As I pondered the self imposed pakirehua (question) How can culturally located marau ā-kura design be a pathway to reclaiming rangatiratanga?, I re-read this blog by Hohepa Isaac-Sharland. Hohepa talks of the vision he has for his tamariki and mokopuna, to thrive in a world where it is common to speak Māori and think Māori.
It would be a world they may stand proud and strong in! In traversing the country and visiting many kura in his role as a CORE facilitator, he has noticed that many of our schools are staunch in their pursuit to hold fast to the mātauranga held and passed on by their elders and local narratives. However he notes for some kura, they are still searching how this might be achieved. Here in lies the opportunity with culturally located marau ā-kura design.
Hohepa’s blog led me to consider the work of Phoebe Davis, a lead CORE facilitator. In designing culturally located marau alongside kura, Phoebe starts with the who of place? She asks, who are the tūpuna of the mana whenua? Who are the revolutionaries? Who are the changemakers, the problem finders and problem solvers? Who are the gun steam pudding makers? She then asks what…What are their associated stories, what bodies of mātauranga did they hold and what attributes are therefore inherent in the DNA of their descendants? These not only serve as building blocks to relevant curriculum content but act to cement strong identity based on local superheroes with superpowers performing super feats. Excellence is locally identified, culturally grounded and accessible.
– Nichole Gully, Kairangi Ngaio Māori and Kaihautū Māori, February 2021
He ako ā-nuku, he ako ā-rangi, he hua ki te tangata e!
nā Hohepa Isaac-Sharland
Tihei Mauri Ora!
Ka rere ake rā ngā kupu tangi ki a koutou e ngā mate tuatini kua whetūrangihia, tiaho mai rā i te poho o Ranginui hei kanohi arataki, hei mata tauira i te ara takahi mā te hunga e mahue mai nei ki muri. Koutou rā ki a koutou, kāti, e tātou mā, e ngā kaipupuri i te mauri o te ora, tēnā tātou katoa!
Hei kupu tuatahi māku, ehara ahau i te tohunga ki te reo, ki ngā kōrero o rātou mā, nā reira he wānanga ēnei kōrero āku e takahuri haere nei i te hinengaro, ka whakatakoto ki te pepa. Ka rua, ko tōku reo Māori hei reo tuarua mōku. Kāore ahau i tipu i tētahi kāinga kōrero Māori, nā reira, kei a koutou te tikanga he aha rā hei kapo atu māu, hei porowhiu rānei, ko te tumanako ia, he hua kei roto.
Whiringa-ā-nuku, Whiringa-ā-rangi e!
He ako ā-nuku, he ako ā-rangi, he hua ki te tangata e!
He aha ētahi o āna kōrero, he aha ētahi o ōna tohu hei arahi i te ako?
Tēnā, i a au e ako ana, e whakaako hoki ana, ko te reo tēnā hei whāriki i te whakaaro, nā reira, kia hohonu, kia whānui te puna mātauranga ko te rumaki ki ngā akoranga tuku iho te kai. Ko te whare o Tū, o Rongo, arā, ko te mau rākau, ko te whare o Tangaroa, arā, ko te whakatere waka. Nā reira, ko te ao Māori, ko te tirohanga Māori tōna tūāpapa.
E mōhiotia whānuitia ana, ko Whiringa-ā-nuku te wā e mahana haere nei te whenua i Aotearoa, ka mutu, ko Whiringa-ā-rangi te wā e wera haere ana te rangi! Ko te kōanga, ko te wā e puāwai mai ana ngā pua o te ngahere, ka puta ngā manu, ngā ngāngara ki te kai i ēnei hua. Ko te wā mahi māra, arā te whakatō kai. Arā noa atu, arā noa atu!
Ā tēnā, kua taha te noho tahi a Tama-nui-te-rā ki a Hine Takurua, ka huri tana noho i nāianei ki a Hine Raumati! Ka mahuta a Rehua ki te paerangi, he pūāhuru ā-nuku, he pūāhuru ā-rangi, kua tata tonu ngā waewae o Rehua e!
