Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te manuhiri – with your food basket and my food basket, the guests will be fed.”
Always a pleasure to spend time with our NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) students from USA. They come with mixed culture, backgrounds and experiences that brings a diversity from within the group.
We always begin within “Te Whare-o-Tū” so as to draw out their “reo haka – war cry” to activate “te ihi” from within. Creating “kōtahitanga – oneness” within the roopu is also important especially as they will be spending a month tramping together.
Clearing the “parapara – debris” from modern-day living is also essential before we delve into “Te Whare-o-Rongo” i.e. sharing concepts, wairākau and taonga pūoro brings about a “zen state” which also helps to awaken the senses.
I believe one of our main objectives is to help our overseas guests to “slow down” in their thinking so as to be able to tune into “te taiao – the living environment” hei oranga mō te tangata – to bring health and welbeing to the person.
“Ko te reo Māori te kaipupuri o te Māoritanga = The Māori language is the purveyor of the Māori culture…”
