Special birthday for our youngest teen...

 

This week we celebrated the 13th birthday of our youngest with a small party at a local restaurant with family and she even got to take the day off from school which is something special that we give an option to have on this special day.

Becoming a teenager isn't quite a big deal in some families but as she has two older siblings, it was quite a special day for her and her grandma and the rest of the family. We're blessed to have her in now being a teenager rather than a "tween".

She was able to enjoy her special day and I took her out to do some special things that she wanted to do that we would otherwise not have time to do. It also gave me time to be with her to discuss her thoughts and it was very special for all of us too.

Sometimes we've even gone overseas to enjoy special birthdays, especially those that are significant as a way of enjoying the special day and having a holiday vacation. Nothing quite beats taking time off from busy days and chillaxing...

New Opportunities through patience...

 

Had a special celebration with my family as have been confirmed with a new opportunity to work with Post Graduate (level 8) students at our Wānanga (Indigenous Māori) tertiary institute.

It comes after starting my current level 4 Tikanga (Māori customs & protocols) class into their first week. I had hinted with the announcement that I would be leaving the class but would be starting them on their journey (which is a little inconvenient for them but still a privilege to make a start).

My eldest wanted to celebrate with this lovely chocolate layered with strawberries cake from our favourite "Cheesecake Shop". It has certainly been a blessing to share this news with them as I'd been working on finishing my thesis and knew that it was time to make a change.

I'd been wanting to work in the Post Grad' sector for some time but first put my family's needs at the forefront and especially my children's education in ensuring that they were well situated before endeavouring to complete mine. 

It's now been very assuring to see my elder two now settled in their University studies and my youngest settling into her first year in high school. I know that I'm way behind my career goal schedule but I wouldn't change a thing in putting their needs first.

So, for me, patience is definitely a virtue in being given this new opportunity to spread my wings and encourage other in their academic journeys to fly high. It's a gift that my parents shared with me that I now share with my children and others now in their academic journeys to not be gatekeepers but to break open opportunities for success...

Neat song to dance/step walk to...

 

I finally found the video on YouTube (I don't own the rights for the song) for this neat song that I'd been listening to on the car radio from our local Māori radio station 88.6 FM that you can turn up loud, download, stream, or dance and step to the beat. Great for line dancing too!

This was after I'd taken my usual one-hour Saturday morning walk around the neighbourhood block and met, with a quick "good morning" salutation, with quite a few other people doing the same thing early in the morning. 

Then I went shopping at a local mall to pick up supplies for next week as we're planning for the birthday celebration of our youngest member who becomes a bonafide teenager on Monday. We haven't quite decided on what exactly to do but we're looking forward to it.

So now that I've got this song, I'll have it on repeat and with the volume up real loud whilst doing my chores, stepping to the beat, and trying not to be distracted whilst finalizing my study chapters. I've finally downloaded "Grammarly" to now tidy up all the grammatical mistakes and spelling errors.

So here we go, down the final leg of the race and stepping to this beat...

"Katūīvei" launch invitation

 

So thankful to have been invited to publish one of my poems in a contemporary Pasifika Poetry collection by Massey University Press called "Katūīvei" ready to be launched, in Auckland, next month.

It's such a blessing as I've been writing poetry and prose since high school and to be included in this Pasifika collection is an honour and a privilege as a self-published writer.

It's also neat to know that there are many other Pasifika contributors of whom were also invited to contribute to the collection such as my Mana Māngere writers' collective colleague Niuean poetry writer, Saulaina Sale. Who has been a prolific writer of poetry with over 100 sonnets (if my recollection serves me well).

I'm looking forward to taking my children with me as they've been keen supporters of my writing since the very beginning and they've been to many of my self-published book launches but to be able to go travel together to the launching of this book with a collective of other Pasifika writers will be an incredible honour.

The collection has been 2 years in the making of when I was first approached to add one of my poems to the collection. I think the book launch was supposed to be at the end of last year but for some reason the delay postponed the launch to this year which works out well for me too. With more to write about in a blog to come...

In memory of a special teacher Ms. Jones...

 

Today, I attended the funeral service of a dear teacher known affectionately, as Ms Jones, with my middle daughter accompanying me. 

She was fondly remembered as my history teacher in my last year at high school. Through her, I learned about the English history of the Kings and Queens of the 15th to the 16th centuries of England.

She was a passionate teacher and really cared about her students. I remember that she was the first feminist teacher that I had ever met and she was active in Teacher Union and advocacy circles. 

