Written by Floss Te Ohaere, Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara
For four days in July, twenty eight strangers who had only met at two previous retreats in Auckland then Wellington, reunited for a third time at Parawhenua Marae in Ōhaeawai to continue our leadership programme.
The energy from the heart centre of our whānau hub (Marae) is a powerful source for soul healing. Decolonising colonisation during times such as tangihanga reconnects us to that universal taonga that we sometimes take for granted.
As I listened to reflections of how transformational the Marae stay was for non-Māori I was reminded of this, and felt extremely grateful that the Marae is what makes us unique. It maintains our connections to spirituality and to each other, it is an inclusive environment that embraces EVERYONE... It was at this centre of my universe that us strangers bonded and became whānau.
The programme I am on with Leadership New Zealand is not what I was expecting. Instead, it has been an emotional but inspiring journey initiated through confronting topics and uncomfortable conversations. The aim... We are learning to heal, love and accept ourselves so that we can lead from HEART, not EGO (no power tripping).
A while ago I read the quote, “You can teach people business, but you can't teach heart." My interpretation of this is that the quality of service we give to others is determined by our relationship with ourselves. A boss tells you what to do, a leader leads by example... Don't be a boss. This will be the most valuable qualification I will ever obtain.