My Mum

I must admit that I have been really slack with updating this Blog! (and all the other blogs i have created!) But let me tell you about my mother!

It was my mother's birthday on Monday 22 September - and to add to this, she passed away 10 years ago in Jan of this year - 10 Years! That's a long time, a very long memory - and yet she is not forgotten!

What to i remember about her?

What single enduring moment is etched in my mind?

If i had to choose the memory that has endured in my mind, it would be that she never gave up on me!

Not really astounding my any stretch of the imagination except that i was not the model son - i gave her (and my dad) such a hard time. I remember my dad saying to me, just as i was about to leave home to head to the South Island to attend Otago University: "You know boy, it's hard to keep my head up when i walk through town because of the things you have done!" That stuck with me for a long time after that - but at the time, I just laughed because i just did not know what it was like for my parents, neither did i have any sense of responsibility to anyone or anything!

But my Mum never gave up on me (neither did my dad) - she always believed that i would come right and i would do good! or rather better that i was doing at the time with all the gifts and natural talents i had. She believed i would increase my talents and gifts - and i did. When i finally accepted responsibility for my life and for everything i did, i began to make my way forward. And i took my Mum with me.

And now, 10 years later, i reflect upon my relationship with my Mum - and i love her with all my heart, with all my mind, and with all the strength that i can muster.

What now for me?

Move to the next level and leave a legacy behind for my family to follow (and for my mum and dad to dine out on!)

Hauiti

Goals: a Family Ritual

Goal setting has been one of the constants in our family life over the past 10 years.  It began as a simple family ritual to encourage communication; it now plays a major role in shaping the destiny & direction of my children. It is one of the primary tools  I use to grow my children into great native trees; to become "agents of change". 

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Hawai'i and Back

Kia ora Whanau!On Tuesday August 3, my three girls and I headed over to Hawai'i for a holiday!

We left Dunedin on the 7am flight - temperature around 3 degrees C and arrived in Honolulu at around 10pm Monday night to a temperature of 25 degrees!!

Lovely and hot - everyday all day!! Ideal place to swim and surf!

We stayed at the Ocean Resort on Paokalani Avenue, in Waikiki - near the Zoo

Highlights:

• Driving around the island and visiting the beaches along the way - stunning scenery!
• Malasada from Leonards
• Pali Lookout!
• Learning an Hawaiian string figure from Kalani (Orion - Tautoru for us!)
• Meeting up with my cousin Aroha French at the PCC and watching the kapa haka group from home practice!
• The Planetarium at the Bishop: learning about the stars in the Northern Hemisphere
• The Ku display at the Bishop
• Kahanamoku (The Duke) on the strip & at the Bishop!
• Hawaain food from ONO!!
• The PCC, canoe pageant and the night show HA (fire-dancers are amazing!)
• The Samoan Village/Show - making fire!
• The SWAPMEET at Aloha Stadium
• Ala Moana Foodcourt and Mall!

The pig - Luau

Ali'i luau at the PCC - lovely food!

Part of the canoe pageant at the PCC!

The PCC

The PCC -

Awesome place to visit! The Samoan village was funny as! - fire-making and milk from Coconuts! Did i say that it was hot? The sweat was trickling down from head to toe! The canoe pageant was well done - but the night show was just awesome!

The Pali Lookout: what a sight/site! Awe-inspiring -battle site! One can only imagine what that battle was like!

Pali lookout

Pali lookout

Pali Lookout

Around the island!

Bishop Museum: KU display!

Malasada from Leonards on Kapahulu!

Iolani Palace

The DUKE - Kahanamoku - from whom Aunty Lottie received her name Lotomua

Can't remember the name of this place!

BYU Hawai'i Campus

Te Kotuku on his Mission!

Some photos of Elder Hakopa on his mission!

this where they meet for church

local refrigerator

Ha-Waihi

E nga mokopuna o Te Uira raua ko Te Kotuku Horima Hakopa Tena no koutou katoa!

On the weekend of 11-13 June 2010, the Hakopa Whanau converged on Waihi, the home of Turumakina, Hapu of Ngati Tuwharetoa to celebrate the 80th birthday of Te Tawiri o te rangi Hakopa, the last of the children of Te Uira and Horima Hakopa.

Whanau came from all over the motu and from Australia to be there; the last time we were all together for such an occasion was when dad turned 60 - he was none too happy then - but this time, it seems that the years have mellowed him and he was absolutely thrilled to be among whanau.

Twenty years ago we had among us Aunties: - Whiungarangi, Hine, Haumoetahanga (Lotty), Rita and Wai - Uncle Moffit - the photos were stunning! - and the mokopuna were so young! (Have i forgotten anyone??)

Twenty years on only Aunty Wai is alive and the mokopuna have grown and increased in number!

It was an absolute pleasure to be with the whanau throughout the weekend. It gave us all an opportunity to connect and reacquaint ourselves with Waihi and to set in place some tentative plans for renewing our relationships with Moawhango and Oruamatua!!


hei kona whanau
naaku noa
Hauiti

A letter from Elder Hakopa

He kotuku rerenga tahi

Elder Kotuku Hakopa left to serve a mission for the LDS church
on Thursday 22 October 2009


naaku tenei e mihi atu ra!