EDITORIAL
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MAUI
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TE WIKI O TE REO MĀORI
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QUEER, INDIGENOUS AND POWERFUL
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RONGOMĀTANE
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TANGAROA
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IT'S OUR WHENUA MILKY BUT STILL MĀORI
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VUWSA: A SEAT AT THE TABLE
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HINEPŪTEHUE
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ALLY OR ENEMY
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SENSING HINE
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HINEPŪKOHURANGI
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A REMINDER TO MYSELF
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NĀ KO TE PŌ, HE RĀ KI TUA
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HE PAKEHĀ AHAU HE MĀORI AHAU
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NGĀI TAUIRA
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NEWS
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NGĀ RANGAHAUTIRA
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TOITŪ TE WHENUA, TOITŪ TE TANGATA
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TE HŌ HAIETI
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THE LIVING PĀ COMPLEX
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NGĀ TAURA UMANGA
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MĀRAMATAKA
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Editor Te Aorewa Areta Designer Rachel Salazar Illustrators Tahu-Potiki Te Maro-Doran Rachel Salazar Leah Rust Sub Editor Janne Song Cultural Editor Mason Lawlor Social Media Callum Turnbull Te Aorewa Areta
Advertising Josephine Dawson advertising@vuwsa.org.nz Feature Writers Rachel Trow Rhianna Morar Rosina Buchanan Te Aorewa Areta FM Station Managers Jazz Kane Navneeth Nair TV Producers Monique Thorp Joseph Coughlan Centrefold Kahu Kutia @kahukutia
Follow Us fb.com/salientmagazine instagram.com/salientgram fb.com/ngāi tauira-vuw māori students association instagram.com/ngaitauira_vuw News Section Mason Lawlor, Poipoia te taonga Poa, Te Aorewa Areta Contributors Rachel Trow, Mason Lawlor, Rhianna Morar, Tamatha Paul, Fin Johnson, Leah Rust, Noho Parata Te Mahara Swanson Hall, Rosina Buchanan, Rangipurei Manley, Poipoia Te Taonga, Te Aorewa Areta, Ngāi Tauira, Ngā Taura Umanga, Te Hōhaieti, Ngā Rangahautira
IF THEY COULD SPEAK, IF WE WOULD LISTEN
There are two friends: One is mute and the other has lost the ability to hear, but they have found a language of their own. It’s a sort of rhythm that has gradually become the clearest dialogue you could ever come across. It’s like two people sleeping close; the heaving of their chests, the patter of their hearts, the breeze from their breath, the smell of life. Mauri exists within us—it’s the greatest language we could ever use, it’s the most soothing vibration you could ever hear.
Why resist kōtahitanga and empathy towards culture and diversity? Perhaps we can heal our broken history together. There is a love story to being responsive to our surroundings— every relationship takes understanding, patience, and interaction. But more importantly: No matter how much things change, we stay close. Papatūānuku, Ranginui, and all of their offspring are depending on us all as their kaitiaki—now more than ever.
There is a rhythm to the environment, to our Ao that often becomes muffled by the noise of time sped up and used so quickly. Let’s just pause and take a deep breath—listen.
The climate is changing, our landscapes are changing, our lakes and streams are changing—but the reciprocal connection we have with our earth needs to remain strong. The subconscious promise we make—to gift something wholesome to our children, and their children—needs to be our holistic purpose.
The illusions of life never hide, but we can forget to be mindful of them. It’s like thinking that we need to fear the dark at night—when it could very much be that the daytime conceals many more terrible and harmful things that we have simply gotten used to seeing.
We’re standing in the same field, smelling the same air, squinting our eyes from the same rays of sun—listening to the rhythm of the world, watching its mauri inhale and sigh. We can walk alongside each other, I’ll show you my world and you can show me yours.
Why become so obsessed with preventing death when living is slowly gnawing at you, anyway?
If you say Kia Ora to me, I’ll say Kia Ora back, with a smile.
It’s that irresistible music, the song that’s on repeat—why? Because it speaks to you, and you are listening.
Te Aorewa
TE WIKI O TE REO MĀORI MONDAY 9/8
TUESDAY 10/8
WEDNESDAY 11/8
THURSDAY 12/8
FRIDAY 13/8
10am-11am 1 Year Anniversary of the Rautaki Māori
9am-3pm Mahi Rāranga Presented by Laura Kāmau
12pm-1pm Free Student Lunches Sponsored by DVC Māori Office
11am-12pm Manawa Ū ki te Reo Māori, Presented by Dr Awanui Te Huia
10am-12pm Nutrition & Stress Management Workshop Presented by Laurent Pang
Venue: Te Taratara a Kae
Venue: Te Herenga Waka Marae Venue: KP48, Ahumairangi
Venue: Dance Studio, The Rec
5pm-Late Te Tauwhainga Whiringa Toa Presented by Te Whare Tākaro Trust
1.30pm-3.30pm Learn with League: Health and Wellbeing Workshop Presented by Ivan Davies of Riot Games
12pm-2pm Students vs. Staff Tautohetohe Presented by Ngai Tauira
Venue: TTR205
Venue: Main Gym, The Rec
Venue: Marae
4.30pm-6.30pm Te Karapinepine a Miru Presented by Te Whare Tākaro Trust
1pm-2pm He Ngohe Reo Māori, Presented by Te Kawa a Māui
Venue: MCLT103
Venue: KP48, Ahumairangi
6pm-7.30pm Exploring Mātauranga Māori and Sustainability Panel Presented by DVC Māori Office
3pm-4pm Intro to Te Reo Māori with a focus on Sustainability Presented by Vini OlsenReeder
Venue: Te Taratara a Kae
11am-12pm Te Ao Mārama Release Presented by Ngāi Tauira Venue: The Hub
12pm-1pm Student Introductory Kawenata Signing Venue: The Hub
12pm-2pm Te Wiki o te Reo Māori March to Parliament Venue: Civic Square, Wellington City Centre
5pm-7pm Quiz Night Presented by Ngai Tauira Venue: Te Herenga Waka
12pm-1pm Free Student Lunches Sponsored by Te Kawa a Māui Te
Herenga
Waka Venue: Marae
Te
Herenga
Waka
2pm-4pm Hākinakina Māori Presented by Āwhina Venue: Kelburn Park
Venue: Te Herenga Waka Marae Venue: HMLT103 7pm-Late Te Tauwhainga Whiringa Toa: Finals Presented by Te Whare Tākaro Trust Venue: TTR205
HĀKINAKINA MĀORI We are going to be Playing Ki-o-Rahi and Whare Toa down at Kelburn Park. Ki-o-Rahi is a well-known and well played sport throughout Aotearoa. Whare Toa is a game that originated from Te Whare Tū Taua o Ngāti Kahungunu and is a modified version of capture the flag.
TE KARAPINEPINE A MIRU This event is a collaboration between Āwhina and Tōku Reo Trust who have come together to form Te Whare Tākaro Trust which is designed to combine Te Reo Māori Revitalisation and the E-Sport to promote career pathways within the Gaming industry. The night will be filled with presentations from members of both teams as well as industry representatives who will highlight some of these pathways whether it be in game design and development or even hardware development and sales.
STUDENT VS. STAFF TAUTOHETOHE The Uni favourite is back for another year where student go up against staff members in a no holds barred debate about topics that will be revealed on the day.
LEARN WITH LEAGUE: HEALTH AND WELL-BEING WORKSHOP Ivan Davies represents Riot Games, the creators of League of Legends, and facilitates this workshop. He looks at the e-sport industry and how these athletes maintain a healthy mental and physical lifestyle.
MANAWA Ū KI TE REO Dr. Awanui Te Huia presents her research about the barriers and motivations for those who have begun, are still on, or have completed their journey of learning Te Reo Māori.
NUTRITION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP Laurent Pang, Personal Trainer and owner of Oni Gym, has agreed to run some workshops around nutrition and stress management. As students get nearer to the due dates of those big final assignments, stress and poor nutrition can be very detrimental to studying and even performance. Knowing how to de-escalate stress levels and maintain a healthy diet will be very helpful.
TE TAUWHAINGA WHIRINGA TOA This is a League of Legends Tournament where we have invited teams from both the University and the wider Wellington region to come and battle it out to see who the best team in Wellington is.
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Te A o
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09 - 13
PĹ?whiri Introducing Te Ao MÄ rama, Wiki o Te Reo MÄ ori
RÄ hina – Monday 09
11am - 12pm, The Hub
Mend it don’t spend it! Mending & upcycling workshop w/ Opsoc 2pm - 6pm, The Bubble (SUB)
ToitĹŤ te Ao Sustainable Market 11am - 3pm, The Atrium Te Aro
The Future of Sustainable Buildings?
