The Guardian of the Forest - Day 25
In the heart of Aotearoa, nestled between rolling hills and misty forests, there lived a young Māori warrior named Tahu. He was known for his deep respect for the land, the trees, the birds, and the rivers that nourished his people. Tahu was not only skilled in hunting and combat but was also revered for his unwavering dedication to the customs and values of his iwi (tribe).
One day, Tahu discovered that a group of outsiders had been illegally taking wood from the sacred forest, a place known as Te Ngahere o Te Wairua. This forest was not just a source of resources but was the living embodiment of the ancestors’ spirits and the protector of the land. The elders had always taught that the forest must be respected and that only what was necessary for survival could be taken, and only with the blessing of the land’s guardian spirits.
Angered by the violation, Tahu knew that he had to act. He approached the tribe’s council and spoke of the need to protect the forest and uphold the values that had kept his people strong for generations. The elders, impressed by his commitment, bestowed upon him the responsibility of guarding the forest and teaching others the importance of kaitiakitanga (guardianship).
Days turned into weeks, and Tahu continued to patrol the forest, reminding the people of the stories and teachings that had been passed down. Yet, he knew that protecting the forest wasn’t just about confronting those who came with axes and saws, it was about instilling a sense of respect and understanding in others. He spoke of the ancestral spirits that watched over them and how they would only protect those who treated the forest as sacred.
One day, an outsider came to Tahu, seeking permission to take wood. Tahu, with a calm but resolute voice, told him, “Ko te tikanga ka tiakina e te tangata e tiaki ana i te tikanga. The values we uphold protect us, but only if we guard them with our actions.” The man, who had come for profit, was taken aback by Tahu’s words and the solemnity in his eyes. He realised that he had come to the forest not as a guest but as an intruder.
With newfound understanding, the man left and vowed to spread word of the forest’s importance to others. Over time, the message reached more and more people, and they began to see the forest not as a resource to exploit, but as a living being to respect. Tahu’s actions inspired not just his own iwi but all the tribes around them to practice kaitiakitanga and live in harmony with the land.
Moral of the Story:
The story of Tahu teaches us that "Ko te tikanga ka tiakina e te tangata e tiaki ana i te tikanga” — those who protect and uphold their values will find that those values will protect them in return. By living with respect and honouring the traditions and sacredness of the world, we invite protection and guidance, fostering a community bound by trust and
harmony.
⚠️ 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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