Ko wai au?

Ko Okahuatiu te maunga
Ko Waikakariki te awa
Ko Takitimu te waka
Ko Te Whanau a Kai te iwi
Ko Ngati Whakahone to hapu
Ko Te Rongopai te marae

Ko Papaturangi te maunga
Ko Te Arai te awa
Ko Horouta te waka
Ko Ngai Tawhiri te hapu
Ko Ngati Ruapani te iwi
Ko Ohako te marae

Ko Penny Horsfall ahau

I am the third eldest of 8 children. The greatest influences in my life
have been my parents their lived and shared experiences, values have
been mine, my tamariki and mokopuna. In addition Nga taonga tuku
iho the inherent gifts and principals that have been instilled in my life
are who I am today come from my whakapapa.
In my whakapapa on both sides, there is a strong presence of
Christianity and Hahi Ringatu, traditions, understandings this has
enriched and provided me with an abundance of taonga which form
my foundation in which I draw from.
I am the mama of 7 tamariki and the kuia of 7 mokopuna and have
been their principal kaitiaki for the past 17 years.
With much courage and support from my tamariki and whanau I
began the journey in Matauranga in 1998, I graduated with a Diploma
in Social work, 2001, In 2009 started a Degree in Applied Social
Science graduated in 2011, In 2013 a Diploma in Adult Education and
now on the final stages of a Graduate Diploma in Supervision.
Additionally, I am currently doing a certificate through Awanuiarangi
in Customary Fisheries and Wai Maori.

Accumulatively the matauranga has been profound in how I view life

and consider how I work with whanau.
Over the past 15 years I have been practicing as a social worker in
Care & Protection and at Hauora Tairawhiti. Of those 15 years,12
have been as a kaitiaki to a team of social workers.
Whakapapa Korero on Model: WAI ORA
During the course of the year I have struggled to find inspiration as
we sometimes do however studying Wai Maori I had my light bulb
moment. Learning the different states of Wai I began to consider this
in relation to whanau and the different states of mauri in their lives I
found inspiration and so Wai Ora was birthed.
To provide a context I will read Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi Matauranga Maori Whakapapa and Cycle of Wai
Ranginui, sky father and Papatuanuku, earth mother was separated by
their children. Broken hearted from the separation, Ranginui tears are
the drops of dew that form in the night on the back of Papatuanuku.
When Papatuanuku sighs in the morning we see the morning mist
rising and returning to Ranginui.
The water cycle is forever flowing, Ranginui takes the water from the
ocean and returns it as rain filling the waterways of Papatuanuku. The
belly of Papatuanuku stores the water and releases it through her
veins, she is always nurturing her children. The mauri of all living
things is passed down from the Atua through whakapapa and the
special power permits living things to exist within their own realms.
Ranginui and Papatuanuku care for us and sustain our lives, it is only
right that we protect them and their children, its about reciprocity.

As Maori, and like many other cultures, water possess a spiritual

dimension. This spiritual dimension provides a belief system that
informs of the right way to interact with the environment. The Maori
world view of the world differs to that of western cultures. Maori
believe that their relationship with the environment is not only
physical, but it holds a spiritual component.
Maori guiding values such as rahui, tapu, mana, noa and wairua all
become essential to sustaining not only the waterways, but Maori
themselves as we are one with our environment.

My ABSTRACT and model is entitled Wai Ora

Kei te ora te wai, ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata.
When the water is healthy, the land and the people are healthy.
Devoid of wai we cannot exist. Wai is essential for life, wai ora gives
life.
There are different states of wai and for my model I have used 4
Wai Maori, Wai Kino, Wai Rua and Wai Ora . Each of these have a
tikanga that informs a way of being. The various states of wai can be
likened to people and the situations facing them. Like wai, peoples
states of being are subject to change, wai is fluid it flows as we flow
in and out of different states of wai.
My role as a Kaitiaki, is to support their journey towards a place of
wai ora.
The 4 states of Wai that I have spoken about in my abstract form the
framework of my model. In each state of wai I will provide a context
in relation to a Kaitiaki session. Under each state of wai I have 2
principles that I will explain and the application to a kaitiaki session.
The kupu Kaitiaki is referring to the supervisor and the Kairuku

(supervisee). Many authors have discussed the role of a supervisor in

a professional supervision relationship; however, I will discuss the
contributions to the formation of my model as it sits within a Kaupapa
Maori and bi-cultural framework.