RÄ tĹŤ – Tuesday 10
Panel discussion on the future of sustainable building and our part in it. 5.30pm - 6.30pm - The Atrium Te Aro
What does Kaitiakitanga mean to you? Interactive art exhibition by Gen Zero 5pm - 8pm, The Hub
Sustainability Pub Quiz w/ Roots and Shoots Sign up on their facebook page 5.30pm - 7.30pm, The Hunter Lounge
RÄ apa – Wednesday 11
ToitĹŤ Te Ao Expo 10am-3pm, The Hub
Waste Station Management & Waste Audit w/ Plastic Diet and Victoria Development Society 9am - 5pm, The Hub
RÄ pare – Thursday 12 RÄ mere – Friday 13
Wellington Climate Change Emergency: What’s next? Panel Discussion, hosted by Gen Zero 5.30pm - 7pm, HULT220
Plastic Diet Bottle Drive 11am-2pm, The Hub
From The Ground Up
The god of peace and cultivated plants. Rongo will guide us all in being more productive with both our actions and our thoughts. Get your hands dirty and dig your toes into the mud. May we source in this section a sense of assertiveness and perspective, beginning right at the roots–from the ground up.
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IT’S OUR WHENUA (AND WE’LL TANGI IF WE WANT TO)
I don’t want to be one of those “I liked Lizzo before she was famous” people, but I’ve been dealing with climate change since before Pākehā started caring. Because of this, I am no stranger to environmental grief. And if you’re Māori, you and your whenua can probably relate. Before we get into this, a controversial proposal: We have to acknowledge that the climate crisis and the ongoing processes of colonisation are inextricably linked. You cannot tautoko environmental justice if that does not include justice for tangata whenua. For most Māori, the grief we feel because of the climate crisis does not just come from the present, and it is not just our own. It wasn’t until I started coming across the term ‘intergenerational mamae’ that this really started to make sense. In short, ‘intergenerational mamae’ refers to the pain, grief, and loss that has been woven into our whakapapa since the beginning of colonisation. This pain was passed on to us against the will of our tīpuna and, despite their best efforts, remains with us. Growing up with first-hand experience of the climate crisis unlocked the mamae that my tīpuna felt for their whenua 200 years ago, and I imagine a lot of tangata whenua can relate.
This is why so many of us answered the karanga to Ihumātao and will continue to until this mamae is unravelled from all of our whakapapa. We don’t need to be mana whenua of that wāhi tapu to understand the pain they are pushing through and the kaupapa they are fighting for. Our experiences are not homogenous, but our grief is collective and we can only be disentangled from it if we stand in kōtahitanga. I’m not one for quantifying or comparing anyone’s experiences, grief, or trauma. However, it is crucial that while I write and while you read this, we send our aroha and whakaaro to the kaitiaki of Ihumātao, of Mauna Kea, and to any indigenous person putting their life on the line to protect their whenua, their wāhi tapu, their tino rangatiratanga. Their grief likely runs deeper than ours right now and they need our tautoko. Ko Kāti Māmoe te hapū—a small but mighty hapū hailing from Southland, Rakiura, and the surrounding Tītī Islands (Muttonbird Islands). For generations, we have travelled to the Islands to harvest tītī. My second year to the Islands, I saw a baby tītī—a fraction of the size it should’ve been—crawl out of its
Rachel Trow | Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa | She/Her | Fourth Year
“FOR MOST MĀORI, THE GRIEF WE FEEL BECAUSE OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS DOES NOT JUST COME FROM THE PRESENT, AND IT IS NOT JUST OUR OWN.”
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subterranean home, collapse, and die. My dad told me the ocean was too warm this year so its mother had to fly farther south to catch squid. In her absence, the chick starved to death. This was ten years ago. These seasons of warming oceans and starving chicks are becoming increasingly common. Through my studies, I have come to learn the scientific ins and outs of this process, but I have never needed science to convince me that our environment is being altered.
grief of colonisation wasn’t enough, we now have to watch the climate crisis harm the mauri of the whenua and the waters we have called home. The Crown may have physically removed us from the whenua, but whakapapa transcends time and space. You don’t have to be submerged in your awa to feel her pain. You don’t have to have your feet in the soil to know the whenua needs us as we need it. You don’t have to climb your maunga to know that the view from the top is changing.
Māori have been living with the impacts of the climate crisis for much longer than Pākehā have cared about it. There, I said it. I suppose it’s human nature to care more about the things that affect us directly. Pākehā apathy towards ongoing colonisation is evidence of this. But that’s the thing: colonisation and the climate crisis affect all of us directly–whether you benefit directly, or suffer directly. Extreme weather events and rising sea levels will not pick sides as we march towards a climate catastrophe.
Environmental grief has weighed heavy on me since I watched that tītī drag itself out from the whenua in a last-ditch attempt to find food, although I didn’t really understand the sadness then. Today, environmental grief burns like acid in the back of my throat—a physical, spiritual, and emotional ache that I haven’t entirely figured out how to soothe. It burns for Ihumātao. It burns for Mauna Kea. And when it burns for all the global injustices against indigenous people, it can feel like drowning.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s better late than never to have Pākeha at the table, but you can’t blame Māori for rolling their eyes when a ‘YT’ girl gets a ribcage tattoo of Papatūānuku. She is not a fashion statement. She is not an emblem for your political narrative. She is not a cheque you can cash for Instagram clout. She is not a free pass of allyship. Your allyship means nothing if you do not show up. So show up for tangata whenua. Show up for Papatūānuku. If you are Pākehā and you read past the first sentence, then I am pleasantly surprised. If you are Pākehā and you’ve read this far, then hold your friends and whānau who wouldn’t to account.
I can’t offer the cure for environmental grief. However, what I know for sure is that it lies in te ao Māori. Indigenous resilience around the world is all the proof we need that the relief for our pain will come from us. Ka whawhai tonu mātou. Indigenous lives and experiences are not homogenous, but we share a universal struggle and power. Despite the Crown’s best attempts, we are still here. The salve for our pain will come from (re)claiming our narratives, untangling the mamae from our whakapapa, and the slow and confusing processes of decolonising our lives. Our strength comes from our whakapapa, our tikanga, and our reo. Learn it, absorb it, practice it wherever you can, even if it bothers people—especially if it bothers people. Talk to each other about it. Rest when you need to; the journey will be long and hard. I stand here, in the infancy of unearthing my Māori identity, learning te reo Māori, and finding my place in the fight for climate justice, for indigenous justice, having never felt stronger. This strength will sustain us as Papatūānuku does and we, in turn, must sustain her.
Environmental grief is real and it’s not just a Millennial conspiracy. From our tīpuna to our tamariki, grief does not discriminate. If the whenua that your tīpuna belonged to—the whenua you belong to—was stolen in the name of a distant monarch or of corporate greed, you’d be pretty sad about it too. And, because dealing with the
Rachel Trow | Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa | She/Her | Fourth Year
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The Audit: CREW256/260 - Te Hiringa a Tuhi - Māori and Pasifika Creative Writing
MILKY BUT STILL MĀORI Yep, that’s me. I bet you’re wondering how I ended up in this situation. I bet you’re thinking, how on earth did this pasty gal end up in a Māori and Pasifika Creative Writing course? Not gonna lie, I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I applied for this class. It was the only summer class that would fit with my degree requirements, and I didn’t expect it to be anything more. But, the surprises this experience revealed couldn’t have been further out of left-field. At the beginning of our first class, the infamous playwright and course co-ordinator extraordinaire, Victor Rodger, announced that there was something he wanted to make extra clear before we did anything else: He took his whiteboard marker and drew a line across the papamā. “This is the spectrum. All of us are on this spectrum somewhere.” He told us that he had grown up without his Sāmoan father, in the care of his young, Pākehā mother, meaning his cultural identity on the inside was somewhat different to the way the world saw him on the outside. He
told us that because of this, his place on the spectrum was something like “tea with lots of milk”. He told us that this has changed throughout his life. And finally, he told us that all of this was okay. This may not be groundbreaking information to everyone, but that line on that whiteboard low-key changed my life. No one had ever told me that my spot on that spectrum— more like milk with lots of tea—was enough. And further, that the duality of my identity—with feet in both the pākehā world and te ao Māori—was not a resignation to a life of code-switching. Like Māui, it was an opportunity to use my privilege of flexibility to contribute meaningfully to each world in a way that honours the other. From day one, CREW 256 delivered more personal and creative growth than any uni department could put a course fee on. Victor nurtured an environment where it was okay to be us, to be brown, or in my case, to be milky as. Milky but still Māori.
