The Churning of the Great Moana - Day 13
The Churning of the Great Moana
Long ago, before the time of man, the Atua (gods) of the Māori world found themselves in disarray. The balance of life had been disturbed, and the Atua of light and prosperity, Tamanuiterā, found his power waning. The Atua of darkness, Whiro, had grown stronger, spreading unrest and despair across the land and seas. The only way to restore balance was to retrieve the sacred **Te Waiora** (the Waters of Life) hidden deep within the Great Moana (Ocean). These sacred waters could heal and bring harmony back to the world.
However, retrieving Te Waiora was no small task. It required the combined efforts of all Atua, including Whiro, who was reluctant to help. Seeing no other way, Tāne, the Atua of forests and light, proposed that they set aside their differences and work together to churn the Great Moana to bring Te Waiora to the surface.
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Preparing the Churning
The Whakapapa of Unity:
Tāne approached all the Atua, emphasizing the importance of kotahitanga (unity) for the survival of the world. Despite their grievances, the Atua, including Tangaroa (Atua of the sea), agreed. Even Whiro, though suspicious, joined the effort.
2. The Great Tools:
Tāne uprooted the mighty **Kauri** tree to serve as the churning rod, its towering trunk reaching the heavens.
Tangaroa offered his greatest guardian, **Te Wheke-a-Muturangi** (the giant octopus), to act as the rope, its mighty tentacles binding the Kauri firmly.
3. The Moana Awakens:
The Atua stood on opposite sides of the Great Moana. Tāne and his allies held one side of Te Wheke, while Whiro and his followers grasped the other. Together, they began to churn the waters, their chants resonating with the rhythm of the waves.
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The Churning and Challenges
Emerging Taonga:
As the Atua churned, treasures began to emerge. First came Pounamu (greenstone), a symbol of strength and endurance. Next appeared the Tāonga o te Tangata (gifts of the people): kai (food), tools, and other treasures that would one day sustain humanity.
2. The Poison of Conflict:
From the depths, a great cloud of Kapua Pōuri (dark mist) arose, spreading despair and anger among the Atua. Whiro, tempted by his darker nature, sought to abandon the task and take the treasures for himself. Seeing this, Tāwhirimātea (Atua of winds and storms) unleashed a fierce gale, dispersing the mist and reminding Whiro of their shared purpose.
3. The Sacred Te Waiora:
Finally, after much effort, Te Waiora emerged, shimmering with light. Its presence calmed the seas, and the Atua felt a sense of unity and peace.
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Restoring Balance
Whiro, moved by the power of Te Waiora, chose to honor the pact. Though his nature was still tied to darkness, he agreed to use his strength to maintain balance rather than disrupt it. The Atua collectively shared the Te Waiora, ensuring that its power would nurture both land and sea for future generations.
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Moral of the Story
This story teaches the importance of kotahitanga (unity) and aroha (compassion). Even when individuals or groups are divided, working together for a shared purpose can overcome any obstacle. It reminds us that true strength lies in cooperation and that every being, even those seen as adversaries, has a role to play in maintaining balance and harmony in the world.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
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61.7% Summer
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36.6% Winter
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1.7% Other - I'll share below
Te Whakapono o Tūmanako - Day 30
The Faith of Tūmanako
In a small village nestled between the mountains of Aotearoa and the vast ocean, lived a young Māori man named Tūmanako. His name meant “hope,” and his kuia (grandmother) often reminded him, “Tūmanako, e moko, your name carries a promise to the world. You must learn to walk the tides of life with grace.”
One summer morning, Tūmanako’s world was upturned. A fierce storm rolled in from the sea, its winds howling like angry taniwha. His whānau’s (family’s) marae was badly damaged, and the crops they relied on were swept away. Despair gripped the village. Many cried to Tangaroa, the god of the sea, asking why such calamity had befallen them.
Tūmanako, too, felt the sting of loss. “Why, Kuia?” he asked his grandmother. “Why does life bring so much suffering?”
His kuia sat beside him, her face weathered with years of wisdom. She handed him a tī kouka (cabbage tree) leaf. “Take this, moko. Bend it.”
Tūmanako did as he was told. The leaf bent but did not break.
“Now, hold it tighter and twist it harder,” she said.
He twisted until the leaf sprung back and slapped his hand, leaving a sting. His kuia smiled gently. “This leaf is like life. It bends under the weight of the wind but refuses to break. Yet when we fight against it, we feel pain.”
Tūmanako listened but wasn’t sure he understood. His kuia continued, “Life is a cycle, moko, just like the seasons. There will be days of sunshine and warmth, and days when the rain soaks the earth. Both are needed for growth. To fight against the storm is to forget the blessings it will bring in its wake.”
In the following weeks, Tūmanako began to embrace his kuia’s wisdom. Instead of mourning the storm, he worked with the village to repair the marae. They sang waiata (songs) of strength and unity as they planted new crops. Tūmanako noticed the soil, enriched by the storm’s floodwaters, yielded more bountiful kumara than before.
Years later, Tūmanako became a respected rangatira (leader). When challenges arose, he would remind his people of the tī kouka leaf. “We are like this leaf,” he would say, holding it high. “Life’s storms will come, but we will bend, not break. Let us move with the winds, not against them.”
The people of the village came to cherish this teaching. They learned to greet hardships with calm hearts and open minds, trusting that every storm would eventually bring new growth.
And so, the wisdom of Tūmanako and his kuia lived on, teaching the generations that to accept life’s ups and downs with equanimity is to find inner peace and wisdom.
The moral of the story is:
Resilience comes from embracing life’s challenges with acceptance and grace. Just as the storm nourishes the earth, adversity can lead to growth and wisdom when met with an open heart.
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