Sheltering statement for this work

Ki nga hau tape, tawhito
Ki nga kawai rangatira tuturu
Ki nga toto ariki o nga atua
Ki nga maunga korero, karanga, karakia
Ki nga awa manawa, manaaki, tiaki a tatou
Ki nga hapu, nga whanau
Tena koutou, tena koutou, terra koutou
E koutou, e tatou

Tatou e noho ana i raro i nga parirau
O is Maunga, o is Wharenui, o is Tikanga
tatou e pupuri ana ki nga taura here korero
O tenei o tena o tera whanau hapu ranei
i raro i nga hihinga matauranga
nga tino pari pakautanga o rangahau
me to Wananga o tenei, o tena, o tera
o tatou, whanau, hapu ranei
ko tenei tetahi Kuia o Ngai Tu Te Aru, o Ngati
Kurawaka o Waitaha
E mihi atu ana ki a koutou
No reira tena koutou katoa

We who live under the protective wings
of mountain, of each meeting house, of the lores
we who hold the threads of our linking stories
of each of our many whanau and hapu
under the fountain of knowledge
the very cliff edges of research
and the schools of learning of this, of that, of those
families and extended families
This is one of the Elder Gandmothers’ of Ngai Tu
Te Aru, of Ngati Kurawaka of Waitaha
sending greetings to you
Therefore, greetings to you all

Ko Nga Uri, nga heke tatai o a matou wheinga no
Waitaha matou. He iwi pupuri toa, manawa pa,
ki nga kaupapa o Rongomaraeroa. Nana i hoatu
ki o matou tupuna tawhito, nga taonga ona, hei
atawhai, manaaki ai a matou, me nga whenua
mania, kia whakato to kumara, to uwha, to taro me
teperuperu kia ora ai matou. I pupuri ai matou nga
tohutohu ona, kia ora ai matou i roto i to mauri tu,
to mauri ora, to rangimarie me to kaha, ko matou
nga Whaea tupuna o tenei iwi o Waitaha, he iwi
rongonui i nga ra o mua, ka piki haere to matou
kaha ano i enei rangi kei to haere mai.

We are Waitaha, a people of peace, which we hold
onto with all of our might and mana as we follow
in the footsteps of Rongomaraeroa. She gave to our
original ancestors the caretakership of the foods of the
noble ones, the kumara, the uwha, the taro and the
peruperu. We have honoured the sacred covenants
given to us, and she has honoured us in giving us
land in which to plant and to keep our people safe
in peace and health. We are the grandmothers of
this once proud nation now slowly redeveloping our
stength ofwhanau and hapu for the future.

“These writings are the legacy left to our mokopuna of Waitaha from our mothers and grandmothers. The words have always been in oral form in our recent past.

We have seen the book of the grandfathers written and sent into the future for us. Now we are looking to have the teachings of the grandmothers sent into the future. This task will not be completed until after my own time for the journey back along the travel lines of Waitangi ki Roto.

I will not be here to see this happen. Yet my love and tautoko will be always with my mokopuna and whanau. I dedicate these writings to all our Waitaha mokopuna who aspire to the tikanga of peace and truth. I wish to include all who live and prosper on this, our Grandmother Papatuanuku and Grandfather Ranginui. May our Creator, To Matua Kore, bless and protect us all.”

Whaea Tupuna Rangitakina Te Wharau Ruka Te Korakora (nee Harris) 1989
Te Whanga o Reitu raua ko Reipae. Ki Nga Toikuku o Terenga Paraoa
Hui whakamana i nga taonga o Waitaha