Maori Leadership in Governance - Unitec

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Another image often used in talking about chiefs is that of the canoe. The loss of a leader is likened to a canoe floating unevenly, or leaning dangerously to one side. Or it is said that canoe is cast upon the beach as its work is done. It may be upended to emphasise the point. There are instances where the leaders’ canoe becomes his memorial. The canoe is cut in half and inserted into the ground near the grave as a reminder to everyone that the tribe has lost a valuable leader. In the case of the whare whakairo, the carved house, the notion of the chief being regarded as the symbol of the tribe is further emphasised. The chief is the totara tree and the chief is also the tribe. The chief is the mountain and the mountain is also the tribe. Consistent with this thinking the chief is also the carved house that he lived in and the house is also the tribe. Formerly upon the death of the chief the house was abandoned and allowed to crumble and die. A truly magnificent chief’s house was recorded and painted by the artist-ethnographer G. F. Angas 1847 and he talks about one of the houses he painted at Te Kuiti, in Volume 2 of his book Savage Life and Scenes, pages 87 -89. These images point to a very dynamic relationship between the leader and the people who provided the mandate, the workforce, the army and the supporters of the leader. Again the language of metaphor in songs and in orations emphasised the importance to a group of people such as a whanau, or a hapu, or a tribe or the Maori people in general of having dedicated leadership to guide them through the challenges of life. The loss of a great leader is a tragedy and composers of songs used very striking images to carry the message. The lighting flashes, the thunder resounds and these images very clearly signal that the loss of a leader is an earthshaking event that causes uncertainty about the future and may plunge the tribe into a period of internal unrest during which there is bickering and jockeying for positions. The traditional values referred to in traditional songs can be treated as principles. These are: 1. A leader is a sheltering rata tree. This means: a) dedicating ones life for the good of all the people b) ensuring stability for the people c) encouraging confidence about the future d) standing tall at all times regardless of the challenges e) being a person who cares about people. 2. A leader is a totara tree standing tall in the forest. This means: a) standing tall as a leader b) presenting oneself as a leader c) dressing up rather than down d) being a source of pride for the people because of skills and appearance e) never sacrificing the people for personal gain. 3. A leader is a rock that is dashed by the waves of the sea. This means: a) being steadfast and strong b) being fully committed c) going the extra mile and burning the midnight oil when required __________________________________________________________________ Hui Taumata Leadership in Governance Scoping Paper 6
d) able to handle difficult situations and endure a fair bit of stress 4. A leader is a waka. This means: a) ensuring essential services are maintained b) ensuring that the status of the community is such that the people can feel proud to belong c) ensuring that the whole whanau, hapu or iwi is functional and able to hold their own against or in comparison with others d) ensuring that the symbols and icons of the group are respected, maintained and enhanced. 2.2.1 The Pumanawa or Talents There are two sources of traditional information about the eight talents required and expected of chiefs. One is Te Rangikaheke of Ngati Rangiwewehi, Te Arawa. He wrote “Te Tikanga o tenei mea te rangatiratanga o te tangata Maori” (The Principles of chieftainship of Maori Society) submitted to Sir George Grey in 1850. The eight principles are clearly set out in a Masters thesis submitted by the late Colonel Neil Grove to Victoria University of Wellington in 1985. The other source was an article entitled “Nga Pumanawa e Waru” written by Himiona Tikitu of Ngati Awa in 1897 and published by Elsdon Best (1898: 242, 1901: 8). Both authors listed eight talents or pumanawa. The number eight has a symbolic significance attached to it and the phrase ‘Nga pumanawa e waru” has a ring of authority about it. Both authors emphasised that the talents were inherited and came from ‘te kopu o tona whaea’ (from the mother’s womb) according to Tikitu, Te Rangikaheke attributed the talents to, “Na te moenga rangatira ena mea.” Those things come out of the chiefly marriage bed”. (Best 1898) That is, the talents are inherited from a properly arranged marriage at the chiefly level. The talents are not present among commoners. For Te Rangikaheke the notion of the “chiefly marriage bed” is all important and is the source of inherited talents. On the other hand Himiona Tikitu was not so sure about this. He said that four of the talents can be found among commoners but he did not say which ones. Children coming out of a chiefly marriage bed and out of the mother’s womb are able to inherit all eight of the talents. And so while a child born of chiefly parents had the advantage of becoming a leader in later life, a commoner inheriting only four of the talents had a much more difficult task of becoming a leader. But a commoner could become a leader, according to Tikitu although it is fair to say he did not say so in his text. The two chiefly writers are in general agreement about some of the listed talents. They differ mainly in order of priority and in levels of intensity. In order to understand the lists it is preferable to deal with them separately and to provide some __________________________________________________________________ Hui Taumata Leadership in Governance Scoping Paper 7
Page 1 and 2: Scoping Paper: Maori Leadership in
Page 3 and 4: 1.0 Background and setting the scen
Page 5: You were my heart, my solitary rata
Page 9 and 10: His third and fourth talents relate
Page 11 and 12: health of a leader fails. During th
Page 13 and 14: 3.2 Leadership and strategic leader
Page 15 and 16: 3.2.3 Traditional principles in con
Page 17 and 18: way, the leadership practices of th
Page 19 and 20: Key formal leadership development i
Page 21 and 22: structure that encourages open and
Page 23 and 24: 3.5 Strategies to integrate leaders
Page 25 and 26: (ii) Small cohorts Almost by defini
Page 27 and 28: Much of the discussion with the pre
Page 29 and 30: Programmes offering Maori leadershi
Page 31 and 32: studies and mentoring. Taking part
Page 33 and 34: This review thoroughly examines all
Page 35 and 36: 2) The Hui Taumata Taskforce should
Page 37: Grint, K. (2005). Leadership; Limit

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