Written by Paul Tansley, Earthquake Commission
In leadership across private, public and nonprofit organisations, we often talk about 'culture'. "Let's create a culture based on....", "We need to develop a culture of....", "The team culture in this organisation is....". Maybe when it comes to culture in organisations, it is not about creating the 'new'. Maybe the questions we have about culture can be answered by drawing from the past, or from the existing? Maybe we could draw upon the richest culture in our land? Maybe we could first take a moment to understand and explore Mātauranga Māori (Māori Culture).
As the bus navigates the roads towards Kaikohe, the destination for our second retreat where we will explore Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Te Ao Māori, I pull my acoustic guitar out of its case and convince this year’s cohort of The NZ Leadership Programme to practice our waiata.
We arrive at Kohewhata Marae in the heart of Ngāpuhi country and are welcomed with a pōwhiri/whakatau for Retreat Two (Te Tiriti o Waitangi & Te Ao Māori). This is my first experience of the tikanga of this iwi and hapū, and it is beautiful. After each speech from tangata whenua (people of the land) and manuhiri (guests), a waiata tautoko is sung. Each waiata tautoko uplifts the mana or wairua of each speaker. What a fabulous way to honour and respect someone after they speak. It was a privilege to be able to lead our group waiata with guitar in hand as part of this ceremony.
We are now welcomed guests on the marae, and warmly hosted by Ted Wihongi and his whānau. Each minute, hour and day I gain more understanding of the tikanga, rich history, and culture of the indigenous people of this land. I am overwhelmed with the level of warmth, love, wisdom and respect I experience in the hands of our hosts and guest speakers. When people introduce themselves, they first honour their ancestors, the significant landmarks of the region, the land and water that has nurtured them, where they are from, and then they introduce themselves, last.
Maybe there is something to learn from this? Maybe starting with gratitude and acknowledgement of the people and places that have led us to be who we are, is the right place to start, before we introduce ourselves (our ego)? In contemplating this, it makes me realise how disconnected I am from my ancestral history, and ignorant at times of the land and environment that has nurtured me. The land my ancestors journeyed to for a better way of life. A better life from the hardship and struggle they experienced in their homelands.
Before heading to the Retreat, I took time to connect with my family and research my ancestral history in this land. Maybe what I have learned from this experience is that there is a humbling gratitude in knowing who we are, where we are from, where our connections lie, what land we caretake and make our home on. The land which nurtures and provides for us. It is equally humbling to know and respect this of others, and what their ancestral connections mean to them.
Maybe many of us are so disconnected from our own cultures that we try to create new ones? Maybe our culture has been taken away from us, or we have chosen to forget it? Or maybe we have replaced it with a cheaper alternative, one rooted in material things? Maybe we just need to reconnect with our own culture and truly understand it? The good, the bad and the ugly. Maybe we would better understand ourselves by doing this? Maybe we could learn from each others cultures by being respectful and open minded? Maybe some answers are within Mātauranga Māori? It is worth exploring further.
Did Paul’s story resonate with you? This is one of many courageous, enriching and impactful journeys on The NZ Leadership Programme.
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