MAIOHATANGA
Words by Te Huihui o Matariki Chi Huy Tran (He/him - Taranaki, Te iwi o Maruwharnui)
Ki tōku maunga kaha - Taranaki. Ki tōku awa tapu - Waitara. Ki tōku tīpuna nui - Maruwharanui. E tuku mihi au ki a koutou me taku whakaute me taku whakawhetai ki ngā hau e whā o te motu whanui. Ki te kore he aroha, he parau te otinga. He aroha whakatō, he aroha puta mai. Ka whakarauika tēnei karere mō ake tonu atu. Tēnā koutou e pānuitia i tēnei karere, ngā tangata o Te Herenga Waka, ngā uri o ngā hau e whā tēnei au e tuohu ake nei. Karawhiua!
Having the opportunity to be both the editor and designer for Te Ao Mārama i tēnei tau is a wonderful privilege. I have to say that extra work on top of study and mahi has been quite overwhelming. But with the help from our tauira Māori, translators and the Salient team, we have managed to pull everything together just in time. Hence I am super grateful for that; a big mihi to everyone ! Speaking of gratitude, I bet everyone has something that they are grateful for. Right? For me, I appreciate everything that I’ve got in life at the moment. Though there are different bits/aspects and the whole concept of “Life’s not always pink”. But overall, it feels great just to; you know, exist lol. And as Māori individuals, there are so many things that we can appreciate within Te Ao Māori. From our rich culture, customs, arts, and reo to the strong connection with Te Taiao. Still, I often get caught in the hustling flow and don’t realise the beautiful things that are happening around me. And I bet I’m not the only one; you wouldn’t always notice how precious and important something or someone is until they disappear from your life. I wish I could’ve said a simple “I love you” to my parents before having to say goodbye. Four years went by, not having them by my side on my journey from entering my teenage years to becoming a young adult. It’s somewhat of a great emptiness.
Sometimes, it takes much more than expected for someone to show their gratitude, or they won’t show it at all. That doesn’t mean the efforts you put in are insufficient. If it’s you doing something for someone or yourself; perhaps you should appreciate yourself first, the time you’ve spent and the work you’ve done; instead of trying so hard for someone’s opinion.
A simple “Thank you” can mean a lot to someone. If you’re the type of person, who wouldn’t usually say that, get your gratitude muscles trained e hoa mā! Tell your mates how much they mean to you. Tell your family how grateful you are to grow up around them. And finally, after a long day of mahi, tell yourself that you’re proud of your achievements. Whether small or big, they all matter, and so do you 🤎.
HAU ĒTITA - MAIOHATANGA
He kupu nā Te Huihui o Matariki Chi Huy Tran (He/him - Taranaki, Te iwi o Maruwharnui)
Ki tōku maunga kaha - Taranaki. Ki tōku awa tapu - Waitara. Ki tōku tīpuna nui - Maruwharanui. E tuku mihi atu au ki a koutou me taku whakaute me taku whakawhetai ki ngā hau e whā o te motu whānui. Ki te kore he aroha, he parau te otinga. He aroha whakatō, he aroha puta mai. Ka whakarauika tēnei karere mō ake tonu atu. Tēnā koutou e pānui ana i tēnei karere, ngā tāngata o Te Herenga Waka, ngā uri o ngā hau e whā tēnei au e tuohu ake nei. Karawhiua!
Nōku te whiwhi nui ki te whai wāhi atu ki Te Ao Marama hei ringa takatā, hei kaihoahoa anō hoki i tēnei tau. Me taku kī atu, kua pokea e ngā tāpirihanga ako, e ngā tāpirihanga mahi anō hoki. Engari, nā te awhina a ō tātou tauira Māori, ngā kaiwhakawhiti reo me te tīma o Salient i ea ai ngā mahi katoa i a tātou i te wā e tika ana. Nō reira au ka whakawhetai atu ki tēnā; he mihi nui ki ngā tāngata katoa! Mō te taha ki te whakawhetai, kāore e kore e whakawhetai ana ngā tāngata katoa ki tētahi mea, nē? Mōku ake, e whakawhetai ana ki ngā mea katoa e mau nei e au i tēnei wā. Ahakoa he rerekē ngā āhuatanga me te aroaro o tēnei kōrero, “Life isn’t always pink.” Engari, i te mutunga iho, he pai kia ora noa, nē, ktk. He nui ngā mea nō roto i Te Ao Māori e taea ai e tātou ngā tāngata Māori te whakamaioha pēnā i tō tātou ahurea whairawa, ō tātou tikanga, ō tātou toi, me tō tātou reo, tae atu ki tō tātou hononga ki Te Taiao. Heoi, nā te nui o ngā mahi he rite tonu taku kūare ki ngā mea ātaahua maha kei mua i te aroaro. Ko taku whakapae, ehara ko au anake e pēnā ana; Ka ngaro atu ana tētahi mea, tētahi tangata rānei, ka mōhio koe ki tōna nui, ki tōna hirahira. Ka koingo taku ngākau ki tāku i kore ai e waha “i love you,” ki ōku mātua, i mua i taku wehenga atu. Kua whā tau rāua i tamō i tōku haerenga, mai i tōku taiohitanga tae atu ki taku pakeketanga. Anō nei he matihere hemonga kore.
Me uaua ka whakapuaki te tangata i tāna i ngākau reka ai, e kore rawa e whakapuaki rānei. Ehara i te mea he huakore nō tō whakapau kaha. Mena koe e mahi ana mō tangata kē, mōhou ake rānei; tēnā pea me whakamaioha i a koe anō, i te wā kua whakapaua me ngā mahi kua mahia e koe; mahue kē ngā whakaaro a tangata kē atu.
He mana nui tō te kōrero,“Thank you.” Mēnā koe he tangata kāore e kaha kōrero pēnā, whakangungua o pūkenga whakawhetai e hoa mā! Whakamānawatia ō hoa, arohaina tō whānau mō te āhua o tō whakatipu ki ā rātou taha. Ka mutu, whaimuri i tētahi rā roa me ngā mahi o roto, me kī atu ki a koe anō e poho kererū ana koe i ō whakatutukitanga. Ahakoa he iti, he nui rānei, he pounamu ngā mahi katoa, he pounamu hoki koe 🤎.