The first state of Wai is:

Wai Maori, (This is wai that has fallen from Ranginui and has
touched all things on Papatuanuku, it has many functions and roles)

Wai Maori is the acknowledgement and starting point in which we

commence the Kaitiaki session. There is an acceptance of
respectfulness in that we all come with our own uniqueness, life
experiences and values that have informed, shaped and influenced our
way of thinking. It is at this point that the relationship begins and
kaupapa established.
Pono
The notion of Pono is being truthful to the process. Carroll (2006)
supports this notion within the context of supervision when he
discusses how a philosophy of supervision focusses on the being of
people and provides thoughts on the role of spirituality within the
supervision relationship, particularly the notion of working from the
inside out. This supports the notion of pono in that in order to
develop a relationship with kairuku firstly the kaitiaki has to be pono
to themselves this is often a journey of deconstruction and reconstruction of self to provide greater insight. This process will also
promote awareness in Kaitiaki to the negative influences such as
shadows or ego that may also be active.

Authenticity
Pohatu speaks of Ata Whakarongo as listening with intent is a
means of being authentic to the kaupapa in a kaitiaki session. It is
generally agreed that both kaitiaki and kairuku have an equal
responsibility in this space. For most Kaitiaki and Kairuku the
relationship commences with the first meeting and subsequent
conversations establishing the kaupapa where expectations are laid
out, boundaries mapped and differences identified and considered. In
a western paradigm, this is called a supervision contract. Promoting
authenticity will not only develop the relationship but also the trust
that needs to exit in this relationship.

The second state of Wai is:

Wai Kino, (This is Wai that has been altered, fast flowing like rapids
or waterfall, potentially turbulent, potentially harmful)
Wai Kino are the moments in life where lifes journey takes us on
different pathways, they could be planned or unplanned where
decisions are made and consequences are faced, where out of
adversity and hardship it hoped that growth is birthed.
Kaitiakitanga
There are variations of meaning with Kaitiakitanga, Marsden (1992)
explains that the term Kaitiakitanga, kai means the agent tiaki is
to guard to keep, to preserve, to conserve, to foster, to protect, to
shelter, to keep watch over.
kaitiaki is a guardian, keeper, preserver, conservator, foster-parent,
protector. The suffix tanga added to the noun means guardianship,
preservation, conservation, fostering, protecting, sheltering.

In the context of a Kaitiaki session Matewawe Pouwhare translated

kaitiakitanga is to aki aki te ti o te tangata to ignite the flame within
a person this validates the position of the Kaitiaki role a
responsibility not to be taken lightly.
In addition to this, the use of Intuition is an inherent skill gifted
through our whakapapa which we all possess at varying degrees.
Personally, this has been extremely beneficial in my practice and life
over the years, and is therefore part of my model. I see an
opportunity to nurture this skill to encourage self-awareness and
develop the inner self.
Matauranga
A significant whakatauaki that had a huge impact on my life was from
Sir Apirana Ngata who said - E tipu, e rea, m ng r o t ao; ko to
ringa ki ng rkau a te Pkeh hei oranga m t tinana; ko t ngkau
ki ng taonga tpuna hei tikitiki m t mhunga. Ko t wairua ki t
Atua, nna nei ng mea katoa.
Grow tender shoot for the days of your world. Turn your hand to the
tools of the Pkeh for the wellbeing of your body. Turn your heart to
the treasures of your ancestors as a crown for your head. Give your
soul unto God the author of all things.
Marsden (1988) identified that Maori paradigms begin from the
position of the world behind this world of constructed reality is the
world Maori consider to be the ultimate reality. Knowledge then is
viewed as having a dual structure the ability to be used at any time,
in any situation.
For me this consolidates the principal of Matauranga, in that there is a
flitting in and out of the various structures of knowledge both Maori
and non-Maori.

This is supported by King (2014) who relates the notion of ako as

being critically engaging with all aspects of knowledge, which gives
licence to the incorporation of all bodies of knowledge for the purpose
of learning, which is what my kaitiaki model makes way for.
Smith (1999) affirms in her writings by saying that Maori knowledge
represents the body of knowledge which can sit alongside non-Maori
bodies of knowledge.
The principle of tuakana-teina and ako are principals which
epitomises the matauranga relationship in that within a kaitiaki
session, we are both on a learning journey, and at times the kairuku
will in fact be teaching me.
Within this space both kaitiaki and kairuku values, lived experiences,
knowledge and skills are transferable and acknowledged.