He nui ngā kōrero hei tiki atu, heoi, kia tīkina atu ētahi ngaungau hei kai. Hei wānanga tuatahi mā tātou, arā, ko te rere o Tama-nui-te-rā i te rangi me ngā kōrero mō Māui. He mōhio ō tātou tipuna ki te tātai whetū, ki te pōkai i te moana, ki te whai i ngā tohu o te taiao. Ko Māui tērā i whakamātau i ngā āhuatanga o tōna ao, ka tipu hei tohunga i tōna ao! I konā ka rere a whakaaro ki ngā akoranga ōna mā tāua. Ki ahau nei, ko tana whakapūhoi i te haere o te rā e whakaahua ana i tana tohungatanga ki ngā nekenekehanga, ki ngā kōrero mō te rā. Koia ko te āhua o tana rere i te rangi, te poto me te roa o ngā rangi, kei hea e noho ana i tēnā wā o te tau, he aha hoki te mahi e tika hei taua wā o te marama. Nā tēnei i āhei te tangata tana noho ora ki te whenua, ki te moana te whakarite. Heoi, koinei te wā o te tau e hoki haere ana te rā ki tana poupoutanga! Ko te wā hoki e kaha ake ana tātou ki te puta i ō tātou whare, e hari ake ana nā te mahana o te rā, e kaha ake ana te tinana ki te mahi i ngā hāora roa. E aha ana tātou i ēnei rangi ki te pupuri ki ēnei akoranga ōna? Kua wareware rānei tātou ki ngā tohutohu e tau ai te noho i tēnei ao hurihuri? Heoi, he kōrero katoa ēnei hei whakaaroaro mā tātou te tangata. Kāti, kia tahuri atu ki te take tuarua hei wānanga.
Ko te Pīpīwharauroa tēnā e hoki mai nei i ngā motu Horomona, i ngā motu Bismark ki Aotearoa. Koianei tētahi o ngā manu koroua i ora i te wā o rātou mā, e ora tonu ana i nāianei, ā, e takahi tonu ana i te ara tērā i takahia e ngā manu o mua noa atu! He tohu nui tēnei ki te hunga tere i te moana, he whenua tōna tauranga, koia ko te hekenga nui. Ko tōna reo he tohu o te taenga mai o Mahuru, otirā, te kōanga! Ko tēnei hoki te manu ka whānau mai ai ngā hua, ka waiho ki te kōhanga o manu kē, pēnei i te riroriro. E rua anake ngā āhuatanga hei kōrero māku. Ko te tuatahi e ahu atu ana ki tōna rerenga atu, tae noa atu ki tōna hokinga mai. E ai ki ngā kōrero i rite te tini o ngā manu e heke ana ki ngā huarahi o ēnei rangi e muia ana ki te motokā. I te ao, i te pō, he kāhui manu manomano e rere ngātahi ana i tēnā pito, ki tēnā pito. I ahatia aua manu? 
I patua kia mate noa pēnei i te Moa, i mate rānei i ngā mahi rāwekeweke a te tangata i te taiao e noho ana a ia? Ko te huhua o te tangata e haerēre ana, ko ngā pūkaha o te whenua, o te moana, o te rangi tonu e whakapōrearea ana i te pūnaha ora o te ao. Hei tuarua, ko tā te manu nei he waiho mā manu kē ana pīpī e whakawhānau, e whakatipu anō hoki. Ki te hoki whakamuri, he nui ngā kōrero a te Māori e whāngai ana i ngā tamariki o tōna whānau, o whānau kē! E pēnā ana i te rangi nei. Heoi anō, arā ētahi tangata i te ao e whāngai ana i ngā tamariki o whenua kē, o iwi kē! He aha ngā pānga nui ki a tātou, ki te whakapapa, ki ngā tāonga whakarere iho? Mēnā rā e taea ana e te manu nei tēnei mea te whakapono, he aha tātou i kore ai?
Hei whakatepe noa ake i aku kupu. Ko te ao i wawatahia nei e au mō aku tamariki, otirā mō aku mokopuna, he ao kōrero Māori, he ao whakaaro Māori e rangatira ai te tū i te ao! Ko tētahi āhuatanga e kaha ana te kitea i ētahi kura huri noa te motu, ko te ū ki ngā akoranga o kui mā, o koro mā, erangi ko ētahi e kimi tonu ana, e rapu tonu ana. Ko tāku iti nei, he whakatakoto i te whakaaro, kia kaha tātou ki te titiro ki te taiao me ōna kōrero, eaoia, he aha rā ngā pānga ki a koe i te wā nei, he aha ngā tauira o mua, o nāianei hei oranga mō āpōpō. Ā, kāti rā, tēnei rā tō koutou pōtiki e mihi ake ana ki ngā mana, ki ngā reo i tahuri mai ai ki te whakarongo ki ēnei maramara. Noho ora mai rā i ō tātou kāinga, i ō tātou whare mātauranga me te reo hei tāhū, e paihere nei i a tātou ki a tātou ki te ao o anamata! Ka heke!
October, November! Teachings of the earth and sky, beneficial to mankind!
by Hohepa Isaac-Sharland
Alas, ’tis the breath of life!
I would like to acknowledge the many who have found a place in the stars, I invite you to shine upon us as a guiding light, an example to follow for those of us left behind. The deceased to the deceased, alas we, the holders of the essence of life, greetings!
To commence, I would like to state that I am no expert of the language, or in the history of our ancestors, therefore, this is merely a discussion in my head now etched on paper. Secondly, this (te reo Māori) is my second language. I was not fortunate to grow up in a Māori language speaking home, therefore it is entirely up to you whether or not you regard or disregard any of this, however the hope is there is something beneficial to you.
