Amesbury Digest - 12th September 2022

Kia ora e hoe mā,

I would like to begin this week’s editorial by sadly acknowledging the passing of Queen Elizabeth II late last week. She was a well loved and well respected monarch, and was particularly admired for her constant and unwavering commitment and dedication to serving her people.

It is at times such as this that it is good to stop and take the time to think about what is important to us. That message came through strongly to me multiple times last week, as Jenny, Demelza and I attended a leadership conference in Hamilton. We have a lot swirling through our heads as a result of what turned out to be a very good and thought provoking event, and I’m sure I will reflect on various ideas and concepts in my editorials in the weeks to come. However, first and foremost, I am thinking about the need to stop periodically, and take a step back to ‘take stock’ and consider our priorities.

One of the speakers at the conference referenced this, saying that it is “in silence that change really happens”. Our lives are generally so busy, especially in these constantly changing times, and in the busyness and bustle of everyday life, it can be hard to hear and really think about what the universe is saying to us. By deliberately slowing down and stepping away from the noise, we can clear our heads and think more clearly. I was on a nature walk recently with several friends who were, to put it nicely, chatting very loudly and rarely pausing for breath. Another person close by commented that we may struggle to see any local wildlife if we scare everything away with our noise. I think the constant busyness in our lives can serve to do the same thing, well, it certainly does for me. I spend so much time rushing to different things and chattering about things that need to be done, and I don’t take nearly enough time to stop, quieten down and reflect deeply on what is important.

As we reflect on times and events of significance and priority, it is important to note the start of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori 2022. Māori Language Week is particularly poignant this year, as we commemorate 50 years since the presentation of the Māori Language petition at parliament. Te Petihana, the petition, called for te reo Māori to be taught in schools, and was a hugely significant moment when Māori and non-Māori came together to protect, uplift and honour te reo Māori as a taonga of Aotearoa New Zealand. Te Petihana and the 50th anniversary exhibition can be visited at the National Library until December - more information can be found here. If you would like to do something as part of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, there are lots of great ideas and resources here.

Hopefully recent events serve as a reminder to us all to take the time to stop, take time to think and reflect, and consider what is most important to us in our lives and in our contributions. Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa - let us keep close together, not wide apart.

Ngā mihi nui,

Urs Cunningham