Nā Rachel Trow | Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa | She/Her | Fourth Year
Poetry
Ally or Enemy Slowly slipping through the edges of who we are Has been taken and still is Overused senses of the ownership of whenua But do you even ally? Seen are the lenses of authority that tell us We can do it by ourselves Gone is the thing you call respect With your ways of integrity pinning us On a wall But fine. It is not just us But Papatūānuku The one that provides all things She is to be protected Fight for her You got us down We had hoped And so it goes. Replay the button Glass doors that open Of “ally”against “enemy” The backbone of pain to the earth mother Ahh like a wound it is what you call history But sadly it is likely a reflection of your mystery This colonialism butchered our identity But our decolonial ways is not a waste The whenua is our mana It is aroha to her If you take care of Papatūānuku She takes care of you
Nā Rosina Buchanan | Ngāpuhi, Te Roroa, Ngāti Kahungunu | They/Them | First Year
Navigating the Mist
The goddess of the mist. Let Hinepūkohurangi take us through the unclear and unserene. This section will highlight the heavy and the challenging, but in doing so, will help to guide us further into a clearing—every step counts, e hoa mā. Navigate the mist, ahakoa te uaua.
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NĀ KO TE PŌ, HE RĀ KI TUA (HERE WE ARE IN THE NIGHT, A NEW DAY IS YET TO COME!) As mist or fog usually appears in the early morning, it is said that Hinepūkohurangi, as she hovers between Rangi and Papa, bridges the gap of their separation. As I write this, I am a child of the mist, urging Māori to bridge the gap between tikanga Māori and a Pākehā world. Treaty relationships have been described as “constitutionalised connections” between two distinct communities. They are instruments which strive to connect, rather than amalgamate. These relationships give rise to reciprocal duties, otherwise known as “constitutional obligations”. The terms provide a framework for the “unity of treaty interests” which are cultivated over time and must continually be renewed. This ongoing relationship preserves traditions that “bind a society together”, while ensuring mutual respect between two distinct peoples. A treaty must be interpreted in light of its context and surrounding circumstances at the time it was signed. Any interpretation must provide for an ongoing and developing relationship between “constitutional traditions”, rather than impose “jurisdictional amalgamation”. A treaty relationship is
based on mutual respect and co-existence, rather than subordination or conformity. This normative relationship cannot be achieved by accepting underlying assumptions of Crown superiority and parliamentary supremacy. The orthodox interpretation of “reasonableness” and “practicality” merely serve as a tool for furthering the assimilation of Māori within a colonial system. The Treaty of Waitangi was never intended to impose a colonial relationship. The Treaty is one of “linking arms”, which sought to recognise Māori as indigenous people. It was impossible for rangatira to cede mana in accordance with tikanga. The state’s decentralisation of tikanga has enabled the Crown to re-frame this relationship to impose a colonial relationship on Māori. The Treaty is recognised only insofar as this recognition does not question the legitimacy of the colonial relationship itself. Rangatahi Māori, do not be afraid to question this sovereignty.
Nā Rhianna Morar | Ngāti Porou and Te Arawa (Tapuika) | She/Her | Fourth Year
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"TREATY RELATIONSHIPS HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED AS “CONSTITUTIONALISED CONNECTIONS” BETWEEN TWO DISTINCT COMMUNITIES. THEY ARE INSTRUMENTS WHICH STRIVE TO CONNECT, RATHER THAN AMALGAMATE. THESE RELATIONSHIPS GIVE RISE TO RECIPROCAL DUTIES, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATIONS”. THE TERMS PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK FOR THE “UNITY OF TREATY INTERESTS” WHICH ARE CULTIVATED OVER TIME AND MUST CONTINUALLY BE RENEWED."
Features
The displacement of colonial assumptions is now. By accepting what is “reasonable” or “practical” within foreign frameworks, we internalise these limits as our own. I observe with great despair, rangatahi Māori who, unbeknownst to them, work within these limits until they realise it can only take us thus far. For our rangatiratanga ought not be subjugated by Western electoral systems or criminal justice processes. Despite what the colonist courts say, there exists a parallel system living inherently within us, that has not been extinguished by sovereignty. Such sovereignty only depends on the recognition we, who comprise these institutions, are willing to afford them. If we choose not to recognise sovereignty as an extinguishment to tikanga, such institutions have no option but to integrate or disintegrate. For tikanga will always be the first law of the land. It is this "third" law, as Justice Joe would say, that has presented us with an opportunity to redefine reconciliation. Self-determination cannot be limited to rights-based recognition within a colonial system whose ultimate goal is the oppression of Māori. The asymmetrical relations of this recognition assumes the legitimacy of the common law framework and requires Māori to be “more justly included” or further excluded. The interpretation of what is “reasonable” against Western frameworks has constructed a “natural” order whereby Māori interests are inferior. The “balancing” of interests and limits based on “practicality” often favour economic interests based on colonial capitalism. Do not settle for a colonised mutation of rangatiratanga. There must be a property system which recognises the collective ownership of mana whenua: “Settlements” which evolve over time, recognising that Māori are not homogenous beings; the development of tikanga as its own body of law, one which seeks to deconstruct state-sanctioned prisons. Legislative references to the “principles” of the Treaty are simply a diversion to distract us from questioning the legitimacy of the state itself. Treaty principles can only be applied to the extent they conform with the Crown’s kāwanatanga. It is time to move beyond “compromise” and the “over-redress” of Treaty grievances, and towards the recognition of Māori as indigenous people. We are not what they say we are. Slurs such as “separatism”, “veto power”, “special treatment” are historical limits, reintroduced with soothing language termed “consultation” and “recognition”. To reach a balanced decision, decision-makers must recognise the
special position Māori occupy as tangata whenua. Our status as mana whenua derives from our tino rangatiratanga. For it is the Crown’s kāwanatanga that is subject to our tino rangatiratanga. Māori are not recognised to the extent that we conform. We ought to be recognised in our own right as tangata whenua of this land. What is tino rangatiratanga in the 21st century? It is the wealth of Māori traditional knowledge that created kamate. It is the unconstrained exercise of manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga over our traditional rohe. It is the right to develop economic interests and trade, beyond those “settled” by the Crown. It is the return of raupatu land from a system premised on the assimilation of Māori into individualised ownership. It is the recognition of whāngai as a legitimate whānau framework, and hauora-based solutions for our rangatahi and kaumātua. It is the deconstruction of prisons and state-sanctioned abuse of our tamariki. It is beyond the balancing of interests and the rejection of resource management applications for the preservation of wāhi tapu and Tangaroa. It is the legal personhood of our rivers and our whenua. It is the favouring of Māori interests over those of corporate capitalism. Māori are the next lawyers, judges, doctors, scientists, professors, and politicians. We must transgress these built-in restrictions that have oppressed our tīpuna and amalgamated our tikanga. For we are not them. We are more than local innovations premised on a Westminster inheritance. A legitimate political system is one where the Crown’s kāwanatanga is subject to tikanga Māori through the exercise of rangatiratanga. In the contemporary political environment, the praise of making European institutions more ‘Māori-friendly’ is strategically exaggerated by Pākehā to mask the continued oppression of Māori culture and the ongoing process of colonisation. The Crown’s approach to Māori political status will continue to re-define it in a way which perpetuates Crown superiority within a Western framework. It is only when Māori political concepts and tikanga Māori redefine our institutions and processes that the Crown legitimately say they are fulfilling their obligations under the Treaty.
Nā Rhianna Morar | Ngāti Porou and Te Arawa (Tapuika) | She/Her | Fourth Year
Poetry
Are We There Yet Globalisation of our tribal species, is that the issue? Evolved biological mechanisms for war and calamity reside in our brain tissue. Neurons firing pop pop that’s that M16, Ingroup and out group structures guiding our thoughts and perceptions of who’s on our team Unaware of these cognitive biases Unconscious wars can wage within That make us mistrust, mistreat, and misjudge other people rather than treat them as our kin. Is war inevitable and peacefulness unattainable? Are we cursed to walk this earth with guns and bombs until we are no longer able? The idea of world peace appeals to me, but doubt grows in my mind, as ideologies of universals seem to waste our precious time. Is world peace just another Western ideal that we push onto others with no regard? To justify injustices, to play the game with all the cards. We are different in cultural norms and values, this I know to be true Although we are different we share the earth, and these skies of blue. If we want a peaceful world then we have to look inside ourselves and find the peace within To better improve our lives If there was more inner peace then the world might look different Bring us together closer and warmer, rather than cold and distant. I draw courage from Tūmatauenga to go to war with my own thoughts and beliefs, and to challenge what I and others hold as truth.
