Being around a lot of kōrero or discussions involving traditional Whanganui practices has got Jay Rerekura thinking. Photo / Bevan Conley
Being around a lot of kōrero or discussions involving traditional Whanganui practices has got Jay Rerekura thinking. Photo / Bevan Conley
OPINION
It’s been a hectic start to the year and I’ve been deep in thought lately… and yes, it hurts my head sometimes.
But I’ve been thinking about all of the things. Things that are important. Important to myself, important to my culture, important to my offspring… or as Ilovingly call them, my dependants.
As I’ve pondered these things I have questioned myself and said, “Self, what does it all mean? What’s important? What is the meaning of life?”
The following diatribe is some of my thoughts put to paper.
Why have I even been asking myself these questions? Some of the catalysts have been current events. It’s been busy, it’s been hot and muggy and we’ve had some floods.
The many challenges we have faced recently and probably entirely too much time procrastinating and being lost in thought.
Anywho... I’ve also been around a lot of kōrero or discussion involving traditional Whanganui practices. Now, note that I say ‘traditional Whanganui’ in place of ‘traditional Māori’. The traditions of the people of Whanganui or the awa.
Because, who am I to speak on behalf of all Māori? Which is probably a whole other discussion that we can have at another time. But I’ve been around it, and it’s been very interesting learning about some of the traditions we have lost, remembering these lost traditions, and then understanding these traditions, their importance and their value.
For instance, maramataka. Known simply as the lunar calendar. Māori followed this before the introduction of the more commonly known Gregorian calendar which, evidently, is based on the northern hemisphere.
Jay Rerekura. Photo / Supplied
Why is that important? Well, many, many generations ago when we were deeply connected to the taiao (nature, environment), we were so reliant on our knowledge and connection to the environment, that if we got any of it wrong (cue suspense music) it could be a matter of life or death.
Understanding weather patterns, when to plant certain kai, what migrational patterns might be occurring when, and where.
All of this is vital to not only sustain life but to thrive alongside the environment that makes it so. I’m no meteorologist or master of astronomy. So any and all questions can be directed somewhere else, but, it is fascinating to think our tupuna (ancestors) had all this science locked down in such beautiful and simple ways.
Hei ngaungau mā te whatu manawa. Something for us to chew over, food for thought.
This is but one knowledge stream that is hugely important to us and conversely, our environment which, by the way, is part of us also.
It’s a knowledge stream that we have largely lost, but thankfully we have reignited the spark of hiahia or desire to learn, remember and, with a bit of luck, apply to our lives.
With all of this in mind, I learned something else a couple of weeks ago from a very wise young man.
Let’s not relegate our traditions, our connections, and the important things our ancestors have handed down to us to ‘once upon a time’.
Progress isn’t always about letting go of thousands of years and generations of scientific observations, and I use that word ‘scientific’ very much on purpose because that is what it is.
Sometimes progress is about reclaiming those spaces and the traditional knowledge that exists.
So, let’s not leave this knowledge in the realm of myth and legend. Let’s bring it out of ‘once upon a time’ and into the here and now. Present time and space.
Build that pā tuna and utu piharau (eel and lamprey weirs) we’ve heard so many stories about. What does it all mean? What is important? What is the meaning of life?
As I said earlier, hei ngaungau mā te whatu manawa.
