Tuhoe. Homai te Pakipaki.



Ati and Bull. Image Birgit Krippner

In the western world we often clap our hands when we cheer, celebrate and acknowledge achievements and victories. When people receive gold medals and books at Te Kura o Ruatoki prize giving, they will be greeted by claps, cheers and maybe a haka or 3.

So yesterday, at parliament after the announcement that the third reading of the Te Urewera – Tūhoe bill had been heard, it was also greeted by cheers and claps and a haka or 3.

The clapping also reminded me of a growling we got at Ruatoki School from Koroua Rangipuke Tari, Koro Ran.

We had manuhiri come to visit, so the kura had a pohiri. I would have been form 1, it was before Ruatoki became a high school again, so we were the pakeke at the kura.

Anyway, when this particular manuhiri finished his korero, someone started clapping. Maybe it was one of the manuhiri, maybe it was one of our teachers, but anyway, we all started to clap.

Heoi ano, the pohiri ended and we were ushered back to our class room. Kātahi ka rīrīa mātou e te Hams raua ko koro Ran. I remember Koro Ran saying that Tūhoe only clapped to scare the birds and sometimes horses from the marae lawn. We were told that we should never clap a speaker on the marae. That growling stuck with me.

In my job I am at heaps of events that involve clapping. Concerts, festivals, exhibitions, shows in clubs, pubs and bars. Even then, I remember koro Ran’s korero that clapping is only to scare the birds and I often find myself standing there not clapping at concerts, festivals, and all the other places that clapping would be appropriate. All because of that growling from Koro Ran.

So yesterday, I walked to parliament from my kainga here in Poneke. I reflected on the long hikoi that started in 1865 with the invasion of Te Urewera and the many pairs of feet that have trodden their way to parliament from the valleys, marae and papa kainga at home. The massive, twisting, u-turn filled journey our koroua and kuia began, was finally ending with this 15 minute stroll yesterday. My walk yesterday was easy as; mostly downhill from Kelburn, to Parliament. It was sunny and warm even for a winter Wellington morning. Not like the journey for Tūhoe so far.



Image Birgit Krippner

My ever suspicious Tūhoe mind willed my always vigilant Tūhoe body into the belly of the taniwha. Lucky for us here in Pōneke these visits to the taniwha’s guts also means whanau from home will also be there. I love seeing our aunties and uncles from the Hills and from the Lake here in Pōneke. I was greeted by a huge smooch from Aunty Menu and a firm handshake and hongi from Hōri Uatuku. Best way to charge the wairua before we battle this taniwha.

 We found our way in to Parliament via security screening, then welcomed by the pohiri of Te Ati Awa. We were then ushered into the house. I entered the chambers and spotted Te Kooti in the front row and sat next to him. I loved the irony that I was sitting next to Te Kooti, as Te Whenuanui blessed the house with Ringatu karakia. Only a few of us were there, each a kanohi for those at home, and those who have passed. I was there for my dad, for my koroua and kuia. I was sitting next to Tumatawhero, I could see Te Purewa sitting 2 rows back with Tame. Rakuraku was here sitting next to Martin, Tahae brought Ngapūtahi with him. Uncle Rāna shared his seat with Ruatāhuna and Uncle Dana and Lorna made room for Haumapuhia. Even though we were few, we were many.

 Who would have thought that even a few years ago that MPs would recognise our Mana Motuhake, and even give shout outs to Tame Iti. Who would of thought that we would be sitting next to the devil Jim Bolger. Not me. I remember marching on Parliament and burning an effigy of the guy with my comrades, and now here he sat, next to us. Times they say, change.

So anyway, at the end of the speeches the speaker said something like “Blah, blah, blah Te Urewera – Tuhoe Bill blah, blah, blah has been passed”
Suddenly there were cheers and clapping from our lot. And then I remembered Koro Ran’s growling. But I clapped anyway.

I clapped to chase the birds away, these magpies who have pecked at our bones.

I clapped to keep these birds from ever pestering our kainga again.

I clapped so Koro Ran could hear.

I clapped because we had won.                 

 

        

 

It's been a while.

So yeah it's been ages since I wrote anything on my own blog. So a bit of a catchup.... Well I have been writing for The Wireless. RadioNZ online network aimed at people who "grew up" with the internet.