Nā Finley Johnson | Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga & Ngāti Rongomaiwahine | Him/Him | Third Year
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Study Theatre in a degree with high full-time employment rates
NGĀ TUMUAKI O NGĀI TAUIRA
“Whakaarahia ake ngā pou o tō whare o Ngāi Tauira” Ko te aronga whānui o Ngāi Tauira he āwhina i te tauira Māori ki te whakaara i ngā pou katoa o tōna whare e tū tika ai ia ā haere ake nei. Ko ngā pou, inā te huhua—te reo Māori, ngā tikanga o te ao Māori, te mātauranga, te tiaki taiao, te whare tapawhā—arā noa atu. Katoa ēnei pou ka arohia nuitia e mātou. Heoi, ko te mātāpono matua e noho tāraro ana i te tira nei, ko te manaakitanga. He whakatutuki i te kōrero: “Ngāi Tauira ngākau tuwhera.” Ngāi Tauira is the Māori students’ association at Victoria University of Wellington. The association is transitory in nature and as a result, is in a continual process of intergenerational evolution. The events and services reflect a changing dynamic, anchored by their commitment to support tauira academically and culturally throughout their journey at university. This wouldn’t be possible without our marae, Te Herenga Waka, where we encourage students to come, tie your canoe and join our whānau as we encourage, support, and succeed together. The goals we set as a rōpū for this year were clear: priority on academics, hauora and opportunities for our tauira. With our goals in mind, this year we have had many experiences together: We have performed as a rōpū at countless pōhiri; made stronger connections with our NTU, NR, VUWSA, PSC and KN whānau; guest-spoke at schools; created and hosted our very own art exhibition “Te Puna Auaha”; campaigned to raise awareness about Gumboot Friday, the mental health initiative; fundraised for this year’s Te Huinga Tauira; marched at Parliament for many kaupapa; and held study initiatives and hauora wānanga with inspiring speakers—just to name a few. One experience that stood out for us was heading up to Auckland to support the peaceful occupation at Ihumātao.
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This is where they are currently trying to stop a housing development being built on a sacred cultural heritage site. For us as Māori, our connection to Papatūānuku—our whenua, our whakapapa—is the very foundation of who we are as Māori, as tangata whenua. Some people asked why we went to support as a rōpū of 30 Māori tauira. To go be a part of the hype? To take some photos? To get out of class, to have a holiday? Kāo. We went because we believe that what we’ve repeated time and time again throughout history, should not be happening again today. We went to peel potatoes with the nans till 3 a.m. so that the protectors could be fed. We went to clean the toilets and pick up the rubbish on the land with our head torches on, so the whenua could remain healthy. We went to keep the frontline warm because if people weren’t there, the police would have advanced. We went because it is what our tīpuna would have done for us and we want a better future for our mokopuna one day. Ihumātao, Shelly Bay, Taranaki deep sea oil drilling, forestry ports in Te Araroa—the list of current-day events continues. Time is passing, yet what is happening at Ihumātao still hasn’t been resolved. But we are proud that we went there as kaitiaki to protect the whenua. To us, that was putting our degrees into action and we are extremely thankful that our university supported us all in being there. We look forward to supporting the Living Pā kaupapa, to see how we as a university can create more of a sustainable future for our students. “Whatungarongaro te tangata toitū te whenua” Ngā mihi nui, Nohorua Parata, Te Mahara Swanson Hall, Pingi te Pea
N GĀ R A N GA H AUTIR A
T E HŌ HAIET I
WHAIA TE KŌTAHITANGA
TĀNE TE WĀNANGA
Whāia, whāia, whāia ngā tapuwae ā Tāne, mā reira tātou e whai hoki ko ngā hua o te wānanga.
Kei aku rangatira, tēnei ka mihi! Ko te ito tonu o tā Ngā Rangahautira mahi, he whakatōpū mai i te hunga tauira Māori o te kura tātai ture. Kia kore ai taua hunga e mokemoke ka tahi, kia whai pakihiwi kaha ai ka rua, ka mutu, kia tapatahi ai te kōkiri ake a te iwi ki tōna anamata. E mōhio pai nei tātou ki te uaua o te noho hei Māori i tēnei ao, he kino ake pea tērā i tō mātou kura, heoi anō, ka ora mātou i a mātou anō.
Kei tērā, kei tērā o ngā iwi o tō tātou nei ao ngā kōrero rerekē mō te orokohanga o te tangata. Ki tā te Māori, i hangaia te tangata tuatahi e Tāne ki te one, ā, ka puta ko Hine-ahu-one. E mōhio hoki nei tātou ki ngā āhuatanga ō tō tātou atua rā. Ko Tāne te atua o ngā wao, o ngā manu anō hoki. Ākene pea ko te mahi tino rongonui ā Tāne ko te whakawehe i ōna mātua a Papatūānuku rāua ko Ranginui. Heoti, kei warewaretia tana mahi kei te hāngai pū ki te tauira.
Ka tākina mai ngā kōrero a Kīngi Tāwhiao: “Kotahi te kākāho ka whati, māpuia te kākāho e kore e whati”. Ā, e kōrerotia ake nei te hua o te mahi tahi, koirā tā mātou e whai nei, me te whakahokia o te wairua Māori i roto i wā mātou mahi katoa.
Nā wai rā ngā kete o te wānanga i tiki hei kai mā tātou? Ki ētahi ko Tāne, ā, ki ērā atu ko Tāwhaki kē. Heoi anō tā tātou, he whakakite i te mahi rā, ahakoa nā wai, e eke ai te mōhio i waenga i a tātou anō. Mēnā kāore a Tāne i eke ki te aroaro o Io, ka aha pea tātou ināianei? Mei noho a Tāne ki te kāinga, kaputī ai, ko tātou hoki pea tērā i ngā rangi nei. Ka kitea nei e tātou te whare wānanga i ngā mahi ā Tāne, waihoki, e mōhiotia whānuitia nei he tāonga te mātauranga.
Mēnā koe he tauira Māori nō te kura tātai ture, kāhore anō kia whakatōpūria mai ki tō tira nei, tēnā whakapā mai ki ngā pae kōrero o raro iho nei! The essence of what Ngā Rangahautira does is collectivising Māori students at law school. First, so that students do not feel lonely; second, to provide solid support systems; and finally, so we can move forward with greater integrity in achieving our wider goals for the future. We know all too well the challenges of being Māori in this world, and perhaps that struggle is exacerbated at law school, but the main thing is that we find safety and strength within ourselves.
Ko te ui nei, e aha ana tātou hei whakaute i āna mahi? Ko Tāne te kaihanga o te tangata, ēngari, ko tātou anō ngā kaitiaki. He hononga pea i waenga i ngā kōrero rongonui mōna. Ka whakawehea ōna mātua hei āheinga, i tērā ka hangaia e ia ko tātou te tangata, ā, ka eke hoki a ia ki te tiki i ngā mātauranga atua mō tātou. Nā reira e te iwi, ākona ki te whare wānanga! Otirā, hoki atu ki tō haukāinga, ki reira tohaina atu ngā mōhiotanga nei, pēnei i te tohatoha ā Tāne!
We recite the words of Kīngi Tāwhiao: “Kotahi te kākāho ka whati, māpuia te kākāho e kore e whati”. This talks about the benefits of working collectively, and that is what we strive to achieve, as well as returning the Māori essence to all that we do. If you are a Māori student at law school who has yet to join your collective, please get in touch using the contact details below! Pukamata/Facebook: Ngā Rangahautira – Māori Law Students Association VUW Paeāhua/Instagram: nga_rangahautira Īmera/Email: ngarangahautira1986@gmail.com
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Kei ngā mana, kei ngā reo, kei ngā ihorei o te ao Māori, tēnā tātou katoa! Ko Ngā Taura Umanga te ingoa o tō mātou nei rōpū. Ko tā mātou nei mahi, he poipoi, he akiaki i te tauira Māori e ako ana i ngā mahi pakihi. Ko tā mātou aronga matua, he tautoko i te iwi Māori kia eke tātou ki ngā tāpuhipuhi taioreore e wawatatia nei e tātou. E angitu ai te tauira Māori, he mea tika kia whakatapoko mai ki roto i tō mātou nei rōpū. E rima ngā pou o tō mātou nei whare: • • • • •
Manaakitanga - Supporting and assisting tauira in their educational pursuits Kotahitanga - Working together as one Hiringa - Determined to overcome obstacles and achieve academic excellence Ako mai, ako atu - The learning and sharing of knowledge Whanaungatanga - Creating a whānau environment and sense of belonging
I ia tau, ka ū tonu a Ngā Taura Umanga ki ngā tini kaupapa e āhei ai te tauira te whakawhanake i a rātou anō ki ngā mahi pakihi, ki ngā mahi umanga. Kei raro iho ngā hui e tautokohia nei e tātou: • He Waka Ki Tua • Tātai Hono • Te Hui-ā-Tau mō Ngā Kaitatau Māori o Aotearoa Ko ēnei hui, he whakakipakipa, he whakatenatena i te whanaungatanga o te tauira, o te mātanga pakihi hoki. He nui ngā hua ka puta mai i ēnei momo hui. Ka whai mahi, ka whai tuākana i roto i ngā mahi pakihi, ka ketuketu hoki ki ngā tikanga Māori. Komiti Whakahaere 2019: • Te Puawai o Te Atua Waller • Te Pikikotuku Bennett • Te Kirikātōkia Rangihau • Keyarnah Milner • Jack Smith Ballingall • Poipoia Te Taonga Poa • Jazmine Hina • Lachlan Macintosh • Falcon Karangaroa • Hirini Edwards Whakapā Mai: • Pukamata (Facebook): Ngā Taura Umanga – VUW Māori Commerce Students’ Association • Hononga (LinkedIn): Ngā Taura Umanga – VUW Māori Commerce Students’ Association • Īmera (Email): ngatauraumanga@gmail.com Nā mātou nei, Nā Te Komiti Whakahaere o Ngā Taura Umanga
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Change & Tranformation
A demi - god. Our friend Māui influences the innovator within us all. Let’s create new ideas, develop the old, and seek the new. We are motioned to ask the pātai: How do we create change? How can we transform for the better? Make ripples in the water—change and transform for the better.