However, today I found out that she was also passionate about NZ pottery and hiking. From her example, I too decided to call myself Ms. Tau'au as a teacher when I first started teaching with other female teachers preferring to use Mrs. or Ms.

I attended my high school of Ngā Tapuwae College as being reported of as the first multicultural high school of it's kind in NZ. At the time, most of our teachers were European and at her funeral, I met with many of my past teachers of Maths, English, History and they all seemed to have kept in contact with each other.

There were a few students, like me, who had come to pay tribute and even the first infamous principal of the school was there. I think she's in her 90's and even the deputy principal was there of whom I would sometimes joke with but he was a good mentor and helped me to navigate some of the difficulties of being in a South Auckland high school at the time.

It's funny, but looking back I couldn't wait to finish high school and then to get on with my life in never knowing that I would eventually become a teacher. I had thought at the time that you had to be pretty smart to be a teacher. I now know that you just need to have completed tertiary educations and to care for students and that's a pretty good pre-requisite to becoming a teacher.

I bought some flowers for the occasion but upon arriving a little late at the funeral service (went around in circles twice trying to find the chapel at the Elderly village) we finally found the place and ended up sitting in the second row from the front as there were no chairs left for two to be seated together.

I then decided to talk with the funeral director about where to take the flowers. She gave me the option of giving it to the family or going with the coffin. I decided to place it on top of Ms. Jone's coffin and they left with her in the funeral car.

It was a bittersweet moment in reflecting about how she had touched many of our lives as students only to then be present at her funeral. I thank our mutual friend, Christine McGuirk, for inviting me to attend. It was a real honour and privilege to stand in honour of the many lives that she touched as a teacher. 

I was also glad that my child was able to witness the special time in meeting with some of my former teachers only to now be a teacher myself. It's amazing how people can touch lives and not even be aware that they have gifted so much...

Card making at the year's start...

 

I've just finished making up a bunch of cards which has been my most recent creative project as I find that I'm always using cards for various occasions.

I've given a bunch of cards away as gifts, and used them for bereavement donations from groups that I'm associated with.

Personalized birthday cards, special occasion cards like graduation, baby on the way, celebrations like weddings and anniversaries and the list goes on.

I'm so glad I've continued this as it's saved a whole heap of time and money scouring which cards would suit which occasion.

I've instead opted for generic cards that can be used for any occasion cards. They're fairly simple but have cute embellishments on them which adds a touch of drama, texture and it also looks like the artist knows what they're doing.

So if you're creatively inclined and want to make up some cards for yourself, you just need to buy blank sets of cards and matching envelopes they you look out for some creative papers, stickers, and glue to afix the artwork onto the card. Next thing you know, they're ready for distribution. All the best out there...

Uni City studies begin...

 

This week is another busy week with so much happening but got to drive my middle child to her first official day at AUT Auckland University of Technology in the start of her Uni studies. 

She took a gap year off last year to take a break and then has jumped in, boots and all, to start her study Uni journey. It's something that my parents passed on to me about the importance of education but also being mindful of the importance our cultural heritage.

So happy for her as there's a lot of opportunities and much learning to be had at Uni. It reminded me of my Uni days that I really enjoyed in the independence of working towards a goal in mind and then achieving it with lots of doors that opened for me.

Now it's back to bussing or driving into the city most days for my family. In fact, all three of my children are studying in town which will make for an eventful year for all of them. As for me, I'm still working close to home and studying extra-murally as to keep the home fires burning.

I'm always on the lookout for my children and for our mum with my younger sister. Am also keeping up with our home in Samoa and ensuring that our guardianship of the land and second home is secure, as promised to my late father...

Hula dance on Fridays...

 

Yesterday, I had the privilege of joining a group of staff or "game" women who wanted to learn or join in the after lunch 'Hula' group that just started on campus.

I had had lunch with my older two and asked if either wanted to accompany me and the eldest decided to after having been taught Samoan siva (dance) by relatives and Tongan dance at high school for the PolyFest.

For me, I'd joined a church dance group as a teenager and had already been taught some Samoan siva, Niuean and Cook Islands drum dance so it was great to get back into the "swing" of things again and to swing those hips through lifting those heels!

In fact, Hawaiian hula dance is very different to Cook Islands drum dance and Tahitian dance with the different techniques that they use to sway their hips to the drums or guitar music playing. This is always good to learn in order to know the differences.

Yesterday, we had so many women from different cultural backgrounds giving it a go and by the time we finished our hour long session, we were all buzzing and sweating (doesn't help with no air con). So it looks like this might be my Friday after lunch buzz for getting my steps up and for enjoying Pasifika dance with other wahine toa (brave women)...

