Reflection comes to us at times of loss

Piri Sciascia speaks with understanding.

Mate i te tamaiti he aurukwhao, mate i te wahine ka haea te takere.

The loss of a child may be likened to a leak in the canoe, but the loss of a woman is as if the hull has been rent.

An important part of leadership is the ability to practise humility when required. Being humbled and being brought to silence and reflection comes upon us, particularly in the loss of those dear to us through death. And so it is incumbent upon us to recognise with the passing of June Tomoana, who was the mother of our chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana, that he has been brought to a place of "wahangu" - which may be interpreted as not being so able to speak at this difficult time of mourning, and needing to have less to say during the coming months.

We extend again to the Tomoana and the Southon families our sincerest condolences in the loss of June, a woman of huge grace, and an epitome of humility herself in what was her very full life.

Humility and leadership go together. Knowing when to be unpretentious whilst also retaining the ability to give direction is a true gift. And if not a gift, it constitutes a learning to be valued and best attained early in one's call to leadership. Humility calls us to be open to the teachings of life. Mistakes and successes lead to greater understanding, and at best a deepened sense of gratitude of what life brings us. In the words of a wise woman: "We may long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but ours is also the duty to accomplish humble tasks as if they were great and noble."

We may best achieve humility by listening and valuing the thoughts and feelings of others, by being resilient rather than perfect, and by practising gratitude. We may also recognise the time to be less vocal, "me noho wahangu", me whaiwhakaaro noa. This is a time to become more compassionate, through our intimacy with loss.

Going forward with humble leadership brings an inner confidence of not only who we are as Maori in New Zealand society today, but in the global future that awaits our contribution as an important indigenous nation of the world.

Deputy chairperson Rill Meihana will lead the iwi during this time of mourning.

-Piri Sciascia is a member of the Ngti Kahungunu Taumata.