Mā te whiritahi, ka whakatutuki ai ngā pūmanawa ā tāngata

Together weaving the realisation of potential

They say coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success. The strength of any collective is its individual members, and the strength of each member is the collective. Together WE weave the realisation of our country’s potential because we are more powerful when we empower each other.

Ahakoa he iti, he pounamu.

Although it is small, it is precious.

On most week days the Kore Hiakai kaimahi gather for morning karakia at 9.30am. This is a special time for our mahi whānau – assembling for the ascent of each new day, because it’s a time to pause, share, and be present as our whole selves with each other (and sometimes with manuhiri too). A small, purposeful, act with big intent.

Matariki hunga nui.

Matariki of many people.

Every year during this month, an open-star cluster rises in the north-eastern sky above Aotearoa. Made of many luminary siblings, all born about the same time, different cultures have different names for this celestial event around the world. In Aotearoa, when these stars become visible, we call this Matariki and along with Puanga – this is the beginning of the Māori New Year.

He kanohi kitea, he ringa hei awhi.

A face that is seen, a hand to be held

As we move into the second quarter of this year, we begin to reconnect across the motu, building a strong sense of whanaungatanga. Whanaungatanga speaks to our values of inclusiveness, of networks and connections, and of folding in the collective/tātou as well as the individual/takitahi.

Me hoki koe ki tōu ūkaipō. Return to your source of sustenance.

Sometimes there’s a climactic shift in our reflections; a culmination to a series of events. Having trudged through all of the turbulence these last couple of years, Kore Hiakai return to our foundation of hope and health, and ask: How do we create pathways towards a food secure Aotearoa?

Heria te taura tangata. Weave the people.

As we learn to live in Phase Three of Red Level, with Omicron cases on the rise in our communities, we remind all to be safe and to follow the guidelines put out by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Development.

Heria te taura tangata. Weave the people.

Ngā mihi o te tau hou pākehā. As the new year dawns we stop to reflect, contemplate, and to think about the way ahead. We take this time to tally the lessons learnt and to think about how we can apply them to new, collaborative and innovative beginnings.

In a time when things are constantly changing, and the relentlessness of the COVID kai space is not abating, we are all continuing to adapt and rethink. It can be exhausting. While there can be a danger with compartmentalizing, pushing everything into boxes and fighting for territory, within it all there is also an invitation to see our cohesive nature in this food systems space - to find ways to connect, with each other, and across all the aspects of wellbeing.

As Tāmaki Makaurau remain in Level 3 lockdown for their 10th week, Tai Tokerau and Waikato are also Level 3, we humbly want to say “We see you! We acknowledge you and we remain in solidarity with you.”