Written by Doyle Matautia, Drastic Motor Racing
I arrived into the seventh and final retreat exhausted by an ornate year. As per the previous retreats, I felt a strong sense of calm as soon as we entered our opening circle. The noise of the hustle and bustle dissipated as I began to reflect on my journey with the NZLP Cohort of 2023.
The theme for our closing retreat is ‘Integration’, set in the picturesque scenery of Torbay overlooking Long Bay at the Vaughan Park Anglican Retreat. We explore and focus on Visions for Aotearoa and what it means for New Zealand leadership. We gather all the year’s learnings to reflect on and celebrate the NZLP journey to date, and also the journey that is ahead.
Before crossing paths with LNZ, I would only imagine an Aotearoa where cars would always keep left unless passing, or an Aotearoa where motorway on-ramps were actually used to match the speed of the traffic one is proceeding to merge with! However, after being armed with the learnings, perspectives and connections on this thought-provoking journey through NZLP, I now imagine far more significant ideas of a future Aotearoa New Zealand. I imagine our proud multilingual tamariki that are unafraid to represent their nationality and culture. I imagine Te Reo Māori being our dominant language and our tamariki thriving in a multicultural Aotearoa New Zealand that has honoured Te Tiriti o Waitangi. I imagine the leaders of our people addressing issues courageously with open minds, kindness, and conviction. I imagine, for the first time ever, that these ideas can become a reality and I can start with myself and my whānau.
NZLP has provided a safe space for me to dive into deep conversations about my worldview and peel back the layers to find the true meaning and purpose of my values. For this 3-day retreat, we are accommodated together in groups across multiple houses at Vaughan Park and it gives us ample opportunity to reflect with each other on our journeys. It also gives me time to appreciate the kōrero I have received from each of the members in my cohort this year. My learnings are further amplified when we receive kōrero from distinguished guest speakers and give a presentation to an Alumni Panel of our 2050 vision for Aotearoa New Zealand. The presentation and discussions that follow give us sustenance for the intense planning session of our graduation, to be held on the evening of Day 3.
On this final retreat, I reflected on a few quotes I had heard throughout the year, and many of them finally landed with me. I embarked on this journey expecting to learn textbook skills to be a better leader, I definitely take away some new skills and have already implemented them in the workplace or home life, but the unexpected learning, and arguably, the most valuable learning I will take from NZLP 2023, is that I was introduced to myself and the true person deep inside my core. It just so happens, I quite like this person! Therefore, I will begin to peel away the facade and put down the multiple masks I wear in different surroundings or environments. I am now unafraid to be a multilingual, Māori Pasifika man, who is proud of his heritage and proud of his whānau. I am Doyle David Matautia!