A walk through te taiao is like a walk through multiple worlds - inner and outer. The rākau greet you as you walk past, their leaves waving at you as if they are saying hello. When out in the open, the sun beating down on you, you are made aware of a source of life that burns with power and strength, reminding you in turn of the inner strength you have to be able to walk beneath its powerful gaze. When looking out at the ocean expanse from the cliff face you tread, you recognise your own smallness on this vast earth. And yet as you return to the world of man, with the sounds of the highway and trains growing ever louder, you are reminded of a world that has endured the needs and greed of humanity. Through all these shifts and changes in thoughts and feelings, knowing that you are with people who are writing their own story, sharing with them a chapter of your own life, shows you a world in which you are welcomed and belong. When in te taiao you are asked to whanaungatanga with the world around you - to get to know the environment in which you live and which gives you life. To whanaungatanga with those beside you, connecting with others to create a place for connection. To whanaungatanga with yourself - to know who you are, who you were, and who you are hoping to be.
Deanna Haami - PHD Candidate
Te Arawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa
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