Term four has started with a bang with Erana and Whaea Faith visiting he whānau o Island Bay Te Whānau Tupu Ngātahi o Aoteaora.  We were greeted with amazing manaakitanga (hospitality), kaitahi (sharing kai together) and mahi toi (art and craft).

Emma Rolleston, Kaihononga Māori (USI Region) visited Whakatū (Nelson) and shares her haerenga (trip) with us and Jean Yern, Kaihononga Māori (CNI Region) attends koha o kahu manu (cloak of feather ceremony) in Te Aroha, both included in this update.

He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tirene: The Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand

In this month’s update, we recognise the signing of He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tirene: the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand, on 28 October 1835.

On this day 34 northern chiefs who called themselves the Confederation of United Tribes signed the Declaration of Independence which consisted of four articles:

  • Declaring the independence of the signatories who were the Chiefs of the United Tribes of New Zealand.
  • Declaring the kingitanga and mana held collectively by the Chiefs of these United Tribes.
  • Declaring that there would be meetings in autumn each year to frame laws, maintain peace and order, serve justice, and regulate trade.
  • Stating that a copy of the declaration would be sent to the King of England asking him to be Matua (parent) to the infant state.

Additional signatures were added over the next 4 years, but finally tribal warfare prevented the Declaration of Independence from gathering further signatures.

It was a short time after He Whakaputanga The Declaration of Independence was signed that the Treaty of Waitangi was signed. There are some suggestions that He Whakaputanga made a Treaty necessary because it led to New Zealand becoming recognised as a sovereign nation.

 

Remembering Parihaka (5 November)

Parihaka Day, a day that marks a significant event in New Zealand’s history. Teachertalk wrote a pakiwaitara (story) you can share with your tamariki…

Parihaka is a small village today, but its spirit stands tall with its story of peace!

Over 130 years ago in 1866 there was a peaceful Pā on the lower slopes of Mount Taranaki called Parihaka. It lay between the Taranaki Coast and Mount Taranaki. Only a few years after the Treaty of Waitangi signing in 1840, which promised Māori they keep their land, Crown soldiers were marching onto many Pā and taking away their land by force.

Two Māori leaders, Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi, built Parihaka as a place where whānau could find safety from the war that was happening around them. All people of different iwi were welcomed and there were a few thousand people living at Parihaka at this time. The hapū would wear raukura (feather plume) on their head to show that they loved each other and cared for their land. The people of Parihaka were peaceful people.

One day, the people of Parihaka heard that Crown soldiers were coming. This meant a war could happen. They worked in groups to build fences, dig up their land to grow crops and use the land to show this was their home.

Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi heard the soldiers were coming to destroy Parihaka – their home. They told everyone to come to the marae for a hui. Together, everyone decided that they would wait for the soldiers and pōwhiri them when they arrived.

On the 5th of November in 1881, thousands of soldiers arrived at Parihaka. They were greeted by the whānau of Parihaka waiting peacefully. The women had baked many loaves of bread for the hungry soldiers and the tamariki sang beautiful waiata and danced with their poi.

Although they couldn’t stop the soldiers from coming into Parihaka, they still stood tall for the people. The soldiers came and took Te Whiti o Rongomai, Tohu Kākahi, and the other men who lived at Parihaka to a prison, far away to Te Wai Pounamu. When Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi were allowed to leave prison two years later, they came back and rebuilt their papa kāinga (original home). It had been a horrible time for the whānau of Parihaka. Their sacred homes, buildings, food crops, and livestock were all destroyed by the soldiers.

Just recently, over 130 years later, the Crown made an apology to the hapū of Parihaka and Taranaki about the way they had been treated so unfairly. The Crown said they had done wrong, they had made bad choices and had hurt the whānau of Parihaka and their descendants.

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USI Kaihononga Māori visits Nelson: The case of the travelling poi

Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro nōna te ngahere, ko te manu e kai ana i te matauranga nōna te ao. The bird that consumes the miro berry owns the forest. The bird that consumes knowledge owns the world.

I was lucky enough to travel to the Nelson/Tasman region where I was met with the the manaakitanga of the centres within this region. I took the poi workshop with me on my centre visits and the response from whānau was fantastic. Our tamariki naturally took an interest as they watched their parents/caregivers recreate a traditional Māori Taonga.

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini. – My strength does not come from the work of an individual but the input of many.

The Poi has its own whakapapa, which can be traced to Tānemahuta, the ancestral god of the forests and all things living in it. Tānemahuta mated with Hineiterepo (the swamp maiden) and they produced raupō (bulrush).  Tānemahuta also mated with Pakoti (Pakoki) and created a superior species of harakeke (flax). Raupō and harakeke are the main traditional sources for making Poi which are used in the game Poi Toa.

Emma Rolleston, Kaihononga Maori (USI Region)

CNI Kaihononga Māori Visit: Te Aroha Playcentre is gifted a new kahumanu

On Tuesday 18th October 2022, Te Aroha Playcentre celebrated their new Kahumanu cloak of feathers gifted by local weaver and community pou – Janet Hayes, with a karakia and kaitahi sharing kai together. Te Aroha Playcentre Kaiako – Michelle, lead the event formalities with karakia and waiata followed by CNI Kaihononga Māori – Jean, karakia mo te kahumanu blessing for the cloak of feathers.

Janet then gave a vivid explanation of what the different parts of the kahumanu represented; ”Each colour in the kahumanu carries meaning; Black is the whenua land to which our tamariki are grounded to; sheltered by our Maunga Te Aroha and sustained by our awa Waihou. Brown for the whenua, yellow for the warmth of the sun, and white is the encouragement for our tamariki to reach for the stars”.

Kaiako Michelle lead the karakia whakakapi closing waiata and karakia mo te kai so we could celebrate and eat delicious kaitahi. Te Aroha Playcentre is very honoured and privileged to receive such a beautiful taonga. This taonga will be treasured for generations to come.

A huge thanks Janet Hayes, Kaiako Michelle, Kaiako mā o Te Aroha Whānau Tupu Ngātahi o Aotearoa, CNI regional office, and the Tamariki nohinohi o Te Aroha Whānau Tupu Ngātahi for the wonderful morning.

Jean Yern, Kaihononga Maori (CNI Region)

Photo 1: Te Aroha Playcentres new Kahumanu.

 

Photo 2 (left to right): Kor, Hilary, Janet, Michelle with tamaiti Te Ariki; who will be the first to wear the kahumanu hou at their graduation in a few weeks as they will be going to school on the 8th of Nov. (And Kor’s tamaiti will be the second to wear it, not pictured.) and Ange.

 

Photo 3 (left to right): Janet Hayes shares the meaning behind the Kahumanu she made and gifted to Te Aroha Playcentre with Jean CNI Kaihononga Māori holding it up.