Here's my first blog for them all about Hauora.

http://thewireless.co.nz/themes/hauora/a-diy-approach-to-hauora 

And my second one for them was the opening of Te Whare Hou o Tuhoe.

http://thewireless.co.nz/themes/value/te-uru-taumatua-tuhoe-s-whare

Tuhoe Portrait of a nation.

Photo. Peter Quinn. Patrick 'Onion' Orupe.

Whats the deal with wanting to photograph and capture the images of Tuhoe?

As a naturally shy natured people Tuhoe seem to be the least obvious Maori who you would associate with “image” and Photography. When I Think of these 2 things and Maori, I think of Rotorua, or Waitangi every feburary 6. But Tuhoe?

Im Tuhoe, and naturally im reluctant to be in the lime light (which is a contradiction seeing I work in public engagement). My cousins, my uncles, aunties and even my father were very shy people.

So I am always interested to see the lens again turned on my people. Why? Is it because we are show ponies? No. Is it because we are a very attractive people? Well yes, but is that the reason? No.

Is it the outlaw, rebel image that Tuhoe has been associated with since our first contact with colonial pakeha? Is it because we were adherents to Te Kootis Ringatu? Or rebels who supported Rewi Maniapoto at Orakau to fight off the crown? Or is it because Tame Iti is the face of radical change in this country?

Or is it because Tuhoe conjure up images of the ‘other’ in this so called multi-cultural, bi-lingual Kiwi society that we live in? Maybe.

So I am always interested to see the lens again pointed at my people, and who is behind the lens? Pakeha the ‘other’ to Tuhoe.

So when Peter Quinn is pointing his lens at Tuhoe for his new Book with Kennedy Warne.

When Terry O’Connor produced his book Te Manawa o Tuhoe.

The same with Vincent Wards “In Spring one plants alone” which led him to produce his film “The Rain of the Children”. 

All these people drawn to capture the images and stories of my people. Our Images and stories framed and edited to fit into boxes labelled ‘exotic’ or ‘dangerous’ and with a story that is told from the perspective of outsiders.

What stories do Tuhoe want to have told? 

I mean the things that may excite me at home aren’t the things that would sell books.

Stories from the kauta, pictures of the ringawera, of the quiet people, of the quiet places. These are the things that I would want to see and maybe even buy. And why not when we have these pakeha authors making money telling our stories and showing our people.

Maybe I just can’t see what makes our people so interesting but I hope that the next book will tell a Tuhoe story told by a Tuhoe.

And now a word from our sponsor....

 Kia ora Richie McCaw,

Kei te pehea koe e te rangatira? Ko te tumanako e kaha nei tou whakataa kia ora mai ano tou waewae, heoi ano.

Hey Capt McCaw, hope you are well and that your recovery is swift.

Seeing you had a wee bit of spare time on your hands, I thought you may have the time to check out what our team sponsors are up to.

Especially the CEO of AIG Mr Robert Benmosche. Now Mr Benmosche is kinda like you Richie, as he has a proud ‘playing’ record to match your own.

According to Forbes Robert’s stats read like this:

Mr. Benmosche has been AIG's President and Chief Executive Officer since August 2009. Previously, he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MetLife, Inc. from September 1998 to February 2006 (Chairman until April 2006). He served as President of MetLife, Inc. from September 1999 to June 2004, President and Chief Operating Officer from November 1997 to June 1998, and Executive Vice President from September 1995 to October 1997. He served as an Executive Vice President of PaineWebber Group Incorporated from 1989 to 1995. Mr. Benmosche is currently a director of Credit Suisse Group AG, where he is a member of the Compensation Committee.

AIG CEO Robert Benmosche.

According to Forbes Benmosche’s base salary for the year 2011 was $3,000,000 with total renumeration for the year coming in at $13,984,181. I know Richie, that’s more than what even Sonny Bill will earn when he returns to netball next season.

Anyway, im not writing to leyt you know what Rob earns, but to point out what our teams sponsor is saying in the media. Now we all love the underdog story aye? So Anyway Richie, Rob, thinks that him and his team mates have been the underdogs of late, and let rip to the media to vent his frustration.

Now Rob and his fellow corporate mates are probably not the underdogs we naturally think of. What with wealth comes the resources to overcome most obsticles and challenges, right? Well Rob thinks not. He is frustrated at the widespread crticism of corporate and CEO bonuses. He believes that it is not fair to ‘vilifiy’ him for being loaded.

