Ko Kurī ki te Raki…
Nau mai, hoki mai ki te īmēra tuarua, ko ngā kaupapa o te rā nei oooh we are in for a bit of treat! Inanahi, yesterday we kicked off our celebrations for Te Wiki o te reo Māori with bringing life to Te mahi a Tāne Rore with tītī tōrea making as well as Tāne Rore, Hine Rehia, maranga mai with poi and/or tītī tōrea making, giving life to both our atua regarding kapa haka! Today we celebrate Te reo Rangatira within the walls of Tūranga as we listen out for the reo of the one and only Whaea Justice for Ngā Pakiwaitara!
Papatipu talks
Ko Te Poho o Tamatea te maunga
Ko Ōmaru te awa
Ko Whakaraupō te moana
Ko Rāpaki te marae
Ko Wheke te whare tupuna
‘Te Poho o Tamatea, maranga mai.’
Today we take a ride back over the hill to Te Rāpaki o te raki Te Rakiwhakaputa, more commonly known as Rāpaki. Te Rakiwhakaputa was a warrior chief where kōrero tells it that he claimed territory through intermarriage and tribal warfare with Ngāti Mamoe and Waitaha. When he arrived at the shore, he placed his rāpaki on the ground to claim the whenua his descendants would become known by, ‘Te Rāpaki o te Rakiwhakaputa, tū mai rā te whare tupuna ko Wheke, ko Wheke!’ The eldest son Manuwhiri would become chief of the neighbouring pā Ōhinetahi, found in Governors Bay and his second son Wheke became Chief of Te Rāpaki o Te Rakiwhakaputa. The shoreline and coastal areas within the harbour was chosen for its abundance in kai moana and Mahika kai resources, the central being the flourishing of raupō for which it was named – Whakaraupō.
‘Ka tū au i te taumata, Te Poho o Tamatea te mauka, ka titiro atu ki te moana ko Whakaraupō e rere atu rā!’
Now I always pay acknowledgements and mihi to our whānau e noho ana ki runga I te whenua o Te Rāpaki o Te Rakiwhakaputa as this whenua, the whare tupuna and the moana helped to grow me into the me that I am. Taua Doe, Aunty Rangimā, the parata crew and our parata-takurua whānau, our Tauwhare connections and so many more memories that take me all the way back to us cuzzies jamming it down on the wharf before The Pā Kids were formed. I remember a time where we would dig for hot springs just like the kōrero of Tamatea Pōkai Whenua and Ngātoroirangi, long story short Tamatea Pokai Whenua was returning from his voyage from Murihiku when a storm struck, they found shelter in a harbour, filled with Raupō which they named Whakaraupō.
‘Tamatea and a party from the waka climbed the nearest peak to recite the necessary karakia for aide. He called to tohunga, Ngātoroirangi to send him fire and save his people. It is said that Ngātoroirangi sent flames Te Pupū and Te Hoata to the South Island. Though some fell to the ground at Te Whakatakanga-o-te-ngaheru-o-te-ahi-a-Tamatea (Hanmer Springs), they eventually arrived, and the evidence can still be seen today at Te Ahi a Tamatea.’
Now Rāpaki marae has also had a make over which IYKYK! Gone are the days guessing ‘nā wai i tangi te pere? Who rang the bell?’ but I remember thinking Rāpaki marae was the futuuuure of the marae revamps! One thing that I will never forget is Hana Koko on the Pā! You may have seen Santa Claus in the malls, but when you’ve seen him roll down that slope into the marae with a tank singlet on a Harley Davidson, you know you’ve really seen it all! This year, he’s riding his Harley on a new track, I’m still sending my wishlist up to you!
He kai kei āku rika
Karanga – The karanga is a formal welcoming call traditionally reserved for our more senior wāhine (females) alternating between hau kainga (hosts) and manuhiri (visitors). This usually encompasses three different sections of calling where calls and responses are regarding the living, those that have passed, and finally the beginning exchanges of information to establish the purpose of the visit. Growing up, I’ve always heard our taua’s and aunties standing out on the mahau so I will always associate karanga with Rāpaki marae. I like to also relate the karanga manu (bird calls) that sound throughout the pā in ode to another reason as to why karanga resides for me out at Rāpaki.
Te waiata tukuna mai ki te ao
Today’s waiata takes my mind back to a time of innocence, to the time where I would fall asleep on the marae to my nannies and koro’s singing the night into morning. Karanga Waipounamu is one for the records for sure, don’ot forget to hold on to that 50c piece in the chorus e te whānau! Let the sounds of this waiata welcome you into the day!
Maramataka o te rā
Ko Okoro te marama o te rā nei. Today’s marama phase is Okoro which we know today medium energy vibes are floating around today. It is another good day for planting and fishing so get out in the māra (garden) e te whānau, take the whānau down to the moana and see what Tangaroa has in store for you!
Te kupu o te rā
Today’s kupu o te rā is one that I know we all love to hear! Let me paint the picture, mahi or kura has just started, the day begins and lots of things start piling up on your plate! Then you forget that it’s time for a break, but as you go for your break someone comes and stops or distracts you from your break so you end up running on an empty tank, and the afternoon rolls around and your mate says, ‘bro you’re looking burnt out, have a whakataa.’ Today’s kupu o te rā is whakataa, meaning to rest or take a break so keep this one in the back pūkoro (pocket) for the next moment you need a whakataa.
He manawa tahi, he manawa ora, he manawa toa, te manawa o Kāi Tahu.
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