Last modified: 2018-07-02
Abstract
She stands tall at Rongo's threshold
The kuia calls and silence falls
"Haere mai haere mai haere mai"
Manuhiri stand at Tū's threshold
Women step first upon his earth
The call is answered"Karanga mai, karanga mai karanga mai"
Ka-ranga, activating the
Weaving of time and spaces
Of known and foreign faces
This is the dignity of
mana wāhine
Tāngata whenua dictate tikanga
in this space
Before stepping over Rongo’s threshold
Breath must be shared
Manuhiri still to prove
Their case
On Tu's open land
If they come as friend or foe
He hoa? he hoariri ranei?
Either way we are hoa
So let's deal with our grievances
At this threshold of time
Rectifying where tikanga was displaced
Where manaaki did not take place
Instead our home, our land
Invaded that saw her value
In property.
Her worth measured by the £
Disregarding her heart
Her true value asour Māmā
Whenua providing
For us to
Reciprocate her unconditional love
Her Aroha. Aro-hā
paying attention to her breath
To take care of her
To manaaki Papatūānuku
To mana-aki Papa-tū-ā-nuku
To encourage integrity
So that we-she can live with dignity
This is her and our
Mana motuhake
Dear conscience of the Crown.
You wanted to dictate tikanga here
With your man-made law
Vulnerable to corruption
But now our mother is dying and with that
the people die too
and guess what?
So do you.
So before our demise is upon us all.
Titiro, whakarongo
Let's kōrero.
Kōrero mai, kōrero atu
Pātai mai, pātai atu
No longer shall we go head-to-head
Taking this time for hearts to be heard instead
It's time to action mana-ā-kī,
so that we can stand as onewith dignity
where our words and actions are joined with integrity.
Let the hearts, ngā manawa take their rightful place
tuakana and vanguard of our grace,
Carving a pathway for its teina,
te hinengaro to unveil diverse truths
of tāngata mauri.
So stand, e tū i te mana o te wa,
in this time of integrity
Let us take our place as people of the land
To host you, to welcome you
Into our world
With tikanga derived from te ao māori
Let us manaaki
Let us mana-aki
Let us
mana-ā-kī.