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QUEER, QUEER, INDIGENOUS, INDIGENOUS, AND AND POWERFUL POWERFUL
Being a queer person who wants to celebrate cultural diversity feels more like embracing every part of my collective identity. I intend to be bold in ‘decolonising rainbow spaces’ while also healing, and carrying my whole identity at the forefront. It hasn’t even been a year and I’m currently the general executive officer in UniQ 2019, so I hope to step up and stay on for a couple of years to bring more to the table. Colonisation has had a stronghold on our indigenous rainbow communities with regards to sexism, homophobia, and transphobia. But prior to that, gender and sexualities were much more fluid and it seems that labels, discrimination, and identity weren’t an issue. I myself am learning to reclaim my Māori and Pacific identity while embracing my sexuality and being non-binary. Being a part of the indigenous rainbow community feels uplifting, but I often question where I belong in terms of community, especially being at the edge of it.
As a start to embracing intersectionality, UniQ Pride Week held an event called Hui Takatāpui that included kōrero relating to the stories, challenges, and experiences of speakers who work within the rainbow sector and identify as takatāpui/whakawāhine/tangata-ira-tāne, as well as other gender-diverse identities. I didn’t expect to create such an event as the general executive officer of a queer representative group in a mainstream university, because I’m usually a pretty timid person—however, it became a step towards a better outcome for our rainbow community in terms of cultural visibility. It is not that we aren’t there, but it becomes challenging to not feel heard or uncomfortable in rainbow spaces where the focus is Westernised. Here are some ways to bring our takatāpui communities closer together:
Nā Rosina Buchanan | Ngāpuhi, Te Roroa, Ngāti Kahungunu | They/Them | First Year
“MĀUI “MAUI ENDEAVOURED TO CREATE CHANGE AND TEST ‘NORMALITY’, CHANGING THE ENVIRONMENT OF OUR RAINBOW COMMUNITIES FEELS LIKE A POSITIVE STEP TO MAKE.”
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HONOUR TE TIRITI O WAITANGI AND LEARN ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF TINO RANGATIRATANGA. Relatedly, always make an effort to research māori culture and te reo māori. Māoritanga is a tāonga, therefore it needs to be valued and recognised.
AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF RANGATAHI IN THE TAKATĀPUI COMMUNITY.
PĀKEHĀ PEOPLE IN THE RAINBOW COMMUNITY NEED TO RECOGNISE THAT THEY ARE IN A PLACE OF PRIVILEGE. It is important to let us as takatāpui voice our perspectives. In precolonial times, diverse genders and sexualities were present for an immense amount of time.
IF MISTAKES ARE MADE, ACKNOWLEDGE AND LEARN FROM THEM. Pākehā need to talk to each other about the treatment of our indigenous people, and of the culture within our queer communities—this includes māori as well as other indigenous cultures.
CREATING MĀORI AND PASIFIKA SPACES. I’m hoping for there to be one once a month for our rainbow community to flourish.
For me, bringing forward this change with courage and strength draws in the atua of Māui, who is a demi-god. He is the youngest of his brothers; a light shining in the darkness transferred into human form. He was abandoned and misunderstood, but he was a great warrior and protector. What we could learn from him is the importance of leadership and connection between our communities. The aroha between our vulnerable communities has grown but we still have the power to make an impact and get our voices heard. Furthermore, Māui endeavoured to create change and test ‘normality’. Thus, changing the environment of our rainbow communities feels like a positive step to take. The journey is like voyaging out out at sea; every storm breaking against the colonial wounds of the tides within spaces that need our voices to be heard as rainbow and Māori communities. Takatāpui rights are Māori rights; Māori rights are human rights. It’s about untying not just the knots you want to untie, but decolonising all of it. Outlining the reconnection with your indigenous roots and how it needs “time, patience, humility, and hard work”. If you think that there aren’t issues in the takatāpui community, listen to people within that community and be openminded—especially when it comes to mental health and wellbeing; improving and uniting these communities is important. Amplifying, reclaiming and healing the unheard voices within our indigenous communities all have a powerful domino effect towards self-care and representation amongst takatāpui, as well as empowering indigenous people. Healing can be painful but the process of reconnecting has a holistic value to our people. Always know that when you are Māori and/or Pasifika standing within the LGBTQIA+ community, you will never be alone, because the takatāpui and other rainbow cultural groups will always have the power and strength to make supportive impact. Your support is gifted by your tūpuna, ātua like Māui, and the people who are right beside you throughout all seasons of life.
Nā Rosina Buchanan | Ngāpuhi, Te Roroa, Ngāti Kahungunu | They/Them | First Year
Poetry
Tangaroa Ka hoki mai au ki a Tangaroa Ngā ngaru e paroro ana Ngā wai e noho tau ana Ka horopaki a Tangaroa i au Me tōna aroha, tōna manaakitanga Kāore au i te āwangawanga Kāore he roimata e toe ana Ka hoki mai au ki a Tangaroa When I return to Tangaroa The waves break The waters stand still Tangaroa surrounds me With his love and compassion I have nothing weighing me down I have no more tears left to cry When I return to Tangaroa
Nā Lea Rust | Ngāati Whāatua oki Kaipara me Te Rarawa | She/Her | Second Year
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Tamatha Paul (VUWSA President) & Rhianna Morar (Former Welfare Vice President) with Marama Davidson (Party Leader of the Green Party)
VUWSA: A SEAT AT THE TABLE When you belong to a minority community, university is never as simple as just getting a qualification. It is a gateway to alleviating our families out of cycles of inequality and poverty: to empower our communities with the tools to challenge the status quo. Knowledge truly is power. Imagine getting the opportunity of a lifetime, not just to go to university, but to be able to steer the overall direction of that university. The opportunity to address the many reasons why people ‘like us’ choose not to go to university. Neither of us ever actively sought out the opportunity to be on the Executive of VUWSA—Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association. Both of us had worked hard on the kaupapa of addressing sexual violence, and were naturally co-opted onto the Executive after being identified as students who worked for their little cohorts within the university. Getting involved with VUWSA was a no-brainer. Many join because of its alumni: Andrew Little, Chris Hipkins,
Fleur Fitzsimons—even Guy Williams. Many join because VUWSA has clout within the university structure, within political spheres, and in the Wellington scene. But to be honest, we were never interested in that. We wanted to put our heads down, work really fucking hard to address the many reasons why our communities don’t go to uni (or drop out), and leave this place better—and more accessible—than when we started. Simple as that. 2018 was a big year for us. We took the lead on The Wait is Over mental health rally, and realised how well we worked together. We supported each other through a workplace that was extremely toxic at times. We quickly realised how much we had in common, and that we were sick of having to whitewash ourselves to be palatable to others sitting around the decision-making table. When the opportunity arose for us to take the reins, of course we took it. But nothing could prepare us for the amount of bullshit we would have to overcome:
NĀ RHIANNA MORAR RĀUA KO TAMATHA PAUL
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“The brown agenda” Having a “ticket” made up almost entirely of women, with four women of colour, people questioned our ability to represent all students—as if we were ‘playing a card’ or had some kind of hidden agenda. Ownership of issues - Some people laid claim to kaupapa that had been affecting our communities disproportionately for centuries—whether it be over-representation in sexual violence statistics or poor mental health. VUWSA is for us ALL - Trying to engage minority communities who felt distrustful towards VUWSA—an institution that hadn’t really ever served them meaningfully.
The thing about “Annual General Meetings” is that Pākehā are so individualised, that without pre-existing whanaungatanga, people were generally disengaged with VUWSA. So much that people didn’t really care to show up to see who got elected, because it was just another stale, pale, male, right? Not this time around! Unsurprising to us, the Hub was inundated with hopeful, brown faces and filled with the spirit of our ancestors. For they had waited patiently for this moment. The moment where the first wahine Māori president would be elected to VUWSA. Since 1840, we had internalised the limits of a colonial system. A system premised on silencing brown voices. See, for us, it wasn’t about winning an election. It was about our brown brothers and sisters, our ancestors who had stood and walked before us. The voting turnout had sky-rocketed. The moment three wāhine Māori were elected as President and Vice-Presidents—the haka erupted. Our shared experiences created a “oneness” about our victory. To hell with these white masks, it was time for our brown skin to shine.
