A travel log of PhD research in revitalising traditional Māori knowledge systems in Aotearoa New Zealand
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Monday, 17 October 2011
26. Garlands of white flowers
Several weeks ago I read an article about the tangata whenua of Bolivia being forced off their lands, their houses and farms being distroyed and even worse - being killed or murdered by the Government's troops. That same evening I went to bed and as I went to sleep I saw a small boy standing in a wooden hutt.
He must've been as small as a 6 or 7 year old but the look on his face totally shook me - there was very little or no life left in his eyes whatsoever. The look of total trauma on his face and in his eyes was something I'd never ever seen before. Automatically I remembered the Bolivia incident and then realised he must have been a victim.
I also noticed there were no friends and family around so he was obviously on his own - either having to face the prospect of living a life on his own, or having to face the possibility of his spirit moving onto te ao wairua with no-one to guide him.
I knew all I could do was give him the love and confidence he needed to make whatever steps were ahead of him - even though at the age of 6 or 7 no child should have to make that decision - let alone do it on their own.
So, in my mind I began to focus all my attention on him and repeated one, single, phrase continuously, over-and-over again with the aim of the intent of my message to become stronger and stronger, 'I wish for you comfort and hope, I wish for you comfort and hope, I wish for you comfort and hope'
All of a sudden the scenery changed and there he was, laid out in a white coffin, and there were people wearing white all around him, and then his parents came forward - all dressed in white, and laid white garlands of flowers at my feet. I did some research several days later about Bolivian funeral customs and read that white is a colour of mourning there.
For a while after I was a little shaken as I had hoped the little boy would continue on and live some sort of semblence of a life but I'm beginning to realise that whether an individual is alive or not - one of the main purposes is to bring peace to an individual.
I guess we re-joice for those who manage to pull through these dilemmas and if they don't, then the ancestors and everyone else re-joices at the other end when they come through there?!
He must've been as small as a 6 or 7 year old but the look on his face totally shook me - there was very little or no life left in his eyes whatsoever. The look of total trauma on his face and in his eyes was something I'd never ever seen before. Automatically I remembered the Bolivia incident and then realised he must have been a victim.
I also noticed there were no friends and family around so he was obviously on his own - either having to face the prospect of living a life on his own, or having to face the possibility of his spirit moving onto te ao wairua with no-one to guide him.
I knew all I could do was give him the love and confidence he needed to make whatever steps were ahead of him - even though at the age of 6 or 7 no child should have to make that decision - let alone do it on their own.
So, in my mind I began to focus all my attention on him and repeated one, single, phrase continuously, over-and-over again with the aim of the intent of my message to become stronger and stronger, 'I wish for you comfort and hope, I wish for you comfort and hope, I wish for you comfort and hope'
All of a sudden the scenery changed and there he was, laid out in a white coffin, and there were people wearing white all around him, and then his parents came forward - all dressed in white, and laid white garlands of flowers at my feet. I did some research several days later about Bolivian funeral customs and read that white is a colour of mourning there.
For a while after I was a little shaken as I had hoped the little boy would continue on and live some sort of semblence of a life but I'm beginning to realise that whether an individual is alive or not - one of the main purposes is to bring peace to an individual.
I guess we re-joice for those who manage to pull through these dilemmas and if they don't, then the ancestors and everyone else re-joices at the other end when they come through there?!
Sunday, 16 October 2011
25. Waiting for my ride
Just after 6am the other morning my partner came back into the room after his shower to get ready for work and as I still lay in bed he told me he had just had a visitor in the bathroom. I asked, 'what happened?'
He said, he was having a shower when he noticed this white figure go past the glass shower doors and feeling a little afraid said, 'If you come for good, you're welcome to stay, if you come for bad you must go away". To which the figure stopped, moved toward the glass shower doors banged on them and left.
To help him get over this episode I congratulated him on facing the figure in a calm and respectful way and that I'd deal to it when I got up. I went for a shower that morning but nothing happened.
The following morning just before I woke I met the figure in a dream. It was a guy who was critically injured and he was in hospital. He and I chatted for a while until he told me he was waiting for his ride. On waking, I turned to face my partner and tell him of my dream but my partner had also had a significant dream at exactly the same time. My partner told me in his dream he was in a coma in a hospital bed and as my partner was waking up he could open his eyes but his body itself was still suffering from temporary paralysis?!
