Te Ao o Kiwa

Friday 4 Febuary 2012. E rere taku manu, taku manu a Kiwa e rere rauna i a Hokupa’a, arahina i to matou haerenga i po ki runga ki nga rangi, ki runga ki te Tonga i muri ra i a tatou. E rere taku manu, taku manu a Kiwa e rere rauna i to matou papatu, i to matou motu, i to matou waka, i a Te Matau a Maui, arahina i a matou i ao ki te whenua e rapua ana e tatou. To moana nui e kawe nei i a tatou ki ou kainga huahua. Papakihia nga parihau hai kawea i nga kapua o te pouri ki tua, e wero nei i a tatou, papaki ki waho e. Papakihia kia wehe atu ko te pouriuri, ko te potangotango, kia puta enei tama ki te whai ao ki te ao marama. Tihe i mauri ora!

The frigate bird that circles the Northstar, carries us Southward, into the unknown. The frigate bird that circles our land, our island, our waka, Te Matau a Maui shows us the path to the new lands that we long for. Through the great ocean that carries us to our many homes throughout. Flapping its wings, to clear the dark clouds that have afflicted suffering on us all. Flapping its wings so that the night within and darkness, turns to light and enlightenment.

The frigate bird or ‘iwa in Hawaii (changed here to Kiwa to suit Maori dialect), is known throughout Polynesia as the navigators bird. This short offering of words written in Maori and Translated to English serves to remind us of that through difficulty , adversity and darkness, We will eventually emerge back to the world of Light.
Today we took time out to acknowledge the one year anniversary of the passing of one of our crew member’s mother. As we gather on the deck of Te Matau to share a few words we all reflect on the last year and the many who are no longer with us. In our culture remembering and acknowledging those who have gone before us is a fundamental part of who we are. We use the ‘iwa here as a metaphor to represent those loved ones now gone, but whos presence seems to still be there. We remind ourselves that in our culture our departed travel the oceans from Aotearoa (NZ) stopping in many significant sights of old, to arrive in our spiritual homeland. We can’t help but feel that as we ourselves voyage across the ocean, they are travelling along side us, at times helping to guide us on our Journey

Kiwa was also the name of a Great Navigator of old, who discovered many islands and who also the Pacific Ocean is named after. Kiwa is the name used for the constellation Cassiopeia who circles around Polaris the North Star. Yesterday for most of the day an ‘iwa circled around the waka sometimes swooping to try and land, at other times soaring high in the sky above. A timely reminder to us that we are not alone

As it is a time to remember those who are no longer here, we especially think of those who have passed recently and those who passed as we sailed last year, Elders, Family members and good friends. Clouds of darkness during our journey, both physical and spiritual. As the ‘iwa represents an enlightened being, a loved one, we look above for its guidance, to lead us to clear skies, to clear away the suffering and darkness in our lives, and bring us into a world of light, and enlightenment.

So, for now this is Te Matau a Maui.
Kati, ratou ki a ratou. Tatou te hunga ora kia puta ki te whai ao ki te ao marama.