Apanui e tū!

Te wikitoria i runga i te aroha!

Returning to my ancestral lands, the lands where I hail from, the land where my parents both rest. the lands that rejuvenates me, the land that connect me, the center of my universe. Raukokore

What a pleasure to go home and this time I was privileged to have two companions, My nohi Mā and our mauri, Te ira wahine, te ira tane.

It was lovely to go home to be apart of Apanui e tū where all hapu come and spend the weekend competing in games, events and kapahaka. It's so neat seeing full participation from kaumātua  right down to our pepi. There was something for everyone.

A few highlights was learning alongside one of our other hapū a waiata tangi and its history and also performing with our hapū alongside my neices, nephews, cousins and uncles.

Its lovely being Eileen or Ed because I look like my mother, it got me all emotional but I got to hear stories of my mother that I had never heard before.

We had all intentions to take the mauri to some special spots around the motu but our mauri decided to sit in our wharenui with my tupuna for all the time we were there. I believe our mauri was re-charging and I am so honoured it chose my whare tupuna to rest and recharge.

Which brings me to the end of my reflection. Its was timely to go home and recharge and take back with me some energies that needed recharging. Tu whakataa

E whara e!

I am totally pissed!

A game of hopu ariki and I whara au taku waewae😭

No rugby final

No whakaaturanga

No running

Cant even walk at this stage.

3 months off

What has this taught me?

Dont protect your ariki?

Dont have fun?

Dont do exercise?

Dont pick up your rakau?
or when you are not in the right head space do a karakia?

Take note of your head space?
Take time to rest man!

Stop trying to do everything man!

Whatever the lesson better start listening I hate this injury shit!🔴

Horowhenua Womans Rugby Champs

Following on and to complete my rugby journey that taught me more on team work and going into battle and relying and trusting my team mates much like rākau this week this group of amazing woman won the first woman's rugby final!! I was totally gutted that I was unable to participate in the game but I was so proud to be apart of the team. What an awesome bunch of positive, uplifting, serious, competitive and fun lot of personalities. Can't wait for next season!

Mā kahurangi mā whero i oti ai ngā mahi!

#rāhuiforlife

E hara taku toa i te toa takitahi ēngari he toa takitini!

This week my passion for cooking was re-ignited. My children and I spent the week in Rotorua catering for a film production. It was an amazing experience.
I was blown away with the efforts of my team.
Tipene was my little runner, some times he run fast but most times he ran slow.......he taught me patience, in the whare we say popotahi
Apirana impressed me with his eagerness he was always up at the break of dawn doing his duties........he reminded me of a kōrero that we always say, mahia te mahi!
Tiari was a great little worker however she had moments where she just shut down...... she taught me its ok to have a break. In our whare we say tu whakatā.
Shentay was also a great worker she was always on the go and would do anything you asked of her she was a real busy bee she reminded me of the saying he rau ringa e oti ai, she was a great worker!

The true essence of mā pango mā whero was shown to me this week and it was my pleasure to show the balance of raka te maui raka te katau.  when there is work they will also be play. We had so many adventures this week it was a great time spent with my lovelies.