of the smallest birds in the forest, yet it is capable of reaching the top of the kahikatea. I love the motivation that whakatauki provide.   Iti rearea reminds us that no matter…

  The road to Kaikoura is always an exercise in excitement.   You can be driving along, oblivious to the landscape, until suddenly, Tangaroa presents himself – the wide expanse of the seashore horizon encouraging us to lift our thoughts…

   Wānanga – Learning, Connectivity and participation Wānanga @ Rapaki 2020 Once upon a century ago when I was sweet sixteen, I had a beautiful romance with a surfer. At that time of my life, all the issues of the…

  “I am a hat. I am worn out here and there. I have a fewm holes, and even a few weeds sticking out. But I am still very much a hat. A very happy hat” A Happy Hat (Cecil…

  On Monday, under the blazing heat of a Wairau sun the people gathered to celebrate the unique crystallisation of solutions emerging out of Tū Pono: Te Mana Kaha o te Whānau. Tū Pono began from the inspiration and instigation…