Wai Rua (2 rivers that have travelled different pathways that have
come together to form one river).
Wai Rua is where other kaupapa are considered. Organisational
processes and context, roles and responsibilities, practice, reflection,
ethical dilemmas and planning is deliberated in a kaitiaki session
Hangai
Planning and preparation of self is essential this will ensure that the
kaitiaki is hangai or centred prior to a kaitiaki session and equally I
see this as a responsibility of kairuku to themselves, each other and
kaupapa. The conversations within the sessions can bring forth
diversity in thinking, it can be challenging, supportive, humorous and
emotional. Being prepared will therefore assist in holding the mauri
and allowing the wairua to flow.

Reflective practice
Carroll (2006) states, you live life forwards, you understand it
backwards and continues to state that we learn and unlearn and
relearn and learn again and eventually learn that we know nothing
really.
Davys & Beddoe (2010) discuss the role of reflective practice within
supervision and define a reflective learning cycle, consisting of
stages: concrete experience, reflection, abstract conceptualisation and
active experimentation.
These writers provide a summary of my own personal thoughts while
Davys & Beddoe go further to develop a framework. The stages of
the learning cycle they describe can be loosely interpreted as stages of
wai: Wai Maori, Wai Kino, Wai Rua and Wai Ora. Each stage has
significant components which have a process of unfolding what each
stage has to offer by way of learning, which ultimately is about
reflective practice and formulating meaningful interpretations for the
kairuku to move them through the stages.
Their writings relate directly to my own world view in that the
kaitiaki relationship is driven from the belief that our own intuitions
and reflections are our strengths when supported to give
meaningfulness to life and situations.
The use of reflective practice is beneficial as Weld (2012) quotes
Albert Einstein who said, No problem can be solved from the same
level of consciousness that created it. It is important for Kaitiaki to
reflect on this point as ultimately the same level of consciousness and
thinking will deem the Kaitiaki session as being ineffective.

Wai Ora (which is the Source of Life, life essence).

Wai ora is the untouched and untainted water that falls from
Ranginui. Nurturing the life essence of kairuku is required from start
to finish of any kaitiaki session. It is important to have self-awareness
in facilitating the safe expression of emotions in Kaitiaki sessions are
crucial to ensure life essence.
Wairuatanga

As stated previously Maori believe that water possesses a spiritual

dimension and provides a belief system that informs the right way in
which we interact with the environment and eachother. In a kaitiaki
session, there will be changes of the flow of wairua this is unseen but
can be felt, evidenced in the physical and emotional reactions of
Kairuku and Kaitiaki. Dolgoff (2005) describes emotional intelligence
as the ability to recognise and manage ones own feelings, assists
Kaitiaki to recognise the feelings of Kairuku and influences the way
relationships are managed. Gilbert goes on to say that emotions are
not just internal reactions but connect us in ways we sometimes
cannot even imagine to life and others.

Mauri
Wai has a mauri, and within my model, at every stage the kairuku
transitions through, will have a state of mauri within it (Pohatu,
2008). Many Maori writers have discussed Mauri in great detail,
Barlow says that, Central to wai is what Maori refer to as mauri.
Maori believe that the spiritual and physical bodies are joined
together as one by the mauri; the manawa ora (or life-giving essence
which is imbued at birth) gives warmth and energy to the body so that
it is able to grow and develop to maturity (Barlow, 1993).

Marsden (1992) says that Mauri is that force that interpenetrates all
things to bind and knit them together and as the various elements
diversify, Mauri acts as the bonding element creating unity in
diversity.
To finish with I would just like to conclude with a statement.
Carroll gives an analogy to which I so can relate to, in that I cannot
separate my job from myself, as inherently my job is who I am and I
am what my job is a kaitiaki a social worker (Carroll, 2006).
In addition to this I am very humbled by this opportunity to present
my model Wai Ora and would like to acknowledge Tania Rose and
Hine for your commitment and passion to this kaupapa in holding the
mauri for our roopu over the course of the year. To my roopu, mama,
tuahine who have yet to deliver today YOU GOT THIS and to my
whanau to whom I love dearly and am so proud to be your mama.
Mauri Ora.

References
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Carroll, M. (2006). The spirituality of supervision. NZAC Newsletter, March.

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