Tiwaiwaka and the whenua of Wangapeka – A poem by Shelley Taylor

Weaving Tiwaiwaka-( healing the mauri of the whenua); Te Ao Maori; and Buddha Dharma.

Was it really only a weekend?

The weka says “Oi, Oi, Oi”

Eyes shut, face down- can’t be found anywhere…

Seeing for the first time,

Hearing as a small child, as a teen, as a caretaker, a retreatant…..

Remembering this place as a small child, a teen, a caretaker, a retreatant…

Community, unity “Kotahitanga”

A rich texture of experiences, world views, knowledge, questions, ages.

Deep bows to the Wangapeka River

An ongoing flow of life

Deep bows to the power poles

An ongoing flow of electricity

How can we see differently

How can we listen differently

What to do with perceived problems?

Ask the whenua, observe, embrace.

Change perceptions, senses open, feel their energy

Solutions hidden in plain sight

See the beautiful in the unbeautiful

“Thankyou pine trees for your shelter”

But you evoke discomfort also.

The grand beech tree, so precious…

Why you more than another?

How is this so? …more valued now…

A leftover from previous days?

Gangly trunks not worth milling that day back then.

Escaping fire…

What is this whakapapa?

Who walked this valley in the past,

Where were they going , where had they been

Who came before, who came next?

And after that..

And after that…

Weavings of storyings

New threads, embracing old, being held, strengthened, breathing life.

Sunrise glimpse Matariki

Jones ridge snow

Rain, shine, cloud, blow

Boots off slippers on

Slippers off boots on

Umbrella? yeah nah

Piwaiwaka dancing, flitting , joining in

“Piwaiwaka says ……….(puckered lips, sucking in)”

Regeneration of natives and exotics….how now

Bumps in beliefs

Four legged uninvited ones doing their thing

Pests? Problems?

Dreaming to be woven into this sanctuary,

Where no harm is the precept upheld.

“Keep it wet”

Keep it WET

“I thought I was coming to a flax weaving weekend”

“Okie Dokie, Wonky Donky”

Ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata

When the land is well, the people will be well.