Nanny Jo and the Wild Mokopuna
Nā Moira Wairama i tuhi, nā Margaret i hanga ngā whakaahua
Ko ngā mate o te ao, haere, haere, hoki atu rātou ki Te Waka o Rangi. Rātou ki a rātou ko te hunga mate, tātou ki a tātou ko te hunga ora, tīhei mauri ora. To those who have passed on in this world, go and be with Te Waka o Rangi. This pukapuka journeys alongside the wild mokopuna, their whānau as well as our main star, Nanny Jo.
“Nanny Jo can you take us to the … pleeeeease,” is where our story starts. We can all remember a time in our younger days, or even recognise in the youngsters around us -cousins, siblings, whānau or friends - the scheming to get to something exciting, something fun, something new. And maybe we relied heavily on our nanny or our koro (grandfather).
The mokopuna in this whānau like to venture into all areas of the environment every chance they get. Slowly over time, we begin to see and learn about Nanny Jo, whose health is deteriorating. As she adorns her head with the wrappings of a silk scarf, she is less able to engage with her mokopuna in a physical capacity, and so we see a shift where Nanny Jo asks her moko to sit with her as she begins to explore a new world with her mokopuna to help them understand the next turn of events for Nanny Jo.
She retells her mokopuna a story gifted to us all by Tā Rangi Matamua, preparing them for Nanny Jo to go and sit on Te Waka o Rangi. Nanny Jo explains the intricacies of this waka (canoe), who will captain it, as well as who will be able to journey on it. This story captivates all ages of listeners as there are undertones, specifics and parts of the story which you can relate to at any age or culture.
For the wild mokopuna, this story leaves them hungry and wanting more "...can you tell us the story again, pleeeeease!”
In response, koro takes them to the bush where they plant a tree in honour of Nanny Jo. One day that will be a tree of remembrance for her.
Now, as we are all familiar with the circle of life, we know that our time here on the whenua comes to an end. But what a beautiful way for Nanny Jo to prepare her mokopuna for when she ascends to this special waka they know will carry and protect their Nanny - and one night that’s just what happens.
Nanny Jo looks over her wild mokopuna now and forever just like how our own nanny, our own koro and our own whānau continue to watch over us as we walk through a life filled with new opportunities just waiting to be seized.
This pukapuka is an easy way for us to begin having conversations with our younger tamariki in regard to our whānau who may not be with us for much longer, just as much as we would for our mōkai (pets) as well acknowledging the fallen favourite toys and teddies of our tamariki.
This pukapuka is available in English as Nanny Jo and the wild mokopuna and in te reo Māori as Nani Jo me Nga mokopuna porohianga.
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