GRADUANDS’ SPEECH

Kieran Meredith and Hiria Cameron
on behalf of the Class of 2020, The Mana Moana Experience

Ko Ranginui kei runga

Ko Papatuanuku kei raro

Ko nga tangata kei waenganui

Tihei (wa) Mauri Ora!

E muamua ona ou ta le vai afei ma ou fa‘atulou i le paia lasilasi ua fa‘atasi mai. Tulou ou ponao‘o Samoa i le afio o Tupu ma E‘e. Tulou ou Faleupolu. Tulou auauna a le Atua. Ou te fa‘atalofa atu i le Paia ma le Mamalu o le aso.

E te whare e tu nei, tena koe

E te papa ki waho tena koe

E nga mate, haere, haere, haere

E nga waka o nga tai e wha, e nga iwi o te motu, e te iwi o te Moana nui a Kiwa

Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena ra tatou katoa

Taloha ni. Malo e lelei. Fakalofa lahi atu. Ni sa bula vinaka. Kia orana koutou katoa

[Kieran]

Reflecting on the collective leadership journey that we’ve shared on Mana Moana… it seems natural to draw upon the Pou in which we were gifted by te Whanau Wihongi, Kohewhata Marae and Te Ohua.

[Hiria]

As a child of this whenua and our shared moana, the gift of the Pou has offered me a sense of coming together, of wholeness, of healing. When I started my Mana Moana journey the most significant challenge I saw facing our Pasifika communities was related to Identity. Who are we as Pasifika peoples living in Aotearoa/NZ? How do we retain, and/or reclaim, our traditional values and ways while adapting and working to thrive in contemporary Aotearoa?

And then we experienced the transformational impact of standing in a spirit of reciprocity and partnership, under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The ultimate expression of manaakitanga, the gifting of the Pou. I witnessed and heard us speak into having a place to stand, feeling a sense of belonging, and finally feeling as though every facet of our beings - our tupu'aga, our past, our families and our future aspirations - had been welcomed home to Aotearoa.

The honour of receiving this taonga has laid both a foundation and a challenge for our cohort. Our feelings of appreciation, gratitude and 'ofa are felt in equal parts to a sense of overwhelm and responsibility.

A tangible measina and taonga, a pillar of strength, a raw and naked, native log - the Pou stands tall in fair weather and solid in the face of harsh storms and icy winds of adversity. It reminds us of the enduring ties that connect us, Mana Moana and Nga Puhi nation, across space and time. To Matua Ted, Te Whanau Wihongi and Kohewhata marae, our gratitude is as deep and great as the moana that connects us. We draw energy, resilience and resolve from the Pou in our collective struggle against the impeding forces of colonisation, our actions to heal Papatuanuku, and in continuing to navigate tensions, challenges and possibilities that lie ahead. And as we take the next steps in our authentic Pacific leadership – we commit more than ever to tending the va with tangata whenua and mana whenua.

[Kieran]

It goes without saying, The Mana Moana Experience had us all navigating tensions, challenges and possibilities. The Pou as a metaphoric symbol of our leadership voyage, holds us in solidarity. Something to cling to, ground us, in times of turbulence. The spiritual roots, energy and mauri of the tree that once stood in the ngahere, now a symbol of our coming together as aiga, and the knowledge we never stand alone.

At this point, I pay homage to Brooke, Kiva, Alex and Leao. We see you, we hear you, and we love you.

The turbulence that we experienced showed itself to be a life force that many of us are all too familiar with in the outside world. A life force that manifested into unfortunate defining moments, the Pou reminds us of our inherent self-determination and encourages us to stand tall in our truths, realities and experiences.

The gift of the Pou is an acknowledgement of mana. And to that end, it is only right for us to reciprocate in kind. Stepping into our mana meant we needed to do better and be better not only for those who stood together in solidarity inside our circle, but for those on the outside who continue to experience the regressive views that cut skin deep, and across leadership spaces where privilege and power plays out in ways that continue to marginalise Pacific people and communities.

To the silent voices, untold stories and unseen tears – we see you, we hear you, and we love you.

25 participants, from across the motu.

6 retreats - Va Tupuna, Va Fenua, Va Moana, Va Tagata, Va Ala – the fibres that have intricately woven us together.

1 voyage brought together by the moana.

A shared purpose that recognises that we stand tall, because we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors.

This was, this is, and we are Mana Moana.

💡 Are you a mid-level, senior executive or community leader in a New Zealand organisation who cares for the future of our nation? Do you know someone who is?