Turns out being the leaders of VUWSA presented its own set of triumphs and challenges. Everyone wanted a piece of us. For our perspectives not only as students, but as young, wāhine Māori and wāhine Pasifika. Then there were the other set of people who chose to continue engaging with past VUWSA members, totally dismissive of the fresh perspective being brought by an Executive so starkly different from those before us. Behind the smokescreen of welfare, there was a distinct toxicity about an organisation premised on white superiority and Western frameworks: White men. White women. White promises. White lies. For the men who stood before us, and against us, we were belittled for being “aggressive” rather than praised like our predecessors for being “assertive”. Demonised as “radical”, instead of “headstrong” or “innovative”. Dismissed as “inexperienced”, unlike our white male counterparts applauded for being “entrepreneurs”. Luckily for us, we had each other. And unbeknownst to them, we had our rangatira and tīpuna. It was important for us to manaaki each and every person who rode this waka with us. We have given so much of ourselves. This year has been an exercise in testing our limits and understanding how we must best look after ourselves in these extremely challenging spaces, while making positive change happen. As the VUWSA Elections for 2020 commence, we must move on with our lives to step into our callings, but we walk away with a better sense of our purpose and we hope to leave the association better than we inherited it, and the student voice stronger. Power to the mother fuckin’ people. To the people who are doing this mahi now: Keep going, stay steadfast, don’t ever sell yourself short, and don’t ever let these institutions take away from you what is inherent within you. Change never happens in isolation, and it certainly doesn’t happen overnight. To young Māori leaders out there: Don’t ever forget that you have something infinitely more important than money or power—you have tīpuna standing behind you with every decision you make. We walk backwards into the future, acknowledging the past. The ātua guide our waka as kaitiaki. Decolonisation is needed everywhere. Not just in the tertiary space. We need it in local government. We need it within the legal sector. In the public sector. On the whenua.
NĀ RHIANNA MORAR RĀUA KO TAMATHA PAUL
Seeking Solace
The goddess of gourd instruments. Sweet and soulful music comes from listening and interpreting every little aspect, to give greater meaning. There may be some pieces of whakaaro that have been missed or underappreciated. Be intuitive, e te whÄ nau, and share every piece of knowledge with others—seek solace in every corner and crevice.
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SENSING HINE
There’s a woman that may come by now and again, a dark, gloomy, haunting figure—mysterious beyond words, but at the same time incredibly attractive. Her presence is often created by an emotional pull, a trigger that shoots a sharp lightning bolt through our tinana. The voltage weaves through every network, vein and tissue, setting off a rippled response. There are times when I wish she would disappear, but there is a reason for her arrival. This woman we see, her name is Hine-nui-te-pō and she is linked to her guardianship over the underworld. But there’s also far more to her story and the relationship she binds within us all. Being drawn to others, loving others, and being loved make up a realm of human interaction that provides the backbone for our morality. We gift our most sensitive feelings into the hands of others. At times that tāonga we have given is reciprocated, but then sometimes it is left. The waves of mamae and heartache we are overwhelmed
by as we continue on are facets of the atua Hine, who brings with her a sense of appreciation for the bittersweet nature of our arohatanga and ngākau nui. Exploring this emotional connection through a cultural lens draws a whole world of new and unearthed wisdom. As we grow and transition in age and perspective of the surrounding world of te ao mārama, we seek guidance that is found deeper, past the depths of general knowledge. Hine exists within the shrouded alcoves below our whenua. At times it appears she is misunderstood as an isolated being, but there is a curiosity that dwells surrounding her story and purpose within te ao Māori. Could there be something more to her? What light can exist within the realm of hollow, black stillness? Hine is the daughter of Tāne Mahuta—the god of our forests and protector of all creatures within them. It was Tāne who manifested the first woman, out of the earth (his mother Papatūānuku) because of a desire and need to feel a sense of connection. Hence, there was an emotional
Nā Te Aorewa Rolleston | Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui | She/Her | Third Year
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”THE KEY TO HUMAN GROWTH AND VALUE FOR OTHERS LIES IN OUR ABILITY TO OVERCOME PAIN IN ITS PUREST FORMS” pull and trigger in all its power beyond what he had experienced. So, he created an exotic and extravagant woman who would be known as Hineahuone and fulfilled her with the first breath of life—“Tihei mauri ora”. It is she who would birth Hine-nui-te-pō, along with numerous other tamariki. Hine-nui-te-pō was initially given the name Hinetītama— otherwise known as Hine-ata-uira, the mesmerising guardian of the dawn. However, an intense and transformative occurrence took place. Hinetītama formed an intimate and deeply immersed connection with Tāne, not realising he was her father, though she had always wondered who her father was. Her heart and soul poured out for his soothing affection. They fell in love romantically, intertwining their strong affectionate urges to create one enclosed bond of aroha. Could it be that when his mokopuna was released from the womb, Tāne had planted that same kākano (seed) of desire within the soul of his daughter Hine-nui-te-pō? When Hine discovered the truth, it became apparent that perhaps their eternal aroha would not be able to overcome the divisive nature of their relationship. Swallowed by an overwhelming array of mamae and excruciating melancholy, Hine decided to leave, escape down, below, underneath us all—into pit of the spiritual world where she could rest in her pōuritanga
for the rest of time, gathering the spirits of those who had left the realm of te ao mārama and journeyed into the arms of death. It is in the depth of her despair that Hine-nui-te-pō manifested a captivating glimmer of light. This is because what lies deep within her ngākau is a true sense of passion and vulnerable need to connect despite how broken her past life journey was. The whirlwind of lust, romance, and disappointment had succumbed Hinenui-te-pō but despite this, she continues to exist as a reflection of compassion and humility. It is her willingness to sacrifice herself out of love for others which offers the most significant incandescence. She cherishes and looks after those who are leaving the realm of the living and spends her time guiding them onwards on their journey so that they may discover their new, revitalised selves once again—just like Hine did when overwhelmed by heartache. Nō reira, maybe it is the misunderstood who conceal the most intriguing whakaaro and mātauranga. The key to human growth and value for others lies in our ability to overcome pain in its purest forms, such as arohatanga and romantic desire. May we transform and triumph when in the depths of our agony and tears and eventually rise upon on the palms of Hine who will lift us towards an illuminating new light. Māramatanga.
