Ā mātou kōrero

When I was in my late twenties I spent a lot of time at St Arnaud, basking in the luxurious relaxation of Lake Rotoiti.   It was paradise on earth – the translucent clarity of the water, the call of forest…

There is a well-loved whakatauki of Whanganui, don’t talk about the river, talk to the river.   It represents the worldview that the health and wellbeing of the iwi, hapū and other communities of the river are intimately connected to te…

  Ki uta ki tai: from its ridge lines to its shores, Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa, the Manukau Harbour is on a journey of restoring its life force. This week I was speaking at an event at Manurewa Marae, which…

How often have we heard the phrase, ‘Ahakoa he iti he pounamu’   In some interpretations it is said that “despite being small you are of great value”.  In others it is said that often the most humble is the most…

  Ko taku taunahanahataka, ko taku tōpuni ki te whenua My names are the treasured cloak which adorns this land. One of the many wonders of my mahi is falling in love with the whenua in which we are privileged…

  One of my recent panui talked about the dazzling spectrum of colour that wrapped around Arrowtown in the warmth of an autumn sun.   This week I was taken to task by Rick Carr in Alexandra who asked me…

  “Self-awareness is at its core, the ability to see ourselves clearly – to understand who we are, how others see us, and how we fit into the world around us” (Tasha Eurich). I have had a couple of days…

    Facebook erupts as the whānau share their shots of a crisp, white lawn; trees dressed in a draping of snow; the first flakes of snowfall being captured to the joy of all.   For children under Koro Ruapehu, the snowfall…

  “There was only one thing to do – and that was the right thing”. So said the American television channel in making the decision to cancel the highly successful comedy series, Roseanne after the comedienne made a racist tweet…

  “Forgiveness is like this: a room can be dark because you have closed the windows, you’ve closed the curtains. But the sun is shining outside, and the air is fresh outside. In order to get that fresh air, you…