Written by Kaaterina Kerekere, KE Design
Waharua Kōpito is a well-known tāniko traditional Māori weaving design that is used to decorate the borders of kaitaka, intricately woven cloaks.
The design consists of a series and patterning of triangles including vertically paired diamond shapes. These diamond shapes in particular make reference to ‘a point where people or events cross’ – for me, this design reflects the notion of transformation and change that occurs at such meeting points and sums up (or weaves together quite nicely) my thoughts, reflections and understandings of Retreat One of
The NZ Leadership Programme.
So I arrived with no expectations, a new and different learning environment, fresh faces, an open mind, a touch of curiosity and, if I’m to be honest, a splash of doubt – who am I to be here?
In this new space reflection, I dived right into it! But it was quite different from the academic ‘critical reflection’. This retreat was more about finding ‘my inner me’, ‘my inner kung-fu panda’ one could say. This escape (and yes for me this retreat and the following are escapes from my crazy busy work life) provided a platform for identifying and reconnecting with myself.
Exploring myself, my being, my life, my why? Sounds weird? Well it was weird, uneasy, unsettling, awkward, confronting, uncertain, a bit scary even. And over the days I began to identify my patterns - patterns that had molded me into accepting these uneasy states as my ‘norm’. However, in challenging these patterns, I began to work to create new patterns, new designs, new pathways. Like the koru. Growth begins. My world, the space around me starts to change as these new and resurfaced concepts enter into my train of thought: courage; pause; release; purpose; ‘essential me’; wholeness; healing; integration…
You don’t realize change and transformation have occurred until after the fact – when you’ve returned home and have these new processes in practice and start recreating and rebuilding with these new patterns
I don’t see growth as having a start or end, this whole process is crazy! It’s like a continuous process of reflection, refraction and diffraction. All these changes in direction, in movement, in feelings can be quite overwhelming. And then it stops. In all the storm, comes silence. I am truly excited to see where my year is heading. I can’t think anymore. Time to go home. Hoki atu ki taku kainga. Ki tōku whānau.
Did Kaaterina’s story resonate with you? This is one of many courageous, enriching and impactful journeys on The NZ Leadership Programme.
Are you a mid-career, senior executive or community leader in New Zealand who cares for the future of our nation? Do you know someone who is? Applications for our 2021 Signature Programme are OPEN NOW: https://www.leadershipnz.co.nz/programme/applications-faqs