That morning I went for a shower and getting out of the shower I noticed the entire room was foggy despite the fact we have good airflow and it shouldnt get like that. I waited in the fog and felt a presence. I said a karakia in a calm and relaxed way to give comfort and solace rather than to scare, blast or vanquish and a few moments later the fog in the bathroom lifted completely - I then brushed my teeth....
Several hours later as I was driving I became aware that the guy was actually still alive in some hospital somewhere - that he was in a coma, and that his wairua was travelling. For several hours later I tried finding karakia with the purpose of sending wairua back to their bodies but came up with nothing.
In the end I was resolute that I'd just wait for him in dream time or take my time in the bathroom the next morning, but nothing ever eventuated. I'm hoping the karakia I did the morning before may have done the job...
He said, he was having a shower when he noticed this white figure go past the glass shower doors and feeling a little afraid said, 'If you come for good, you're welcome to stay, if you come for bad you must go away". To which the figure stopped, moved toward the glass shower doors banged on them and left.
To help him get over this episode I congratulated him on facing the figure in a calm and respectful way and that I'd deal to it when I got up. I went for a shower that morning but nothing happened.
The following morning just before I woke I met the figure in a dream. It was a guy who was critically injured and he was in hospital. He and I chatted for a while until he told me he was waiting for his ride. On waking, I turned to face my partner and tell him of my dream but my partner had also had a significant dream at exactly the same time. My partner told me in his dream he was in a coma in a hospital bed and as my partner was waking up he could open his eyes but his body itself was still suffering from temporary paralysis?!
That morning I went for a shower and getting out of the shower I noticed the entire room was foggy despite the fact we have good airflow and it shouldnt get like that. I waited in the fog and felt a presence. I said a karakia in a calm and relaxed way to give comfort and solace rather than to scare, blast or vanquish and a few moments later the fog in the bathroom lifted completely - I then brushed my teeth....
Several hours later as I was driving I became aware that the guy was actually still alive in some hospital somewhere - that he was in a coma, and that his wairua was travelling. For several hours later I tried finding karakia with the purpose of sending wairua back to their bodies but came up with nothing.
In the end I was resolute that I'd just wait for him in dream time or take my time in the bathroom the next morning, but nothing ever eventuated. I'm hoping the karakia I did the morning before may have done the job...
Saturday, 15 October 2011
24. Dreams and Reality
Most people are silent observers in their dreams
I'm no-longer one of those people
I can do anything, be anything
I can fly like a bird, swim like a fish
I can even be a better person
Not too different from how you might dream?
The difference is I become conscious
and I can act with autonomy
I can save people from themselves
Give them peace in this life or
give them peace for the afterlife
I can still be chased, haunted or threatened
But now I can will them into something else
or will them to anywhere else I might choose
For years I believed dreams weren't real
until I learnt about the nature of reality
and now, I get two days out of the one
Incredible....
I'm no-longer one of those people
I can do anything, be anything
I can fly like a bird, swim like a fish
I can even be a better person
Not too different from how you might dream?
The difference is I become conscious
and I can act with autonomy
I can save people from themselves
Give them peace in this life or
give them peace for the afterlife
I can still be chased, haunted or threatened
But now I can will them into something else
or will them to anywhere else I might choose
For years I believed dreams weren't real
until I learnt about the nature of reality
and now, I get two days out of the one
Incredible....
Thursday, 13 October 2011
23. Spiritual Work
A few weeks ago I had these 2 weird dreams; one of a kid no more than 12 years old standing on a bridge looking over the edge - looking distant and really remote. I was a little weary cause had never had dreams about complete strangers before, and was also conscious that some individuals come to harm like in a spiritual attack.
So I looked at him, tried to get his attention but he wouldnt look me in the face so I thought - oh well, I'll leave you here then.Then, the scene changed and I was watching this Pākeha, blonde haired fulla sitting on the grass in a park looking equally distant and remote. I tried waving to him but he didnt seem to notice or acknowledge me, so I thought, 'Oh, well nmind yous then' hahaha.
I woke up and within a few seconds I had an instant recollection of the suicide string from a Facebook page so quickly willed myself to sleep and sure enough - woke up standing in front of the little boy again.
I walked straight up to him, picked him and gave him a hug. Then, with the little parenting skills that I have cause I have no kids - I took him to McDonalds where he was all chirpy and happy and chatty, and then finally as one last little gift - I envisaged him surrounded by heaps of kids his own age being Mr Popular and he was very, very happy.
That dream ended I thought I better concentrate on this Pākehā fulla.Sure enough, the scene changes and there's the guy sitting in the park again. I went up to him and started chatting, and dumb me - thought he was suicidal cause he wants to come out - in 'my' dreams!...
