Letter to Koukourārata B4 tonight

“Ko te reo te taikura o te whakaao mārama”
= The language is the heart to understanding.
Kia ora koutou katoa whanauka o Koukourārata,
Kā mihi aroha, kā mihi manaaki, kā mihi mana tapu, kā mihi tapu mana ki kā rakatira koutou katoa e ora ana ki kā rakatira koutou katoa kua mate, ki a Cora Te Aroha Wereta/Watkins/Duncan tuakana, taina, tuahine, whaea, tāua, tō māua māmā.
Haere, haere, haere atu rā.

Nō reira
Ka piti hono tātai hono
Te huka mate, ki te huka mate
Te huka ora, ki te huka ora
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora tātou katoa.
“Ka ora te reo ki te kōrerotia” = The language will grow if it is spoken. Submitted by Pita Watkins

Ngā mate
Our heartfelt aroha goes out to the whānau of Aroha Duncan who passed away unexpectedly in January and Linda Grennell who passed away in February.

Aroha Hinetaumai Duncan

Born and named Cora Te Aroha Wereta on 10 October 1937 at home in Port Levy – Koukourārata. The youngest born to Poihipi and Merimatahaere Wereta and a
loving sister to Gloria Raureka, Rua, Jim, Matapi, Tokerau, Walton and Meri.

How do you begin to write a life-long connection to uphold mana and love of a “Mum?”
How do you express the utmost respect, a connection that an individual held in so many aspects of life?

To start to explain the continued new and old relationships made within our time of mourning.
These will provide pathways into our future. It’s like mum’s destiny of distinctive pathways to sustain relationships/whānau was naturally imposed. Reflecting on her birth in her Port Levy whānau home, it gives reason as to why her effortless connections bloomed.

She was born the pēpi, tuahine, within mana whenua. Mum connected with all her whānau and friends, often being the West Coast connection for whānau holidays and breaks away.

Once connected she let the natural pathway of self-determination evolve and if that meant you walk through her door again so be it if it was you living your journey, she still wished the very best for you.

Graceful in her presence and still graceful in her passing. I cannot give my mum the writing of her life she deserves. All I can do is continue to hold her in my heart. It is to you the reader, to reflect on how our mum, tāua, gran, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend impacted on your journey, to share in your thoughts and love in your own space that fits for you.

Mum is buried in our urupā in Port Levy, with her mother, Meri Wereta, her sister, Matapi, and brother, Jim, surrounded by whānau. With the best view and sunrise in her place of birth. To forever rest at home.
Nā Gina-Lee Duncan.

Aroha Hinetaumai Duncan.