Na Te Kuia of Te Rawhiti

MARAE TIKANGA WANANGA

By October 22, 2017 June 8th, 2019 2 Comments

Tena kotou e te whanau/nga whanau,

Have just returned from the marae where a Tikanga Wananga was organised for the weekend.  This was attended by Jacci, Maude, Maudes cousin Frances Smith, Matu Mere and Dean, Kihi, Ngahere Tawiti, Awanui, Glenys and her partner Lou, Te Nana girls Joy Ivy and Kahu, Ivys daughter and mokopuna,  Kohu Inch Atatu Keitas mokopuna, Russell and Anya and their mokopuna and myself.  Lou Te Nana stopped in for a chat as did Darell Collier.

 

This is not the actual Report on what was discussed, as Jaqui is going to send that out when she gets home or after her visit to Otamatea where her aunt has died.  I wanted to comment on how it was a change for me to just sit, absorb and contribute where necessary without having to take notes and jot down the crux of what everyone was saying/said and then having to come home and transfer all my notes into longhand for presentation to all nga whanau who were not present or who were not represented.  As I said, it was really choice for me to just sit and listen.   So I am thinking, that is another job I can quietly slip away from and confidently pass it on to others who  can take over the reins.

As well as the discussions we held, the contribution of food was awesome and there was just stacks left over and enabled us to bring home left-overs in bulk.  As we were having our last lunch break, we were visited by my niece Girlie Ahomiro from Te Puke, and her husband.   Her great grandmother and my mother were sisters –  her great grandmother having married Te Kanapu Haerehuka from Ratana Pa.   They popped into the marae to see me and had brought with them two boxes of Kiwifruit which we all shared amongst us.

Saturday night they sang/learnt waiata that the whanau have been practicing in preparation for the Peeni Wynyard Challenge.  I was so very moved by the waiata Mere wrote for my mokopuna Teina Autahi…the kupu the rangi.. and the wonderful harmonies when everyone sang it together.. I am adding a video of Mere singing the waiata and the kupu to go with it.

Maringiringi, maaturuturu ngaa wai i aku kamo (Oh how the tears fall from my eyes)
Kaikinikini ana ngaa mahara i taku manawa (Memories tug at my heart)
E hotu ana, tangi tiikapa, auee te aroha (Here I am yearning, mourning, alas the pain)
Kua riro koe e te tau, tuutahanga, tuumokemoke nei ahau (My love you have gone, naked and alone I stand)
Kimokimo mai, tiaho me he whetuu maarama (Shine brightly like a star of enlighted to ease our pain)
Rere arorangi, e Autahi, e te whetuu taarake (Soar the heavens Autahi, our sacred star)
E kore rawa te aroha e maroke i te raa, haere raa e tau (My love for you will be forever, farewell my dear love)
Autahi is the only star that sits out of the cluster of stars – milky way. He is the tohunga who does not mix with others. Whetuu taarake is used when someone has passed on and is considered to be a rangatira and of importance. Used Whetuu maarama coz of Raatana, and also the hope is that he shine brightly over the whaanau to you all with maaramatanga. The last line is how you, Russ, the whaanau and our village feel about Teina Autahi – our love will not dry like water in the heat of the sun, it will be forever. 

 

 

I conducted the whakamoemiti yesterday morning and my “Sermon” included the celebration on the 8th November every year (which will be the 99th year this year )when Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana was inspired by the Holy Spirit.   I mentioned that my father was TW Ratana’s secretary and each time TWR  returned from visiting anywhere, TWR would announce to the local Iwi where he had been what Iwi he had visited, what inspirations he had received and my Dad would record it all, go into his office and transcribe everything which was eventually printed in a monthly magazine of the Haahi called the Whetu Marama, the first one printed in 1924, but I have those same magazines from the first one printed.

We finished our whakamoemiti with the waiata “Kororia Hareruia” . So people, that’s my contribution for the day.   It was a lovely beginning to the Wananga, our discussions went off very well indeed, nice, laid-back, but rangimarie throughout. Again, I want to say a big Thank You to Uncle Matu, Mere, Dean travelling from Tamaki, the TeNana whanau, the Ririnui and Howe whanau,  Kohu from Taipa the locals who usually turn up to these functions – you know who you all are and to you all my grateful thanks and appreciation.

No reira e te whanau noho mai kotou me o kotou whanau i roto i nga manaakitanga me te arohanoa a to tatou Matua i te Rangi.

Arohanui na to kotou Kuia QSM (Cha cha!!)

Join the discussion 2 Comments

  • Matekino Matangi says:

    Tino ataahua to waiata Mere. Arohamai couldn’t make it home for this hui, I was there in spirit. Thank you Aunty Ma for the catch up on Te Karere lol. Looks like it was a awesome hui.. will see you at Christmas. xxx

Leave a Reply to Matekino Matangi Cancel Reply


*