October, November! Teachings of the earth and sky, beneficial to mankind!
What are some of the messages and signs associated with this time that may guide teaching or learning?
Now then, when I was learning and teaching, the Māori language was the vehicle for delivering my thoughts, therefore in order to deepen and broaden the knowledge source, traditional knowledge was my main sustenance. The house of Tū and Rongo, such as mau rākau, the house of Tangaroa, such as sailing. Therefore, the Māori world and its view was the foundation.
It is commonly known that October is when the earth is warmer, and November is when the suns heat is felt much more. It is Spring, when the flowers bloom, and the birds and insects feast on the fruits. It is a time for crops to be sown, and so on!
Now, the Sun has spent time with the Winter Maiden, and now turns to the Summer Maiden! Antares rises on the horizon, a time of warmth and heat; summer is almost upon us!
There are many issues to discuss, however let us bite off a little to chew on. The first thought we shall ponder, is that of the Sun’s journey in the sky and the adventures of Māui. Our ancestors where astronomers, who voyaged the oceans and followed the signs in the environment. Māui was one of these, who explored his surroundings and became expert in his world! Here provokes thought in relation to his deed as teachings to us all. I think that his act of slowing the sun, reflects his expertise in the movements and knowledge about the Sun. The orbit, the length of the day, its place throughout the year and what activities were appropriate at that time of the month. It was this that enabled mankind to survive on land and at sea. Accordingly, this is the time of the year that the sun is returning to its peak! We are much more energised to get outside, we are generally happier, and our bodies are stronger to endure longer hours. What are we doing currently to retain these teachings? Or have we forgotten this guidance to enable us to live in the modern world? This is something for us to consider as mankind. Now then, let us ponder another concept.
It is the time the Shining Cuckoo returns from the Solomon Islands and the Bismark Archipelago to the land of the Long White Cloud. This is the one of the ancient birds that lived at the time of our ancestors, is still living today and travels the paths of its predecessors! This is a significant sign to sea voyagers that land is the destination, that being, the great migration. Its song symbolises the arrival of September, it is Spring indeed! This is also the bird that lays it’s eggs and then places them in the nest of other bird species, such as the Grey Warbler. I would like to discuss only two of these features. The first refers to migrational patterns. The migrating birds can be compared to the busy motorways on which our vehicles travel. Throughout the day and night the multitudes would travel the sky from one destination to the next. What happened to those birds? Were they slaughtered to extinction? Or was their fate determined by the destructive nature of mankind? The numerous ocean liners, the machines of land, sea and sky that alter the ecological systems of the world. Secondly, this bird places its eggs amongst other species to hatch or rear. If we look to our past, there are many stories of children being adopted or fostered within and outside their own family. This is common today. However, there are many in the world today who adopt children from other countries and cultures. What are the implications and how does this impact on our genealogy and those treasures left behind? If this bird can trust in others, why can’t we?
In conclude, the vision I have for my children and grandchildren, is a world where it is common to speak Māori and think Māori so they may stand proud and strong in society! Something that I have noticed in many of our schools is the staunchness to hold fast to the teachings of our elders, however for some, they are still searching. Mine has been to present a thought for us to consider and to encourage us to refer to the environment for guidance and think about the present implications of this way of thinking for you, and to think about the examples of the past, and present that will ensure a healthy future. I humbly acknowledge all who have considered listening to these few words, be safe in your homes, in your houses of knowledge where the Māori language is the main ridge pole, that binds us all together towards the future! And with that I conclude my blog!
Ngā whakaahua
- Te ngahere i te kōanga
- Te Tūī e kai ana i ngā hua o the Kōwhai
- Te māra kai (kūmara)
- Māui me te Rā
- Te hekenga o te Pīpīwharauroa
- Te whāngai i te Pīpīwharauroa
Rārangi honongaitua
- Whiringa-nuku (Fifth Month) — AstronomyNZ
- Whiringa-a-rangi (Sixth Month) — AstronomyNZ
- Rehua — Wikipedia
- Whiringa — Māori Dictionary
- Journal of the Polynesian Society
- Shining cuckoo — New Zealand Birds Online
Te Marau ā-Kura kia Tina!
Visit our dedicated page for more resources with strong connections to marau ā-kura.
Hohepa Isaac-Sharland
Latest posts by Hohepa Isaac-Sharland (see all)
- Tō reo ki te raki, tō mana ki te whenua - November 28, 2018
- He whetū mārama i te mata o te whenua! - October 29, 2015
- He ako ā-nuku, he ako ā-rangi, he hua ki te tangata e! (October, November! Teachings of the earth and sky, beneficial to mankind!) - October 22, 2014
Mihi mai e te tui, tui, tuia.
korero tonu mai Koa…..mihi whaaroa)
koia
Ka tika tēnei whakamaumaratanga kia huri te kei o te waka ki ngā mahi o ngā tūpuna. Tēnā rawa atu koe Hohepa.