Ā mātou kōrero

‘Autumn is the season of change’ – Taoist proverb The gorgeous golds and sunny burnt orange of our autumn landscapes frequently leave me awestruck.   It is as if a flame of fire has painted our trees; a beacon of light…

One of my favourite poems is one by Robert Frost, where the poem ends Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference E rere te kotareKi…

Dame Tariana Turia; Professor Sir Mason Durie and Len Cook at Te Ritorito 2017   In Crossing the Floor, Dame Tariana referred to a time in her life when she was asked was her commitment to the cause strong enough…

‘When you invite someone to sit at your table and you want to cook for them, you’re inviting a person into your life’ (Maya Angelou).   I like food.   Not rice-cakes, marmite or protein supplements.  But just about everything else….

  This week, we took our story to the pulsating heart of Te Arawa, ngā pūmanawa e waru o Te Arawa.   The story of hope that every child deserves the best stanrt – no matter if their parent lives on…

Waikoropūpū, Waikoropūpū Pūpū ake te whenua, Pūpū ake ko ngā waiora, Waikoropūpū Ngā puna wai o Takaka, Ngā puna roimata wairua Waikoropūpū, Waikoropūpū   This week the tears of the tupuna freely flowed.   We felt their presence as we…

In my mid-twenties I spent some time as a barmaid in London, travelling by underground between the pub that I worked at and the pub where I had lodgings.     One of the peculiarly British symbols was a visual and audio…

  Dawnbreak and New Days I have to admit to being a bit fanatical about taking photos of the sun as it rises out my window pane whenever I have the joy of an early morning flight.  I am fascinated…

Cover photo: Aaron Hapuku as part of the mana whenua leading the manuhiri into Kahungunu land What a week of contrasts.   Tears of grief intermeshed with those of pride.   The pain and poignancy of remembering those who have left our…

The sound and sight of a long line of choppers flying from the flames was enough to reduce my seven year old son to tears.   “Is this the end of the world?” he asked.  And indeed, as we watched the…