Recruiting for Tikanga level 4 Fees free course for 2024...

 

It's that time of year again with recruiting for my Tikanga (level 4) class which is a 36 weeks (one academic year) class.

Over the past few years, there has been a growing interest in learning more about tikanga (Māori protocols and traditions) and how it affects our daily lives.

Since taking the courses from Tikanga level 4 - 6, I've found from personal experience that it gave me more confidence and understanding of my own fa'aSamoa practices as a female matai (of chiefly status).

It helped me in the considerations that I had to take into account for my late father's funeral and memorial stone (one year commemoration) both in NZ and in 
Samoa. As I was the most engaged in my parents' lives both in NZ and Samoa, of all my siblings and a matai of over 20 years, I took it as a privilege to be able to support them in fulfilling their dreams of a second home in Samoa and in whatever they needed.

In fact, one of my greatest fears, growing up, was not being able to do justice for my parents' and especially my father's tribute. My studies in the course gave me the confidence to think through the protocols and traditions, especially in Samoa, and how to mitigate all the various pathways.

In this course that I teach, we look at life protocols and traditions from a te ao Māori (Māori worldview) lens and then for each individual student the question is asked about how that translates into your own lifestyle.

I'd highly recommend it for any who are wanting to explore their cultural identities and learn more about protocols and traditions in our post-modern lifestyles through a Māori lens i.e. I've had Pasifika, Fijian Indian, Indian, Kurdish, urban Māori, European etc. join my class to not only learn about Māori worldviews but also about their own experiences and others within the class.

I've found it to be an amazing but also challenging experience in delving in deep to understand cultural paradigms, why they exist and how the might be helpful going forward. If any are interested in enrolling into the class please DM (direct message) me or email through: helen.tauau-filisi@twoa.ac.nz and all the best for the new year ahead...

The passing of a Pasifika peoples' champion...

 

Today, I was shocked to hear of the passing of Fa'a`nānā Efeso Collins who was a NZ Samoan list MP (Member of Parliament) who had just delivered his maiden speech upon entering parliament only days ago. He had been at a charity event when he collapsed and was unable to be revived.

It was so sad to hear about this news, as he was a rising star of the Pasifika albeit SamoaNZ community who advocated long and hard for Pasifika peoples and those not in the upper echelons of NZ society. It is indeed a sad loss to our community and my heart goes out to his wife and daughters and family of whom he dearly loved.

My memories of Efeso (as I knew him then) go way back to when I first started teaching English in 1990, at a high school in Otara where he lived. It was his final year at high school and my first year in teacher. I may have written about this before but upon learning that I had a Master's degree, I remember that he told me that he too was going to get a Masters degree when he finished school and he did.

I remember meeting with him at a students' budget dinner, once at Auckland Uni, where I had just started my first doctorate degree around 1997. He was then the first Pasifika (Samoan) President of the Student Union that had been mainly headed by Europeans. It was there that he started making his mark with interest in politics.

When I first became a panel member for the Pasifika panel for Auckland Council for one term (3 years), around 2015, I met Efeso again but this time he was an Auckland Councillor who had won his seat alongside Alf Filipino who is a stalwart of South Auckland local government. Having Pasifika representation at this level was so important for voicing the needs of the Pasifika population.

Probably the last time I met with Efeso was a couple of years at an Pasifika ECE Early Childhood Education function where he was the guest speaker and delivered his speech with many jokes. I went up to him later and had a brief discussion. I told him that I had voted for him as a mayoral candidate but I didn't think that Auckland or NZ was ready yet for a person of colour.

I last remember seeing him sometime last year, at a round about in Papatoetoe, as he contested the Papatoetoe/Manukau seat but didn't win it. I tooted my car horn and he was surprised to see me showing my support of him.

Efeso came from humble roots and demonstrated to many that it was possible for a Pasifika person to succeed with a hard work ethic and humility that wasn't afraid to voice his opinions in support of the most vulnerable.

He certainly will be missed in the legacy that he left in his family, friends, and the many communities that he found himself in. It was truly an honour to have been there right at the start to see him as a young Christian SamoaNZ man grow and challenge the heart of Auckland as a peoples' champion.

He journey here on earth has ended but long may his legacy live to encourage other young and bold Samoan and Pasifika men and women that the world is your oyster if you work with integrity towards achieving your goals. Gone but not forgotten. Ia manuia lou malaga Fa'anānā Efeso. God's blessings be with you...

