E te whānau whānui, tēnā koutou. Tuatahi ki Te Runga Rawa. Tuarua ki a koutou te hau kāinga o Tuahuru, a tāua mā a pōua mā ngā ringa wera, ringa raupā, he mihi nui rawa atu ki a koutou katoa mō te manaaki, te tiaki i a mātou kua tae mai i ngā tōpito o te motu, mō tā tātou wānanga waiata, haka e pā ana ki tō tātou tipuna a Tahu Pōtiki, mō tā tātou hīkoi ki te Matatini ki Ōtautahi. I wish to acknowledge the whānau, hapū, iwi of Tuahuru Marae for an awesome wānanga prior to our hīkoi to Matatini to tautoko Ngāi Tahu, Māmoe and Waitaha in welcoming nga Iwi Māori o Aotearoa ki Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Ōtautahi, ki Te Matatini. Tuatoru, ki a koutou, Liz, Puamiria, Terry, Arapata, Rowan, Tame mā in sharing your knowledge, wisdom with our rōpū Ngāi Tahu ki te Matau a Māui and our other taurahere rōpū in attendance. Nā Koro Te Whaiti.
Tuahuru Marae, Māhia 2015
In 2013 we held our first series of wānanga at Te Ara a Tāwhaki Marae, EIT Napier. Our guests from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu were Maani Stirling, Teone Sciascia and Arapata Reuben. Maani and Teone taught us two waiata and Arapata gave us an indepth overview of the Blue Book and general knowledge of how the whakapapa unit works.
Now, two years later in January 2015 and with a few more wānanga in between, we held our final waiata wānanga before we leave for Te Matatini. He ngākau aroha. This time Puamiria Parata-Goodall, Arapata Reuben and our honourable Uncle Terry Ryan cam along.
Uncle Terry led our whaikōrero. With a roll of the eyes and quick deep breath, he stood and spoke. Even though we couldn’t hear him well, the smiles, laughter and delight of the tangata whenua said it all. Koro Te Whaiti finished our mihi with his usual jolly humour. We were also blessed with whānau from other taurahere rōpū – Gael and her daughter from Ōtaki, Vernice from Gisborne, and Brendon and Bernedette from Hamilton. Beautiful to be able to meet and greet more whānau this side of the strait.
We had a lot of fun but we also enjoyed learning a new haka pōwhiri and waiata with Puamiria, listening to kōrero from Arapata and Uncle Terry talking to the whānau. Whaea Liz also lead the troops off for a swim. None of this would have been possible without the awhi and aroha of the iwi of Rongomaiwahine.
Their hospitality did not stop once as they cooked and nurtured us during our time among them. They fed us with all their delicacies – kaimoana, meats and fresh veges. All the baking was homemade and would have outdone any shop or bakery by far. The love was tasted throughout all meals.
They went even further at our hākari and Te Rōpū Kapa Haka o Te Māhia performed for us. A few couldn’t make it but they still lifted the roof off the wharekai and performed the poi to ‘”Ko koe ko Rongomaiwahine’ with so much flare and grace that their tīpuna would have been proud of us. Our deepest and sincere love to all the whānau of Māhia for opening their hearts and arms to us.
So much could be told of our final waiata wānanga but I want to end on this.It was the bond of kinsmenship that was the highlight for many of us. The true feeling of being an iwi and the instant togetherness of the common bond we all share. Being Ngāi Tahu, being together and being grateful. He ngākau aroha … Kei te titiro whakamua mātou ki te haere mai i te papakāinga. With love always whānau. Nā Jules Ryland.