Nā Te Aorewa Rolleston | Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui | She/Her | Third Year
Poetry
A reminder to myself The path you walk has already been decided. Like the stars in the sky and the dust on the earth, Remember that you are a child of Ranginui and Papatūānuku. Born a warrior, You are Tūmatauenga. Let the knowledge of the way your tūpuna fought their battles shape your mind and body for war. Your very existence is an everyday fight against colonialism. You are winning. A descendant of a deity capable enough to endure all weather conditions, You are Tāwhirimātea, the blood coursing through your veins has experienced all four seasons, Not even the greatest of storms can make your feet tremble. A cosmological miracle destined to bring light into this world. You are Tāne, So challenge the narrative, wholeheartedly and unapologetically, If you find yourself in the wrong, Know that there is power in your mistakes, but even greater power in your learning. The inextricable connection you share with Tangaroa has existed long before your tūpuna navigated Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, A child of the sea, find comfort in knowing that water makes up more than half of your very anatomy. This energy flows with a myriad of characteristics for you to source on, Be calm, be present, and trust yourself. And when you are questioned of your youth, Understand that even as an unborn child, Ruaumoko possesses all power to move mountains, And so do you. Nā Rangipurei Manley
Nā Rangipurei Manley | Ngāti Maniapoto, Raukawa ki Whatepūhunga, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāpuhi | She/Her | Second Year
TE AO MĀRAMA
ISSUE 20
News. MONDAY, 9 SEPTEMBER 2019
Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo Māori MASON LAWLOR (PĀHAUWERA, NGĀTI KAHUNGUNU, NGĀTI MARU) “Ko te reo kia tika, ko te reo kia rere, ko te reo kia Māori”. He mea waihanga, whakaako hoki te Panekiretanga o Te Reo Māori nā Ahorangi Pou Tēmara, Tā Timoti Karetu, rātau ko Tākuta Wharehuia Milroy. E kīia nei rātau, ko te tokotoru a Paewhiti. Ko rātau ngā tohunga o te kōrero, te reo me ngā tikanga o te ao Māori. I noho rātau ki ngā rekereke o ngā tangata pērā i Te Rangihau mā. I reira kai ai ngā kanohi, whakarongo ngā taringa ki te rere māori o te reo e kōrerohia nei i waenganui i ngā hāpori o Tūhoe (katoa o rātou nō Tūhoe). He wawata nui tā Tīmoti ki te whakawhirinaki i ngā tangata matatau ki reo, kia piki ake ki tōna kounga. Nōna i kite i ngā rangapū tauira i puta mai i ngā whare wānanga. Ki tāna i rongo ai, kāore anō tā rātau reo kia piki ki te taumata tiketike o te reo. Nā reira, nā wērā whakaaro ka puāwai ai te rautaki o te kaupapa nei. Ā, i te tau 2004, pōhiringia te rangapū tuatahi i runga i te marae o Te Ara o Tawhaki. I reira i timatahia mō te wā tuatahi. Ko tāna whakatakanga, kia piki ai ngā tangata matatau ki te reo ki taumata kē. Kia pikitia te pīnakitanga ki Mātāhauariki, ki te Tihi-i-Manono, pērā ki tā Tāne piki i te aratiatia, te Toihuarewa, kia riro ngā kete o te wānanga. Ngā pūkenga, ngā māramatanga o te Ao Māori me ōna āhuatanga hohonu. I rongonui haere te kaupapa nei mō te taumata tiketike o ngā
ika a Whiro me ā rātau mahi whakarauora, whakatairanga, whakaako i te reo Māori me ōna tikanga katoa. Hai te wā putaina te ihu, ka riro mā ngā ika a Whiro ngā pūkenga o te reo e taea e rātau te whai wāhi ki ngā wāhi Māori kia whakamahia aua pūkenga. Ko te marae tēnā, ko te karanga me te whaikōrero. Ehara i te mea ko tērā te ara anake hai whai mā ngā kaikōrero katoa, engari, he tāpiri atu kē i ngā kōrero o aua koroua ki te tangata ki eke ake taua tangata ki te tiketiketanga o te reo. Hoi, i te whitu o Mei i te tau nei, i hinga a Wharehuia hai hoa haere mā te Atua. I muri i tēnā ka puta atu te kōrero, ka katia ngā tatau, ā, ka whakamoea te kaupapa. Waimarie ana te ao kōrero Māori, otirā te Ao Māori whānui tonu, i te tokotorua nā, me ā rātou tini whakaakoranga ki te motu. I kai rātāu i ngā kai mārō o whātua mā, ā i tuku iho ki ngā tauira i noho ki ngā rekereke o ngā koroua. Rongona ana te reo i ō rātau nei tauira e whakaako ana i ngā rangapū te haramai nei. Hai whakarongo mā te iwi nui tonu, kai mahue wēnei momo ki rāhaki, wareware ai. Ahakoa ngaro ana a Te Wharehuia, moe ana hoki a Te Panekiretanga, ora tonu ana wēnei whakaakoranga i ngā ringaringa o Pānia Papa rāua ko Leon Blake hai whakaako reo
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ki tana karamatamata i tētahi kaupapa kē. Ka haere tēnei i raro i ngā whakahau o ngā mahuetanga iho rā o ngā koroua nā. Hai reira piki ai te taumata o te reo tiketike, ki taumata kē atu pērā ki te Panekiretanga, hoi ko te reo te tino whāinga. Hai whai orangatonutanga mo ngā whakaakoranga i hōmai ai ki a rāua e whakahaere i te kaupapa hou, otirā i ngā ika a Whiro katoa nā rātou ngā reanga hou e whakaako. Kua toru rau rima tekau ngā ika a Whiro, i ngā rangapū tekau mā whā. Hika mā, he nui rawa tana tapuwae i te mata
o te Ao Whakaako Reo, otirā Te Ao Māori whānui tonu. Nā konā i kitea ai e au te hīkaka o Ngāi Pīkoko ki te ako, ki te whai i te reo Māori, me ngā tikanga e karapoti nei i a ia. Āe mārika, teretere tonu te waka o te reo i te moana, kia kauria ki ngā wai o anamata. Nā whātua mā ngā hoe me te waka i waihanga hai kawe tātau ki tana okiokinga. Ko tā tātau e hika mā, te kauria ngā wai ahakoa ngā puaheihei o Ngoikore, o Whakatakē e tarai ana te werowero i te takere o te waka. Tēnā, whakamaua te kakau o te hoe, kia kaha te rere ki anamata ki tana panekiretanga.
Toitū te Whenua, Toitū te Tangata POIPOIA TE TAONGA POA (NGĀTI MANIAPOTO, NGĀTI POROU, TE ĀTIHAUNUI-Ā-PĀPĀRANGI)
The protection of our taiao is paramount—it always has been and should always remain so. Whenua provides nourishment, grounding, and unity. It is an integral part of the Māori identity. Our ties to our land are an indescribable attachment. It gives physicality to our bonds with ātua, tūpuna, and mokopuna. Land is living legacy. I had the opportunity to spend almost a week on the whenua of Te Ihu o Mataoho in late July. It was simultaneously one of the most empowering and heartbreaking experiences of my life. If the peace appears fragile, understand it is as unmoving as the kaitiaki holding fast to passive principles embodied by Te Whiti o Rongomai, Tohu Kākahi, and many more rangatira in Māori history. News media has created a divisive narrative which has been amplified by various individuals to discourage Māori unifying over the protection of Ihumātao. Kaitiaki actively protecting Ihumātao have been framed as rangatahi pitted against kaumātua.
talks. As the occupation has shown, the risk of standing for more—for what is deservingly owed—may be worthwhile. Reminder: Words on a page will never measure to an experience in person. If you are able to, visit the whenua.
Ihumātao is a patch of land roughly 33 hectares large, currently being occupied in Māngere, Auckland. Kaitiaki on the land are opposed to construction because of the negative impact it would have on wāhi tapu and the ability for uri to stay connected to the whenua. Ihumātao is adjacent to the Ōtuataua Stonefields that make up the Ōtuataua Stonefields Historic Reserve (OSHR). The OSHR landscape is hugely significant because of the archaeological and horticultural insights it provides on some of the earliest Māori inhabitants.
Employing this theme of an internal and intergenerational conflict is an attempt to undermine the kaitiaki by suggesting a disregard of tuakana–teina principles, which are fundamental to Māoritanga.
In 1863, the land was illegally confiscated by the Crown and eventually on-sold to the Wallace family who have held it for over 150 years. It was then sold, in 2016, to construction company Fletcher Residential whom intend to build a 480home housing development on the land.
The reality is that there are rangatahi and kaumātua on both ‘sides’. At the end of the day, the choice to stand up against the development and the choice to negotiate with the developers share the same goal: to maintain the connection to the whenua.
In 2014, undeterred by the huge local opposition, Auckland Council allowed the land to be rezoned for development purposes. Some council members have since admitted they were ill-informed on the land’s significance and regret supporting the change.
No one wanted the development to happen, but some felt it was an inevitable blow they would prefer to soften through
Makaurau Marae Māori Trust and Te Kawerau a Maki Iwi Tribal Authority are the iwi authorities standing as mana
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whenua of Ihumātao that have engaged in negotiations with Fletcher. Both bodies opposed the initial rezoning but, in 2018, the two authorities redirected their approach from development prevention to development mitigation. SOUL is the “Save Our Unique Landscape” campaign recognised as an instigating force behind the occupation. They have maintained an opposition to development since 2015. Contrary to media speculation, SOUL are justified in also standing as mana whenua. Pania Newton (a prominent leader of the occupation) and her whanaunga a part of SOUL’s founding group whakapapa to hapū connected to Ihumātao. Following talks, Fletcher agreed to set aside a portion of the homes (40 of 480) for Māori and return 25% (8 ha) of the land as a buffer zone between the development and the OSHR. Note that these talks took place exclusively amongst the iwi authorities' representatives and neglected other local voices like SOUL’s. Although the deal may seem generous to an outsider, the reality is a neighbourhood of that size on the site will inevitably lead to the degradation of the OSHR and nearby tupuna maunga Te Puketāpapatanga a Hape. The ‘generosity’ of the deal is also overshadowed when set
in the context of the Māngere people, who have already sacrificed so much. Any development would feel like a finishing blow. In late August, Kīngi Tūheitia visited Ihumātao. The Kīngitanga acknowledged the need for resolution discussions and will facilitate talks amongst all mana whenua. Fletcher have stated they are prepared to sell the land, if serious offers are made. The government has tried to remain impartial but their inaction passively supports the development. Ardern still maintains, despite this stemming from a Crown injustice, that the government should have a minimal role in the resolution process. It has also been suggested government involvement would undermine treaty settlements, but no exclusive mandate exists over the land so it does not belong in a treaty claim. Ultimately, no iwi should have to front the cost of a government injustice. The first fault was made by the Crown in 1863. The Auckland Council made too many mistakes thereafter in allowing the rezoning, and failing to revoke it. The guilty need to do more to remedy the situation.
Toitū te Whenua, Toitū te Tangata POIPOIA TE TAONGA POA (NGĀTI MANIAPOTO, NGĀTI POROU, TE ĀTIHAUNUI-Ā-PĀPĀRANGI) DATE
EVENT
1800
Two centuries ago, Māori had 8000 ha of volcanic stonefields to cultivate from. Just 160 ha of the stonefields remain now.