Highly recommended "Next Goal Wins"...

 

Got the chance to finally watch the movie "Next Goal Wins" directed by NZ's critically acclaimed Director Taika Waititi. It's a movie that I've been anticipating to watch since last year but in all the busyness of the end of the year, I wasn't able to watch it until returning back from Samoa.

I wanted to take my children to watch it with me so we finally pooled our schedule and found some time during the holiday to watch it together and it was definitely worth the wait. In fact, I'd definitely highly recommend it as a family movie to watch together despite some of the stereotypes that it does portray.

After the movie we went to catch a bite to eat at the local Denny's and got to debrief about the movie and it got positive results from all four of us. Especially in its portrayal of American Samoa although I must say that there were scenes that didn't quite match the location i.e. some of those scenes looked like they were shot in Oahu, Hawaii (one of the airport scenes) and possibly NZ with some of the grassy soccer field scenes? ha ha - just too much green grass for Samoa with the trees in the background.

We were particularly happy with the positive positioning of fafafine i.e. Samoa's third gender which we thought was well portrayed but also sensitive in the sense of some of the difficulties that they face and try to overcome within the various worlds.

I'd definitely watch it again, and would like to thank Taika Waititi for bringing this story of American Samoa to the light. It is an underdog story but it also shows some of the sacrifices that individuals living on a small island make when wanting to play on an international field.

I'm so glad that I was able to take my family a few years ago to visit American Samoa in that they were able to see the differences with Upolu/Savaii or Samoa as it is now known. The American accent was one of the first differences that they became aware of and then the use of the American dollar although they are only a territory.

Hopefully, it's a movie that can encourage more of our diaspora (living outside of the motherland) Samoans to visit Samoa and/or American Samoa to see where their ancestors came from and to hear and see the Samoan language and culture in action. Much like this movie portrays...

Waitangi Holiday 2024....

 

It was neat to wake up to a beautiful day in commemoration of our National Waitangi Day holiday as commemorated every 6th of February since the signing of our founding document of the Treaty of Waitangi or Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840.

It was neat to see that Google in its daily search engine graphic added its own illustration in celebration of this special day.

Last night, on a national news channel I watched as many converged onto Waitangi, a place that I had taken my children to on various occasions. It holds special significance to many but it is also a contentious place for some.

At present, in New Zealand, there is some controversial legislation that is being crafted by politicians, who are currently in power, that questions the principles of the founding document and look to rewrite them in some fashion, however, there are many who do not agree with any changes and this is being scrutinized at the moment.

The renaming of government departments in taking away their Māori name on signage etc. was also a contentious topic of this present government which seeks to do away with the indigenous language on government departmental signs and replace them with English only signs. 

A movement that makes no sense when these signs have been already established for over a decade and disestablishing them would only mean wasting funds that could have been used elsewhere. However, the deeper contention is that it displays racist agendas and rhetoric of recognizing only 1:3 of NZ's official languages i.e. English and not Māori.

There's an even more deeper sinister understanding in having read the book "Caste The Origins of Our Discontents" by Isabel Wilkerson (2020) which concurs that such acts are really of a caste system wanting to ensure that their worldviews are entrenched in legislation that favours them and takes little account of the indigenous peoples of the nation.

It's going to be interesting, going forward, as there were many protests and debate by tanga whenua (indigenous peoples as Māori) at Waitangi even before the day had begun. It reminds me that we have come a long way but there's still a long way to go in our national race relations...

Long weekend brunch at "Percy's"...

 

Having a great long Waitangi weekend (although Monday's not really counted because it's a normal day) but some are taking Monday off and extending the weekend to return back to work/school on Wednesday.

I started the weekend with a neat brunch with a good work colleague at a newer local restaurant called "Percy" which seems to be a purpose built restaurant right in the middle of a light industry zone.

So that the clientele were quite mixed with tradies, in their high vis' uniforms, who were dropping in for a quick bite to eat or take away. There were business people in their suits and ties. Mom's and couples with babies etc. It was quite an interesting place to be at and looking forward to taking my children out there too.

The scene outside was beautiful with a man-made lake surrounding the perimeter of the restaurant at one corner with some taking a scenic tour around the grounds after their meal. I quite liked the different ambience of the place with hardy outdoor furniture for those wanting to eat outside of the main restaurant.

Inside there were booth like seats with thick coordinated cushions, places for singles to eat and tables for groups and couples. I also liked a place for working individually on laptop compatible workspaces which makes this place pretty special.

All in all, a nice start to the long weekend even if it isn't really as long for some...