Standing with our Whanaunga

On Sunday 7 July Kaeo congregation relocated for the day to the Te Ngaere Marae of Ngāitūpango. The Waitangi Tribunal was due to arrive in the afternoon to spend the week hearing evidence from Whangaroa Hapū. Te Ngaere is an important place in Whangaroa history, as for all of Ngā Puhi. It is remembered as the place of the first Whakaminenga (assembly) of the rangatira of the north, who gathered in response to the European newcomers so that they could strategise about how best to relate to them and get mutual benefit. Their deliberations were the basis for a number of communications, including meetings, with the Crown, as they sought to work directly as local sovereigns with the newcomers' sovereign in England.

In the morning, prior to the tribunal's arrival, all the supporting people of Ngā Puhi – Ngā Puhi Nui Tonu – were welcomed by the home people of Ngāitūpango. Our church congregation chose to be there because the Whangaroa hapū are our own people. We stand with them as their relations.

As I sat in the morning powhiri listening to the speeches of a number of people I now think of as friends, I was thinking of words I might have used to convey the greetings and love that we of Wesleydale Church brought, just by being there. The spirit of whanaungatanga, of being one people before the Creator (however we name the source of all that is) – that's what I carried in my mind and heart throughout that day and each time I was able to sit and listen at the Tribunal Hearing.

My thoughts began with the creator, which is where Māori whaikorero regularly begins.

He hōnore, he korōria ki te Atua, he maungorongo ki te whenua, he whakaaro pai ki ngā tāngata katoa.

Ko te mihi tuatahi ki te Atua Kaha Rawa, ki a Io, Io Matua Kore. Ko ia te Kaihanga o te ao me te pō, te Matua i mua i tōna mata he iwi kotahi tātou.

The purpose of the Tribunal hearing goes deep for our Whangaroa people – he kaupapa nui tēnei. Nō reira – therefore, our presence was one small way of acknowledging that, and of expressing our wish to be alongside as they took courage to speak of past and future, of pain and aspiration. Rural ministry has shown me that the only way to deal with hurt and loss is to face it, to bear to sit with it, and together work for a new season to come. It's also taught me the power and empowerment of solidarity.

I tae mai rā mātou mō te kaupapa hōhonu nei ki te tū kei taha i ō mātou whanaunga, ngā hapū o Whangaroa. E ngā whanaunga, e hoa, e hiahia ana mātou ki te awhi, ki te tautoko i tērā rā powhiri, i ngā rā e rima o te wiki Taraipiūnara, i ngā wā hoki e whai ake nei.

He wā ki te kōrero nei. He wā ki te whakarongo. Nō reira, tō mātou mahi ki te whakarongo. Ōku whakaaro, tōku titiro, e hia kē nei ngā hua nō tēnei kaupapa whakarongo, mō te oranga hei te iwi, mō te oranga hei te motu, te iwi me te tauiwi ngā tahi.

Na, anō te pai, anō te ahuareka o te nohoanga o ngā teina o ngā tuakana i runga i te whakaaro kotahi. (Psalm 133:1)

Through listening and continuing to listen to our Whangaroa relations, I've gained a glimpse of a future I hadn't dreamed of until now: well-being and livelihood on the land for people who belong there, who want to live on and with the land. And finding a way to this without adding injustice to what has already been an overdose of injustice.

If you are wondering how, take a listen to people of Whangaroa hapū. “Hearing people to speech” is something we can all do for those around us, just as we need to do for those dear to us. It's what relationship is about.

And if you are wondering why this “Rambling” has parts that not everyone will understand (some of you will say that is always the case when Robyn gets going!), the fact is that this newsletter goes out for all who are interested in our parish and community, and a number of them are first language Māori speakers. By only writing in English we perpetuate the situation in which part of our community is kept invisible. Its voice (reo) is kept silent.

Big apologies though to those for whom the reo is your reo: apologies for my faltering attempts to communicate with you. I think I understand when kaumatua friends apologise for their English, knowing that things that matter are spoken most clearly in the first language. Yet they persist, because it's important to do what we can to communicate one to another. I want to give that a go too.

Shalom, Robyn

Forgiveness means that I continually am willing to forgive the other person for not being God--for not fulfilling all my needs. I, too, must ask forgiveness for not being able to fulfill other people's needs.... When you forgive people for not being God, then you can celebrate that they are a reflection of God.                                                                                                    Henri Nouwen