1863 1867 1869
The land is: • Illegally confiscated by the Crown, breaching Te Tiriti O Waitangi • Acquired by Crown grant • Sold to private owners—The Wallace family
1900s
Tūpuna maunga Maungataketake, Ōtuataua, Puketutu (Te Motu a Hiaroa) and Te Puketāpapatanga a Hape (Pukeiti) are quarried to build the Auckland city roads and airport.
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1956
Prior to the Māngere treatment plant’s construction, 25 million litres of industrial waste and nearly 700,000 litres of untreated wastewater are pumped into the Manukau Harbour daily through the Māngere Inlet.
2007
Manukau City Council intends for Ihumātao to be added to the Ōtuataua Stonefields Historic Reserve (OSHR).
2008
During construction of Auckland Airport’s second runway, bulldozers plough through an urupā and unearth 89 graves. Some remains are estimated to be around 600 years old.
2012
Auckland Council (formerly known as Manukau CC) initiative to make Ihumātao a public space is disputed by the Wallace family in the Environment Court. The council is directed to rezone the land for future business/residential development. Both Te Kawerau a Maki Iwi Tribal Authority and the Makaurau Marae Māori Trust oppose the rezoning.
2014
Auckland Council approves the land being designated as a Special Housing Area (SHA) effectively reducing legal obligations & fast-tracking the land for development. The land plot is referred to as SHA62.
2015
Pania Newton (a founder of SOUL), alongside whanaunga and other locals raise concerns and say they will oppose the zoning of the land.
Aug 2015
Close to 200 residents attend an Auckland Council meeting where SOUL present a petition with 4000 signatures calling for the SHA to be revoked. Still, the council vote against revoking the SHA.
2016
Land is bought by Fletcher Residential—a subsidiary of Fletcher Building Limited SOUL members begin camping on the grounds.
Dec 2016
Joe Hawke, leader of Bastion Point Occupation, visits Ihumātao in support of the kaupapa.
2017
SOUL make a case with the UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD). CERD report agrees Māori consultation was not appropriately sought out & recommends the Govt evaluate the plan's compliance with Te Tiriti and the UNDRIP.
2018
Environment Court decline to overturn the building permissions granted to Fletchers. Te Kawerau ā Maki Iwi Tribal Authority and the Makaurau Marae Māori Trust support Fletcher’s case.
March 2019
Hīkoi to Parliament & delivery of petition with 17,000+ signatures.
April 2019
Hīkoi to Auckland’s Aotea Square where petition with 20,000+ signatures is delivered to Auckland Mayor Phill Goff.
July 23, 2019
Eviction notices are issued to kaitiaki on the land and a few arrests are made.
July 25, 2019
Some Auckland councillors admit they regret signing off on the Ihumātao land SHA zoning. Auckland CC votes unanimously in favour of organising an urgent meeting between interested parties in an effort to resolve the dispute.
Aug 3, 2019
Kīngitanga visits Ihumātao and offers support in facilitating resolution discussions amongst mana whenua.
Aug 5, 2019
Police presence escalates and kettling tactics are employed to isolate kaitiaki on the frontline. Situation is de-escalated by mid-morning.
Aug 22, 2019
An invitation, carrying “the aroha and awhi of 26,633” people, for Jacinda Ardern to visit the whenua is hand-delivered to her Mt Albert office.
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TE AO MĀRAMA
ISSUE 20
Biophilic buildings- ‘The living pā’ complex TE AOREWA ARETA (NGĀI TE RANGI, NGĀTI RANGINUI)
“The project’s vision is much greater than bricks and mortar.”
attentive focus on nature and its impact upon a space and the people within it.
Victoria University seeks to construct ‘the living pā’ on its Kelburn campus, through redeveloping the space between 42 Kelburn Parade and 50 Kelburn Parade.
The development site currently is the base for the Māori studies department, Te Kawa a Māui, as well as the Māori students’ association, Ngāi Tauira.
It draws on the seven petals of the US architectural framework ‘living building challenge’, which are: place, water, energy, health and happiness, materials, equity, and beauty.
The three project visions for the living pā include: He pā mataora–a thriving community, he pā kaiao–a living lab, and he pā anamata–a bright future.
The space will act as both an environmentally conscious building as well a culturally immersive space for students and staff of the university, including the Māori community.
Having the combination of culture with the focus of sustainability means that the building will embody an essentially indigenous interpretation of space and community.
The living pā will consist of three levels: the bottom Rhonda Thomson, one of the tier being an open communal project’s Senior Leadership space for various kaupapa and "The challenge supports and Team members, discussed the activities; the centre tier being promotes the establishment importance of ‘the living pā’ a learning and interactive area being not necessarily an entirely for tauira; and the top tier being of ‘biophilic’ buildings different building, but instead for academic staff members— which, in essence, involve a way in which to “build on including the department of Te an attentive focus on nature the foundation, the legacy of Kawa a Māui and head Māori and its impact upon a space the wharenui”. This wharenui leadership offices. being Te Herenga Waka—which and the people within it. " translates to ‘the hitching post The process towards developing for canoes’ and was constructed the building is currently in its at 46 Kelburn Parade over thirty years ago by alumni second stage, focusing on the architectural preparation. and whānau of the university and wider Wellington. Collaboration have been initiated between various Rhonda also mentioned the significance of ‘the living departments, consultants, stakeholders—and pā’ being a space to preserve and nourish Māori culture furthermore, the student body— since November 2017. and the intricate connections that are valued. Organised hui and workshops have been of particular “Māori are facing a critical horizon to keep on being importance, in an effort to ensure decision making was Māori. We know that actually another word for being inclusive, open, and thorough. Māori is to be tangata whenua—so what does it mean to be tangata whenua? Well, it’s got to be about your “We want to build more than a building. We want relationship with the whenua.” a building that talks to our values and tikanga, that matches identity and place.” The challenge supports and promotes the establishment of ‘biophilic’ buildings which, in essence, involve an
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Ngāi Tauira Kapahaka - Te Herenga Waka Marae, 2018. Photo Credits: Victoria University of Wellington.
Te Herenga Waka Marae, ‘the hitching post for canoes’. Photo Credits: Victoria University of Wellington.
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M Ā RA M ATA K A THE MĀORI MĀRAMATAKA WAS WHAT GUIDED OUR ANCESTORS IN WHAT THEY DID IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES. THEY HAD KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE MOON, THE ENERGY IT POSSESSES, AND HOW THIS WOULD AFFECT THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND THE COMMUNITY THEY LIVED IN. THIS MĀRAMATAKA HELPED THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT DAYS AND NIGHTS WERE USED TO HARVEST AND COLLECT FOOD, TO LEARN, AND WHEN YOU SHOULD RELAX, WHEN PEOPLE WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE CRAZY AND WHEN THEY WERE MORE APPROACHABLE. WE CAN USE THESE LEARNINGS AND ADAPT THEM INTO OUR EVERYDAY LIVES, FROM FULL TO NEW MOON.
TE RĀKAUNUI-FULL MOON
MUTUWHENUA-WANING CRESCENT
A night where people are more likely to be crazy, so stay inside and lock the doors.
Go treat someone with something special; maybe someone close to you is having a hard week. Go buy them something nice or give them a call.
RĀKAUMATOHI-FULL MOON
ARIROA-NEW MOON
A calm night to be able to chill, have a cup of tea or play a board game.
A time to recover, so if you went out the night before, rug up and make sure you rest up.
TAKIRAU-WANING GIBBOUS
HUNA-NEW MOON
Get yourself all prepared, get your routine sorted, and make it feel like you have your life
People are more likely to be mischievous at this time, so be wary of people.
KOREKORE WHAKAPIRI-WANING GIBBOUS
MAWHARU-NEW MOON
Whatever your passion is, follow this and see where it takes you.
Look at new things as opportunities, give everything a go, and don't be scared.
TANGAROA Ā MUA-WANING GIBBOUS
ŌUENUKU-WAXING CRESCENT
Notice things around you and be observant to what life has to offer you.
If you are feeling run-down and need some RnR, go drink a lemon tea and have a nap. OKORO-WAXING CRESCENT
TANGAROA Ā ROTO-LAST QUARTER
If your cupboard is looking a bit empty, go to the supermarket and stock up on the things you need.
Be productive, finish that assignment you've been putting off. ORONGONUI-LAST QUARTER
TAMATEA ĀIO-FIRST QUARTER
This is a good time to go out and let your hair down. Go and get a drink with your mates.
Go do the things you've been putting off, stop watching YouTube and checking your Instagram.
ŌMUTU-WANING CRESCENT
Confront anything that is bothering you—maybe you have had a fight with a mate or something has been bottling up inside you for a while.
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M Ā RA M ATA K A MESSAGES FROM THE MOON ~ NGĀ KŌRERO MAI TE MĀRAMA
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