Kia ora koutou,
There has been a lot of debate on what key success factors are in life. Recently “grit,” has been discussed as the key ingredient in personal success. It has been defined as, passion and sustained persistence applied toward long-term achievement, with no particular concern for rewards or recognition along the way. Grit combines resilience, ambition, and self-control in the pursuit of goals that take months, years, or even decades. I was reflecting on this at Massey’s Graduation ceremony last week when my wife, Bridget, graduated with a BBS, and Ranae Niven (Rangitāne, Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia, Ngāi Tahu) graduated with a Masters in Professional Public Relations with Merit. Both Ranae and Bridget have had to manage careers and whānau while studying and it has been a long journey. Well done. We are very proud!
Ranae and Bridget
In the office, we are currently focusing on the completion of our end of year financials and the renewal of our insurance.
From a Taiao perspective, there are issues in our rohe with logging waste and sedimentation caused by clear felling which we will be challenging this week. This is also affecting fisheries. Logging companies have felled trees too close to river courses and coastal environments and are stockpiling logs on skid sites. Much of Gisborne’s flooding over the weekend has been caused by similar clear felling and a lack of controls on harvesting. In March you will recall Tasman residents wanting stronger controls on forestry after logging waste and debris from collapsed pine forests swept around homes in Marahau and the Motueka Valley near Nelson when cyclone Gita hit. With storms becoming more frequent, this is an important environmental issue for us and we will need to focus on this much more closely.
Just a reminder of few events coming up, firstly the Māori Electoral Option stand will be set up in the Rangitāne House foyer Friday 15 June, from lunchtime until 4.30pm. Come down and see Aunty Gemma McKinney and her team if you would like to change rolls or would like more information.
Te Pumaomao Indigenous Nationhood Course is being held on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 June. This course is facilitated by Takiwai and Chris Murphy and examines the on-going impacts of colonisation on Māori in a way that empowers participants toward creating positive social change. If you are interested in participating in this 2-day course please contact Amber at the office.
We will be gathering at the Wairau Bar on Sunday 8 July at 6am to celebrate Matariki. Te Kohi Kai will be hosting breakfast at Ūkaipō afterwards so those keen on joining us please contact Amber at the office with numbers so we know how many people to cater for.
Don’t forget Wave 8 funding closes at the end of the month. Please call us if you need help with your application.
Finally, a date has been set for the next Te Pātaka o Wairau Māori Night Market. It will be held on Friday 14 September, from 4pm until 9pm at Seymour Square in Blenheim. The first market was an overwhelming success with kai stalls selling out fast. We want the next market to be even bigger and better so if you are interested in having a stall please email tepatakaowairau@gmail.com.
Mā te wā
Nick
Photo credit: Māori@Massey