Ko Oreti tōku awa
Ko Takitimu tōku maunga,
Ko Takitimu tōku waka
Ko Te Rau Aroha tōku marae
No Mossburn tōku kainga
Ko Jenny Campbell ahau.
Connecting with being Māori has been an awakening as I have gotten older. I was denied that when I was a child. That is true for a lot of people my age. I see this movement of empowering Māori through Te Reo as an affirming up-surging. I am trying to learn Te Reo Māori through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. It is hard for me, although I persevere and try to use it more often. My father’s mother was of Bradshaw whānau, Ngāitahu, from Bluff, Murihiku, so moving to live down here has enabled me to be a part of Te Rau Aroha marae. When I go to a marae I love the spirituality I find there. It is part of everyday life: inspirational and relevant. I love listening to people expressing themselves in te reo, as I find it has a melody of its own, expressing emotions, beauty and aroha through the words, waiata and karakia. It lifts my spirits as well as makes me emotional when I think of the injustices around speaking te reo. I have reclaimed my birth-right.
Titiro Whakamuri, kōkiri whakamua / Look back and reflect so we can move forward.
Tukua te wairua kia rere ki ngā taumata
Hai ārahi i a tātou mahi
Me tā tātou whai i ngā tikanga a rātou mā
Kia mau, kia ita
Kia kāore ai e ngaro
Kia pupuri, kia whakamaua
Kia tina, tina, hui e
Tāiki e! / Allow the spirit to fly to fulfilment
and guide us in our work;
to honour our purpose and our foundation,
to hold and preserve it
and ensure it is never lost.
Hold strong and secure;
draw together!
Illustration: Jess from Maori_mermaid.