Titiro hakamuri, anga hakamua.

Lee Cooper (Ngāpuhi) shares his hakaaro on Mānawatia a Matariki | Celebrating Matariki by looking back, leading forward as he prepares to leave Te Hautū Kahurangi.

I mua – our past informs our now and our future. Mahi tahi of Māori and Pākehā has been significant in advancing Te Tiriti relationship from ASTE Te Hau Takitini and AUS to building the tūāpapa of Te Hautū Kahurangi. Some of whom are still in, or moved out, of tertiary while others have sadly passed. Pōhutukawa star shines on tūpuna, some TEU tūpuna are Helen Kelly, Kui Mere Broughton, Whaea Kāterina Daniel, Koro Dr Te Huirangi Waikerepuru, Dr Mānuka Hēnare, and Dr Moana Jackson. I am honoured and forever grateful to have worked with these rangatira – Ko ngā hakamiha atu, e kore koutou e warewaretia.

Ināianei – our now requires everyone to be fully present: ā-tinana, ā-wairua, ā-hinengaro. Recently, TEU members at conference were ‘present’ and they endorsed the mātāpono (stage one) of a transformative approach to a Te Tiriti-based rules review – E mahi rangatira ana koutou katoa.

Te āpōpō – our future behoves individual and collective leadership. Hiwa-i-te-rangi star shines on granting wishes and realising aspirations. My hiahia and tūmanako for TEU’s future is that current and future leaders lean in to drafting the detailed rules (stage two) to further advance, transform, and embed TEU as a Te Tiriti-led union in the 21st century – Ahatia ngā piki me ngā heke ka awhi atu, ka awhi mai tētahi ki tētahi kia tū kotahi, kia tū kaha ai tātou katoa.