https://www.teaomaori.news/turi-maori-open-their-very-own-marae

Ko taku reo taku ohooho, ko taku reo taku mapihi mauria

“My language is my awakening, my language is the window to my soul.”

Thousands of years, there were no maraes for the Turi  (Deaf) Māori until recently last year. It was the special moment of their lives and wore their feelings of pride in their whanau and hapū (“subtribe”). The saddest part of the missing people, the vital key role of the leaderships were Patrick Thompson and Michael Wi. These men were showing many young Turi Māori about the cultures, language, the belief, myths, carving, weaving patterns on the walls and Kapa haka (performing of the arts and dances).

The celebrating of a new marae – Ruaūmoko Marae and what does Ruaūmoko mean? Ruaūmoko is the god of earthquakes, volcanoes and seasons. Ruaūmoko represents the unborn child and to this day remains inside the womb of his mother Papatuanuku. On the east coast the earthquake god is summoned by the rousing words of a leader… “Ko Ruaumoko e ngunguru nei” (it is Ruaumoko who roars with anger)…and the people of the land roar in response… Au…Au… Aue ha… and thus they start the famous haka Ruaumoko. -(about the atua who carved their sacred mountain Hikurangi).

https://www.kiwadigital.com/showcase/ruaumoko-the-rumbling-voice/

One of the Turi Māori said he was left out and did not feel warmly welcome into the wharenui or have the kaumatua welcome us in the past. His whanau put him in the kitchen to do the job such as peeling potatoes, prepare the dishes on the tables. Or go and sit in the corner at the back of the marae. There was no communication between their whanau and himself due to no interpreter available. He had no idea or gained no understanding of the Maori Tikanga and protocol especially during the tangi (the mourning of three days funeral).  It means many of Turi Māori were isolated from their Iwi, in the marae and whanau.

Check out the life in the old marae and the exeriences of Turi Māori when Patrick and Michael were alive in 2004. Click the link here and it is approximately 19 minutes to watch.

https://signdna.org/video/the-experiences-of-maori-deaf/

Tomorrow the next blog will be looking at the Māori interpreter and what is their roles during the marae and in the hui? Stephanie Awheto…

Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi

With your basket and my basket the people will live