Ka tangi te pīpīwharauroa, ko te karere a Mahuru 
When the shining cuckoo sings, it is the messenger of spring

As we watch the green shoots of spring appear, with kererū weighing down the branches in the ngahere, tūī flocking in the kōwhai, spring flowers bringing vibrant colours to our landscapes and days growing longer - there are signs of hope and possibility all around us. Kōanga, or Spring, reminds us that same possibility exists within us, too.  

Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i toiroa
Let us keep close together, not far apart

Kōanga is beginning to show itself in the greening of fruit trees, the first blossoms, and kai like kūmara seedlings finding their place in the soil. These signs of renewal remind us that new beginnings are always possible.

This pānui is full of that same sense of possibility and connection, journeying through our Winter Webinar Series, to the follow-on from our July hui Te Whiringa, to new resources and reflections gathered from across our network.

Together, these updates show the breadth of mahi happening across Aotearoa and remind us that when we share, collaborate, and hold each other close, we move further toward a food secure future for all.

As we pause as a nation this month to observe Puanga and Matariki; - to remember, acknowledge and grieve what we have lost, to cast our eyes to the horizon in awe and seek wisdom from the stars and the rhythms of all our ancestors, and to be hopeful for the year ahead - may we truly pause and pay attention to each of these things. 

As we way-find together into the year ahead, serving our communities, making connections, listening to each other, and fostering prosperity and wellness - may our hope be to seek the abundance that will feed our nation in every way and enable us all to heal and thrive.

There is much in the world, and in our lives, that seems chaotic and in conflict. There are also so many opportunities to connect, to care, and to create. Thank you to all of you who share those with us & for us every day. We also hope you find all of those things present here in this pānui also.

Me hoki koe i tou ūkaipō 
Return to your source of sustenance 

As this year unfolds, Kore Hiakai is focused on living deeply into our roots – of connecting and collaborating with those committed to the kaupapa of Food Security and Kai Motuhake. These connections feed the soul of Kore Hiakai, re-set us, ground us. They are our music. We hope you find something in our values and our pānui to sustain you, as we work together towards a food secure Aotearoa New Zealand.