Ngā mate
It’s with sadness that we learned Roy Te Kieraunui Donald (Bubba Roy) Tawha passed away on Wednesday 1 May at Southland Hospital.
Kua hinga mai nei he tōtara i te wao nui a Tāne, ka huri tō tātou nei aroha ki te matua a Roy Tawha e noho mai ana i tōna moe wairua.
A great tōtara tree has fallen in the vast forest of Tāne Mahuta. Let us turn our attentions in aroha to Matua Roy Tawha as he now rests in his spiritual sleep.
Moe mai rā e te matua, ka haere ki ōu tūpuna e tatari mai ana i te marae wairua, ka haere i runga i ngā aroha o mātou ngā waihotanga. Kāore tātou e warewaretia ngā taonga i mahue, nā reira, moe mai, moe mai e moe mai rā i tōu moe wairua.
Rest matua, go to your spiritual resting place, to the spiritual marae of your ancestors, go with the aroha of those that you leave behind. We will not forget the gifts you have left behind. Rest well, rest calm, rest in peace – rest in your spiritual sleep.
Roy’s tangi was held on Ngā Hau e Whā Marae on 3 May, followed by interment at the Eastern Cemetery.
He aha te tohu o te ringaringa, he kawakawa, tukua ki raro kia hope rā, he korokio ko te whakatau o te mate, ue-a, ue-a. Kāti. Tatau pounamu.
To anyone who has lost a loved one, – our sincere condolences.
Imagine, if you can, a place
Where mountains meet the sky,
Where fragrant flowers fill the air
And winding streams flow by
Imagine, if you can, a world where joy replaces grief,
For thinking of this wondrous place
Will bring your heart relief.
Congratulations
Congratulations to all those who graduated from university recently. It is a privilege and honor for whānau to watch you do the walk of honor and to witness our future leaders. We are confident you will continue to succeed in life and wish you the very best for the future.
On 5 December last year the third year students from the Bilingual Teaching Unit at Southland Campus (Te Pōkai Mātauranga o Te Ao Rua) were capped at Te Rau Aroha Marae. This was the largest group to ever graduate at the marae and it was also the last group to ever be capped at the marae. All graduates from 2013 will now graduate at the Dunedin campus.
We hope this pānui finds you all in good health, enjoying the long winter nights, with a full tummy, a roaring fire and in the company of loved ones.
Kāi Tahu graduate Stacey Anderson and her whānau (descendants of Wharetutu and the Te Au Whānau); From left, Greg Walker, Alice Anderson, Dale Walker (née McRae), Janine Walker, Stacey Anderson, Donna Heal, Ryan Heal.
Congratulations to all graduates.
Welcome home
To all our birders, I hope you are all rested and are ready for the work ahead. This month once again promises to be a very busy one.