‘He kai kei āku ringa.’
Ki ngā ringa o ngā tangata kia kapakapa mai i te hīkina atu te wero kia whakaora ai te reo Rangatira, ka tūohu, ka mihi maioha ahau kia koutou katoa. Ka whakaaro au ki te whakataukī ‘he kai kei āku ringa.’ ka puta te pātai, ‘he aha te pūtake mō tērā?’ Ko te kai he momo kia awhi, kia whāngai, kia poipoi tō haerenga ki te ao. I a pūkenga me te mātauranga kia whakakī tō kete, he kai kia tipu ngā huarahi tika mōu. I tēnei rangi, ka hoki ora mai a Tamanuiterā kia whakamahana te whenua.
To the hands of those that beat at the challenge to raise up and keep our language alive, let this message of gratitude go to you all, I bow to you also. I think about the whakataukī, ‘there is food in your hands’ and out comes the question, what is the origin, the meaning of this? The food refers to all the things that support, foster, and nurture our way in life. Each skill and knowledge that fills our basket are tools that help the opportunities that come for you grow. Today, we welcome back the warmth of The Sun as it warms our ground. We also embark into the second half of such an important week for us, celebrating and discovering Te Reo Māori, ahakoa he iti he pounamu, with that in mind let’s see what today’s post brings us:
Waiata ā ringa
The waiata ā ringa refers to the action song of the bracket. Waiata ā ringa became popular amongst performances from early memories of World War 1 to keep moral lifted, a connection back to the homelands, to remind themselves of who they are, lastly a way to release and have some type of entertainment through such a horrific time in history. We pay acknowledgements to so many who paved the way for waiata ā ringa, from Sir Apirana Ngata in the 1900’s, Princess Te Puea Hērangi nō Waikato ia with her mahi regarding the composition ‘ E noho e Rata’ where the waiata makes reference to the Māori monarch of the day. Waiata ā ringa is performed by both women and men usually following the same actions or those of similar nature where the actions typically make reference to what is being sung, to aid in telling the story. Over the years, waiata ā ringa has changed and adapted with the various instruments, formations, and tempo in a way to enhance the performance that little bit more.
For me, growing up waiata ā ringa was the one item that made us all feel connected and that we could all be a part of a kapa no matter how much experience. Today’s waiata nā Paraire Tomoana I tito te waiata I runga o ngā puke. This waiata for me makes me smile inside and out both watching and listening to it, you can see the fun and the harmony between all, a way to engage and invite all in to participate and tukuna tō waiata ki te ao.
Te waiata, tukuna mai ki te ao
Today’s waiata comes from the Tuari Brothers where they graced our ears with the calming, chill yet rhythmic notes of the waiata Whakatau Wairua. This waiata encourages the inner smile to come out and one that for me, helps to join and reconnect me back with those around me. A good reminder for us that life has so much to throw at us but if we remember peace and to keep calm in times of need.
Maramataka o te rā
Maranga mai Rakau-nui te maramataka o te rā nei. Today brings us into Rakau-nui aka the full moon. Now today is definitely a mean day for bountiful crops, it’s a day for fishing but not so much eeling. The energy levels out there today are high, the weathers changing like nothing and it may be feeling a bit airy and suspenseful in a good way or not. Remember to ground yourself back down when things feel like they are starting to get heightened, take time to admire at least 3 things within te taiao (the environment) and see what environmental indicators influence and effect your mood or output in the day, you might be surprised with your findings!
Kaitiakitanga
Diving head first into this uara, kaitiakitanga looks at the concept about guardianship and protecting the integrity of the whole of something. Now my upbringing in kapa haka starts from inside of the puku. As a growing pēpi though unable to fully hear and appreciate what was going on in the outside world, I was able to learn and grow with my mum in what she was teaching me from inside. From there, I began to grow, move, twist and kick as the mauri within could feel the stories and waiata radiating from my mums new found learning, just like Rūaumoko, this definitely gave her an upset puku in the lines, but it provided rules and boundaries at an early stage. Once out into the world, my kapa haka journey set off, though not far from my mum I managed to gain a front row seat at the base of her feet, or maybe my auntys, it became a bit unclear at that age! This sparked the whakaaro around integrity of items, once I was at the age that retention of new things being learnt was there, my mum and the rest of my whānau encouraged me to learn the waiata bit by bit so that one day I could stand with them like I do today. Then the cycle repeats as now I get to do those same things with my nephew and nieces.
Kupu o te rā
Today’s kupu is one that I encourage us all to give it a go! ‘Māia!’
Māia means to be brave, to be confident and in times when thinking of learning something new or that is outside of your comfort zone, when taking on a new challenge at school or making new friends, from having to make those tough adult or life choices, ‘kia māia tō haere!’ be brave and be confident in your journey! If you’ve walked around the Christchurch CBD you may have seen some of the bank signages where it says 'the natural progression for us starts from Kia ora then to Kei te pēhea koe?’ So kia māia tō haere koutou mā!
Ko te manako nui, kia rangimārie to rā I tēnei rangi, kia māia tō haere kia whai huarahi tika!
Ngā mihi,
Justice
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