He Whakatau
Ko Tāne-Tuturu, Ko Tāne-Pēpeke, Ko Tāne-Ua-Tika, Ko Tāne-Uehā, Ko Tāne-te Waiora, Ko Tāne-Nui-a-Rangi-e-Tu-iho-nei. Nāna I poutoko tāna matua ki runga, ā, kua puta mai te ao mārama. Ka ao, ka ao, ka awatea. Tīhei mauri ora.
Ki ngā uri o Nukutaimemeha, o Tainui, o Te Arawa, o Mātaatua, o Kurahaupō, o Tokomaru, o Aotea, o Tākitimu, o Horouta, o Rangi Houa, o Rangi Mata, o Oropuke, o Paikea hoki, toia mai ō waka e koutou ki te takotoranga nei. Tūpaia mai ki kōneki!
E hika e haramai nei ki te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki-Makau-Rau
Nau mai, kake mai
Haramai ki kōneki ki runga ki Ngā-Wai-o-Horotiu,
Whakamaha tō tātau whare, ara ko te Pūrengi
E hika, whakakōtahi mai ki roto ki tō whanau hōu
Whārikihia mai ō mate ki õ mātau kia tuituia rātau katoa
kia tangihia
kia mihia
Nō reira e ngā mate o te motu haere atu rā
Rātau ki a rātau, tātou nei te hunga e ora ana e
Tīhei mauri ora kit e whai ao ki te ao mārama
Pia mā, he roa te ara ki mua i a koutou
Ā, ka aha koutou?
Kā haere tōtika tonu ētahi i runga te ara nei
Ka haere wīwī wāwā ētahi atu
Kei te pai wēnā i te mea, nōu ngā ture hei whakaarahi koe i tō oranga.
Hei tā te kōrero o te kaituhi nei “Whaia ō nui wawata, kāua e tuohu ki ngā pukepuke”
Me eke koe ki ‘Tītahi Ki Tua – Māori Students Association’
Me haere koe ki ngā noho marae ki kōneki ia wenerei
Me tutaki koe ki ngā Kaiawhina Māori me ngā TK (Tāura Kaiwhatu)
He nui te tokomaha e pīrangi ana ki te whakamana i a koutou, nā reira, kimihia wērā tangata.
Whakanuia wēnei rā.
Nā reira, e ai ki a Apirana Ngata “Ko tō ringa ki ngā rākau a te Pākēhā, hei ora mō te tinana”. E te iwi, he rerekē te rākau Pākēhā ki te ure Pākēhā.
Nāku iti noa iho,
Nā
Abel Kururangi “Koro” Johnston
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Heya! University is a place of learning and discovery. A place that you can proudly call home. So welcome to your new home and to your new family my dear friends.
Creed, colour and class do not matter here. I proudly say to you that at this place regardless of who you are, what you do and whatever background you come from, you belong.
So welcome to “Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki-Makau-Rau Auckland University of Technology”. Thank you to Ngāti Whātua Orākei and Tainui, the guardians of our land.
Some of you are burdened by weights of the past and I implore you to shed your load. Relinquish the past to the past, because we must now move onwards.
To all you lively young newbies, it may seem like a long path lies ahead of you but it’s actually quite short when you eventually come to grips with it. So, what will you do with all your time? Will you stick to the path? Or do a pub crawl? (Pick the latter at least once, its rather fun).
I now would like to quote myself (I just made this up) “Follow your passions and like, don’t give up.” You can use that if you want. APA 6th referencing only though please.
If I could give you a little piece of advice, just do stuff. Look at the Facebook pages, the clubs, the internships, the scholarships, Outward Bound, international study and anything you may come across. There’s so much here, so take advantage of it! And if you happen to wind up in a situation like me (poor af), there are facilities here (i.e. food pantry, health services) to help.
To all of you who couldn’t read the other half of this, try learning something Māori li
ke perspective, language or culture. You won’t regret it, heck you’ll probably meet me (and that’s always fun).
Should you ever see the bald, ginger-bearded white Māori, feel free to say hi!
Abel Kururangi “Wait he’s Māori?” Johnston.