A message from the Secretary for Maori Affairs...

Kaea, Issue 1, 1 December 1979, Page 1

A message from the Secretary for Maori Affairs.. .

Apiti hono, tatai hono. E nga mate kua mene kite po, haere, haere, haere kite kainga tuturu i oatitia mo tatou mo te tangata. Haere kite Kaihanga, haere ki to tatou Matua ite Rangi.

E takatu nei te hunga i mahue ake i te mata o te whenua me ahakoa ra i te kete-putea e iri nei i te tara whare, kia ki ake au, Ka Ao, ka Ao,

Ka Awatea!

E nga mana, e nga reo, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou, Ki nga tai o te moana huri noa i Aotearoa; Te Waipounamu me Wharekauri; ki nga hau o uta e pupuhi nei ki nga huihuinga tangata, kite iwi rangatahi e oho, e oho, e oho. Whakarongo kite reo oTe Kaea , te karere kawe korero kia riro mana e hora ki mua i o tatou aroaro nga hiahia, nga wawata, nga taonga o te ao hou hei ata tirotiro ma tatou, hei pupuri ma tatou, hei whakatakoto kaupapa hei arahi i te rangatahi me nga uri whakatupu. Kua tu Te Kaea. Ko ana kupu “kia rite, kia rite, kia rite aki akina-whangaia mai ra.” Ko Tu-tangata te waka, tu tangata maia, tu pakari, tu whakahihi i runga i te kaupapa mana Maori motuhake, i te kaupapa whakawhanaungatanga, a, i runga i te kaupapa aroha tetahi ki tetahi.

Kua oti te whakawatea o nga huarahi e taea ai te whakatikatika o nga take whenua i runga i te tangimarie te pupuri ito tatou reo rangatira, te whawhao ki roto kite hinengaro o te hunga rangatahi nga taonga a o tatou tipuna i waiho ake, ara, te whakapono kite Atua Kaha Rawa, te mau ki to tatou Maoritanga, mete aroha kite tangata. Piki ake ki runga ki to tatou waka; kia u te pupuru i to hoe; whakarongo kite takitaki a Te Kaea; huria te ihu o te waka hei wawahi i nga tai e ngurunguru nei i waho o te Akau. Titiro a uta Titiro ki tai Titiro tetehi taha Tetehi taha Ko te aroha ta tatou e Whai ai. Hei whakamutunga: Whakataka to hau kite Muri, Whakataka to hau kite Tonga. Kia makinakina i uta, Kia mataratara i tai, Kia hi ake ana te atakura He tio He huka

He Hauhunga.

Hei konei ra, Ma Te Atua Kaha Rawa koutou e tiaki, e manaaki, i roto i nga ra e tu mai nei.

Te Kaea comes to life at a time when many new and exciting things are happening for Maori people. Currently much is said about Maori land, Maori gangs, Maori language, and Maori politicians. Land, language and politics have in fact been issues discussed at great length on marae for as long as I can remember. Because the media have generally shied away from reporting marae news, the views of Maori people on these now topical subjects have not always been made known to the general public. It has also meant that those Maori people who shifted away from their tribal districts often became out of touch with the way of thinking on what a Maori might see as traditional issues land, language and politics.

Te Kaea will therefore assist us in keeping up to date with the views of our own people, and certainly improve our knowledge about “things Maori”. As Maori we talk about our land with emotion, about our language with love, about our youth with hope and of our tribes and faith with awe. The future of Maori people is a matter which we treasure. It seems important to me therefore that Te Kaea reflect such feelings in a way that is uniquely Maori.

I personally like to hear about things Maori from a Maori. This for me seems a natural and sensible way. It brings a personal pleasure and very often a major challenge. But inasmuch as Te Kaea will be an excellent outlet for Maori expression, it will also offer interest and enjoyment to the general public. There is a growing body of Pakeha people wanting to know what the Maori thinks, what we do, and what we can do differently to advance ourselves and our nation. It is a sincere curiosity and one I highly respect. Te Kaea should help to give Pakeha people some of the answers they seek, but in a Maori way. Providing the publication does reflect Maori opinion, expression and activity then it should offer a unique contribution to the New Zealand reading public.

What we are hoping for in Te Kaea is a wide range of interests that will portray Maori creativity. I suspect when most of us hear the word creativity we picture in our minds a long-haired artist, poet or sculptor. Te Kaea will offer the creativity of Maori people in a much wider fashion. We will draw contributions from farmers, orators, women, bureaucrats, politicians, carvers, weavers, youth and any source that exists in our community.

I would be disappointed if some reader pre-judge Te Kaea as a political propaganda tool. Certainly it is at this stage being sponsored by the Department of Maori Affairs. My only answer is that “if the cap fits, wear it”. But in the

meantime it deserves to be given a fair hearing. Perhaps I should say that my department’s intention is that Te Kaea reflect “the stance the people wish to take” in Maori terms: “tu tangata”.

At this point it seems appropriate for me to acknowledge John Rangihau who offered the name Te Kaea. He tells me that a simple definition of “te kaea” is “leader”. I am conscious that among some tribes “te kaea” can mean many other things. But as a name for our new magazine, it does seem appropriate, particularly if contributions truly reflect Maori initiatives which give a lead to the course Te Kaea should take. So I commend this publication with the name Te Kaea and trust you will give it the support that it deserves.

Heoi ano, e pa ma, e wha ma, e nga iwi, haere mai koutou kia aranui i a tatou, na ta koutou mokai e tangi nei,