Weekend hikoi (journey) around a Maunga (mountain)...

This weekend, I had the privilege of combining my class with my 2 colleagues larger class and we were able to go on a journey around what is locally known as Mangere Mountain, with another 4 important indigenous names of the maunga (mountain) with one of my former students who took the Certificate in Indigenous Research a couple of years ago and is now working out in the community.

It was an amazing time, as our whaea (female teacher) took us on a special tour around the mountain and we learned of so many special features of the maunga and some of the geological features that have been altered and still remained from that time such as the large kumara or food storage pits which we were told used to be over 99 of them; the face of the giant Mataoho; platforms and hills upon which the rangitira (chiefs) and tohunga (priests) lived, an altar and lots of history from purakau (ancient stories) that told of the various things that had happened over the centuries.

As mana whenua (indigenous peoples and guardians of a particular home land) she spoke of the many things that she had learned and we learned of the special stories of her people and their relation with the lands and other tribes surrounding. She was an amazing passionate speaker and her wisdom in sharing of the life lessons that we learnt of each story simply had us buzzing, so much so, that even the next day and into my class today, students were still buzzing about their amazing experience/s up on the maunga.

And these are the special moments that I am blessed with in seeing these amazing stories being spoken about and not left to die with our old peoples so that many more will learn and then will share of the sacred places and spaces and of the stories that the land holds before they become forgotten in time...