Te Aroha!!

         

 

 

                                                                                       Edition 324 Tuesday 29/03/16

 

 

 

 

 

Hi, Easter has to be one of my favourite times of year I reckon.Lets face it holidays combined with toasted hot cross buns dripping in butter,marshmallow and chocolate is a pretty unbeatable combo!

Once again we were spoilt with great weather,great neighbours and our great anytime together is holiday time location.Yes we are lucky and will always be grateful, grounded,and Upbeat with our lot!

Fletcher reckons;the Easter bunny is a good dude and Easter egg hunting is fun but once the thrill is over it is just as exciting to give rather than receive!So he promptly ensured all our neighbours received gifts from his personal chocolate stash!!....good little bunny!!

Thanks for the feedback last week after my surreal ride to and through the emergency ward!I am happy to report that normal transmission at normal frequencies has resumed albeit a little gingerly and more aware of ones mortality.Funny how events such as last weekend have a profound effect on you and those around you. It would be fair to say this was more than a wake up call in so many ways and one that has not been lost on me!

Bullet proof attitudes,vests and Super Hero outfits are no good to anyone if their heart stops beating, something I have been lucky enough to be reminded again!!

I hope you had a cool time relaxing with family and friends this Easter……………Cheers Jonesey!

 

Harry and the Hendersons reckon chocolate being bad for dogs is merely a myth although Easter roast lamb bones were an acceptable substitute!

 

 

“A Nations culture resides in the hearts and in the souls of its people.”Mahatma Ghandhi

 

I attended an environmental summit on a Marae recently.

It was an extra special experience for me and a good lesson on the importance of protocol, manners and culture.

For those of you who are not aware you don’t just rock up and onto a Marae. You must be officially welcomed  and you in turn must respond to that welcome.

In this instance we were taught an official ‘Te Aroha’ or response (complete with sign language actions) to the welcome prior to entering the Whare or meeting house.

The other thing that is strictly adhered to is the removal of footwear prior to entering the Whare.

On being seated we were again officially welcomed with a stirring speech and a traditional song to which we stood and responded with the Te Aroha we had been taught.

We were then officially introduced to the leaders of the Marae which included a hongi with  each!

All this took place prior to any summit agenda business and lasted approximately thirty minutes.

I enjoyed the formality and was swept away by the spiritual power of the surroundings. The intricate carvings and weaving all telling the cultural story of the people.

It turned out the Whare is located not more than 200m from where the first Maori landed in the area a fact that itself made me catch my breath as I tried to contemplate the huge significance.

This event highlighted the importance for me of understanding and observing the culture of a group or an organisation. In this instance the Marae was located in the grounds of the Carrington Unitec. Unitec Management and staff have embraced and supported the cultural importance of the local iwi and actively celebrate and adopt their origins as that of the Unitec itself. To this end all new students are welcomed on to the Marae and receive a cultural induction before setting foot on Campus or in lecture theatres proper each year.

I was blown away and left with a sense of connection in a way to this culture. Imagine if we all defined our own business culture in such a formal and appreciative way…we could you know!!

 

“We are our cultures and traditions.If there is not culture and tradition we are no one.” Tamerlan Kuzgov