I imagined him in a pair of tight little speedos with sunscreen on his nose sitting next to a pool. But, he still wasnt happy?! So, I opened my peripheral vision just a bit more to see this woman and these 2 kids come into the dream and be with him by the pool - his family.
Several nights later I met a friend for drinks - she's a doctor in Maori health and specialises in suicide and she was telling me about some research she was doing so I thought Id mention my dream - cause she's also strong with her taha wairua too.
She told me that just before a person committs suicide their wairua travels over to the otherside more and more until they become comfortable there and are totally ready. She said at these times is when they really need company and to be given hope - hope to fit in or be popular, or hope to be reunited with family because of some mistake or circumstance.
Ka aroha aye! xx
So I looked at him, tried to get his attention but he wouldnt look me in the face so I thought - oh well, I'll leave you here then.Then, the scene changed and I was watching this Pākeha, blonde haired fulla sitting on the grass in a park looking equally distant and remote. I tried waving to him but he didnt seem to notice or acknowledge me, so I thought, 'Oh, well nmind yous then' hahaha.
I woke up and within a few seconds I had an instant recollection of the suicide string from a Facebook page so quickly willed myself to sleep and sure enough - woke up standing in front of the little boy again.
I walked straight up to him, picked him and gave him a hug. Then, with the little parenting skills that I have cause I have no kids - I took him to McDonalds where he was all chirpy and happy and chatty, and then finally as one last little gift - I envisaged him surrounded by heaps of kids his own age being Mr Popular and he was very, very happy.
That dream ended I thought I better concentrate on this Pākehā fulla.Sure enough, the scene changes and there's the guy sitting in the park again. I went up to him and started chatting, and dumb me - thought he was suicidal cause he wants to come out - in 'my' dreams!...
I imagined him in a pair of tight little speedos with sunscreen on his nose sitting next to a pool. But, he still wasnt happy?! So, I opened my peripheral vision just a bit more to see this woman and these 2 kids come into the dream and be with him by the pool - his family.
Several nights later I met a friend for drinks - she's a doctor in Maori health and specialises in suicide and she was telling me about some research she was doing so I thought Id mention my dream - cause she's also strong with her taha wairua too.
She told me that just before a person committs suicide their wairua travels over to the otherside more and more until they become comfortable there and are totally ready. She said at these times is when they really need company and to be given hope - hope to fit in or be popular, or hope to be reunited with family because of some mistake or circumstance.
Ka aroha aye! xx
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
22. Karakia
- Tēnei au, tēnei au
Te hōkai nei i taku tapuwae
Ko te hōkai-nuku
Ko te hōkai-rangi
Ko te hōkai o tō tipunaa Tāne-nui-ā-rangi
I pikitia ai
Ki te Rangi-tūhaha
Ki Tihi-i-manono
I rokohina atu rā
Ko Io-Matua-Kore anake
I riro iho ai
Ngā Kete o te Wananga
ko te Kete Tuauri
ko te Kete Tuatea
ko te Kete Aronui
Ka tiritiria, ka poupoua
Ki a Papatuanuku
Ka puta te Ira-tangata
Ki te whai-ao
Ki te Ao-marama
Tihei mauri ora!
Here am I, here am I
here am I swiftly moving by
the power of my karakia for swift movement
Swiftly moving over the earth
Swiftly moving through the heavens
the swift movement of your ancestor
Tane-nui-a-rangi
who climbed up
to the isolated realms
to the summit of Manono
and there found
Io-the-Parentless alone
He brought back down
the Baskets of Knowledge
the Basket called Tuauri
the Basket called Tuatea
the Basket called Aronui.
Portioned out, planted
in Mother Earth
the life principle of humankind
comes forth into the dawn
into the world of light
Behold, I have life.
The intention of this karakia is to draw on the help and support of Māori Gods such as Tāne to provide us with the confidence to deal with challenging situations and discussions around topics such as grief, suffering, death as well as the afterlife.
This particular karakia aims to create a direct, causal link between ourselves and Tāne and drawing on his sanctity and tapu to assist us. Some tribes believe things such as foot steps or 'tapuwae' are remnants of an individuals hau or aura and this karakia draws on the foot steps of Tāne himself.
To fortify our confidence and strength in carrying out our work by using this karakia, we are also reminded of his sanctity and true power where the karakia describes his incredible feats such as climbing into the Heavens, meeting Io, bringing the Baskets of Knowledge to the World, creating the first woman, and finally bringing humanity into being.
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