So in the Wall Street Journal (that bastion of the right and probably not by the Rugby News Richie) Robert likened the outrage as such

was intended to stir public anger, to get everybody out there with their pitchforks and their hangman nooses, and all that—sort of like what we did in the Deep South [decades ago]. And I think it was just as bad and just as wrong

Now Richie, when we lost the world cup in 2004 did you liken it to being lynched by the KKK? No you didn’t. So why would Rob? The Wall Street Journal titled the article “At AIG Benmosche steers a steady course”, which doesn’t covey any of the rhetoric that Rob vented in the article. Ezra Klein (who is a blogger Richie, Bloggings the new Rugby League for frustrated writers) writes that:

I was in an off-the-record meeting with top Wall Street folks where similar comparisons to Nazi Germany were tossed around. It really was a meme on Wall Street that the singling out of the wealthy for criticism — and, more to the point, taxation — had a direct historical precedent in Nazi Germany, where the Jews were first demonized, then taxed, and then, well, you know. The sense was that the rich in general, and Wall Street in particular, weren’t just being criticized, but that they were being turned into a dangerously despised minority.

That’s the context of Benmosche’s comment. I would bet he’s made the same point a number of times in private rooms to appreciative nods. When you say and hear that kind of thing often enough, however, you forget how insane and offensive it is — and then you say it to the Wall Street Journal.

Simply put Richie, its like comparing losing the Bledisloe to being gassed in the chambers of Auschwitz. I know Richie, Robs a dick aye. So Richie if he ever gets the chance to meet the team at training one day, use him as the tackle bag. As he is a douche bag already.

Anyway Richie wont keep you, know you got a game to watch on saturday. Get fit soon, give Dan a squeeze for us too.

Chur bro.

Aue!3. 

Richie and Dan.

Taonga of the week.

Last week I posted about one of my favourite taonga from Te Papa's Collection Online. I thought that I would start posting a taonga from the collection every week, not only to share but also as an exercise in trawling through this online archive. Searching this archive has also made me investigate other online archives on the hunt for taonga. 
This weeks taonga is from Te Papa's Collection. It is a photograph by Laurence Aberhart titled Interior no 1. "Rongokarae" Waikirikiri near Ruatoki, Bay of Plenty, 7 June 1982.

Laurence Aberhart. 1982.

This photograph is a part of a series of images that Laurence Aberhart took that focused on "interiors". Town-halls, churches and wharenui became the subjects of the works, their interiors revealed in these photos.

These photos not only tell a story of the building and architecture, but it also reveals the people who the building belongs.  

I like this particular image as it is a photo of Rongokarae which is one of my Whare Tipuna, my ancestral house. In the title it states Waikirikiri, which i think refers to the road (Waikirikiri Rd, Ruatoki.) and not to the marae Waikirikiri (which is down the road).

Rongokarae is the Whare Tipuna of Tauarau Marae, whose hapu is Ngati Rongo(karae). This is the hapu of my mother. 

The image taken in the early 80's shows Rongokarae before its restoration in the 90's.

This taonga is important to me because it portrays my tipuna as I remember it as a child. 

The painted pou, the black and white photos in heavy frames, the tatty mattresses, the wooden strip down the middle that I would skid down in my socks, sleeping in it with my cousins, playing in it.

Laurence Aberhart. 1982.

Laurence Aberhart. 1982.

Fly like an Eagle.

Not just a Steve Miller Band song, but also the dream and wawata of many. To imagine just how it would feel like to soar like a manu above the earth.
Well some cruel assholes strapped a Go Pro to a Eagle and recorded its flight.
Stink for the manu, cool for those who want to be Eagles (not the band)

Unlocking the Truth. Young black Metalheads.

I ahau e pakeke ana i Ruatoki, ko aku tino momo waiata ko te Heavy Metal. Kaore i koo mai i a Iron Maiden, a AC/DC, a Dio, a Judas Priest, a Metallica a wai atu a wai atu kia matou ko aku hoa. 
I ahau na posters, na ripene me etahi o nga rekoata o aku papara. Haruru ana te wharua i te hoihoi o enei roopu metara.
Heoi ano i kitea e au enei tokorua o Amerika, ka hoki aku mahara ki taku taiohitana me taku ngakaunui ki enei momo waiata.
Mataki mai i enei tokorua e whai ana i a raua ake wawata ki te tu i runga i te atamira, huri i te ao e purei metara ana ki te minenga. 

Damn coolest lil mo fo's i seen in a minute. Love their attitude and confident swagger. 
Unlocking the Truth. 
Fresh and inspiring.