Ko Te Wā,
Ko te ao tawhito o o tātou tūpuna,
Ka puta, ko te ao hou o tātou mā,
Ka puta te ao hurihuri,
Ka whānau mai te whakaaro… ‘Oranga o Te Ao’
Time is…
The world of ancient time of our ancestors,
The emergence of the new world, the changing world we inhabit today,
The birth of our thoughts and focus on the well being of our world and all living beings.
“During our time in rāhui some of us managed to connect or reconnect with whānau and friends using the technology we have available, or within our mirumiru, our bubbles. Some were mokemoke and felt alone, others faced stress and distress, uncertainty. We will remember this moment in time and history for a lifetime. During our rāhui most of us looked at the world in a different manner, learning to appreciate our world we live in.”
“Many described this time as Papatūānuku breathing. The sound of cars, trucks and aeroplanes was replaced with nature’s calls – birds singing, bees buzzing, sea creatures appearing close to shore and the freshness of the breeze gently blowing. Breathing inwards brought refreshment to our hinengaro and wairua, sweet nectars sent from ngā atua to remind us how precious our world is. Most of the time we forget and this was a gentle reminder. We must protect the health and well-being of our world, our health and wellbeing depends on it. ‘Oranga o Te Ao’ – we only have one.”
by Witi Ashby (Kaumātua for Te Rau Ora)
…As we move out of rāhui and get back into our everyday routines, these beautiful words by Matua Witi Ashby, reminds us about the magic of life. As many of us still have much work to complete, we may feel overwhelmed or come upon challenges throughout our day. Remember to stay strong and reconnect to yourself, to your whānau and to Papatūānuku. Because no matter what happens, the day will rise again tomorrow and we will have an opportunity to make a difference once more…
