Tāne Mahuta (‘Lord of the Forest’)
The carving is at the Waipoua Forest, Northland, New Zealand. If you want to learn about the carving, the oldest largest kauri tree standing at the Waipoua Forest. Here is the link for you.
This morning I was invited by one of the staff of the Waikato DHB (District Health Board) for the workshop – Disability Responsiveness Plan. They have established the aspirations for their Disability Responsiveness Plan and to address inequities to ensure better health outcomes by working within the DHB and the Disability communities.
The opening of the workshop – a disabled presenter who is in a wheelchair and he talked about his life. He spoke about Tāne Mahuta and showed us the picture as here.
I remember reading the Māori myths when I was a young girl. It was about the 3 Basket of knowledge along with other stories about Tāne Mahuta, Tāne-nui-a-rangi, Tāne-te-wananga, Tāne-te-Waiora, Tāne-Torokaha, Tāne-Ueika, Tāne-te-Whawhanga and Tāne-Tahurangi. These stories were from Rangitaane, Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Ira (Te Whakatōhea) of the Wairarapa region. This area is where my mother’s family came from many years ago.
First of all, how can I explain the line of genealogy from the beginning.
Ranginui (father of the Sky) and Papatūānuku (Mother of the Earth) and they have many children. The children’s name were Tūmatauenga (God of War, Hunting, Fishing and agriculture), Tāwhirimātea (God of Weather and Storms), Tāne Mahuta (God of Forests and Birds), Tangaroa (God of Sea), Rongo (God of Peace and Cultivated plants), Haumia-tiketike (God of wild food plants), Uru-te-ngangana (God of Light) and Rūaumoko (God of earthquakes, volcanoes and seasons). Here is the link if you wish to explore more information.
https://maaori.com/whakapapa/ngakete3.htm
Next thing, He talked about using the appropriate words when describing the Māori disabled people in the community. In the Māori Language, we have 2 ways of the meaning in the translated and definition to a word – disabled. One word is called hauā which mean in English for crippled, lame, disabled and the other word is called Whaikaha which mean in English to have strength, be strong enough and disabled (modifier within the Māori disabled community.
Over the last 4 years, I am on the EGL Waikato (Enabling Good Lives) Leadership and the new roll out of the location around New Zealand was mid central of North Island in October 2018. It is called Mana Whaikaha and it rings a nice bell for the EGL in the mid central North Island.
Life in Eureka 