The rain keeps falling. The drive here to the river was a bumpy one, dodging rocks that had fallen from cliffs up high… but we got here! A swollen river beckons even though I can’t see it, I know it is there, flowing a strong current…

We are at Ruaka marae beside the Wanganui river and despite the rain not letting up, it is very cleansing…

Kids playing outside in the rain today, enjoying the gifts of Ranginui, celebrating his love for Papatūānuku our earth mother. How could we not celebrate his aroha for her and the mists that meander through the hills and mountains that greet him with her warmth…

So I’ve reached Day 365 – I did not know what this rock was going to look like and when I started it I was like hmmm… expectation again! Even at the end of the year – but then I can see, a moving river with many twists and turns, mists rising, rain falling… flowing water…

What a year it has been! So many wonderful connections, sharing with one another, healing… Who would have thought such a simple offering could be so powerful!

Koha-tu – a special gift. A gift of aroha, a gift of connection, of sharing with one another, the sharing of breath, of life through nature, art and words… I am grateful, amazed, pleased, overwhelmed… eight more hours until the new year… a new beginning a new project to begin.

Ngā manaakitanga ki a tātou katoa i tēnei wā o te tau hou. Thank-you all for such an amazing journey. I’ll see you at the start of the next project but for now enjoying the moment.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Rain dribbles down a thick glass window – well worn it has had many eyes look out to contemplate with nature – like thin shreds of lace hanging down, some slow some fast, rain crystals, each one unique, shining reflections upon reflections, alive…

We are in Ohakune at the moment – and this is my second to last rock for the year – my goodness! Quite overwhelming actually but also very exciting! The day has been rain, calm, rain, calm – all day! It is raining now… nice and refreshing…

Driving through the central plateau this morning was just stunning. You know when you drive through a place and you are in the presence of something greater than yourself, a sense of belonging, spirit is alive in amongst these beautiful maunga (mountain) – Tongariro, Ruapehu, Ngaruahoe and Pihanga. Ka mihi atu ki a koutou. I greet you and I honour your presence.

Ahhhh what a journey… last Friday I greeted my maunga Matawhaura on the shores of Lake Rotoiti and my marae Houmaitawhiti – ko tōku māma tēna. Today we left Rotorua and on my way out I greeted my maunga Tarawera – ko tōku māma anō tēna and then we arrive in amongst these beautiful mountains… it’s all connected.

I greet all these maunga and remember the connection to my maunga Taranaki, the journey that he took in his haste, leaving love behind to forge out a pathway along the Wanganui river to be where he is today…our spiritual mountain that has given me so much healing…

Tomorrow we head to the Wanganui river, to running water, a lifeline of Papatūānuku, a bloodline that runs through the earth from sky to the peaks of mountains, through land forming rivers and out to sea, water…

I began this journey with water, in search of a part of me, I am still searching but much of me has been revealed over the year and I end this journey with water… beside water, in water, of water and the next journey will begin…again…with water…

Arohanui,
Jo x

I’m not sure what kind of reception I will have up the awa (river) tomorrow so I may not be able to post my rock until I come out into civilisation again – but kei te pai – that’s ok! And the rock will be taken from the river and gifted back once it is finished. Of course I will take a photo!

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I know she will probably freak that I have called a rock after her – but Marama Davidson – rā whānau ki a koe e hoa!! I have no regrets hehe! And it actually illustrates very clearly what I want to talk about today. So thanks Ma for a beautiful name and the inspiration!

We had a wonderful afternoon with Mere Marshall, MT and Jay today. Such wonderful rich kōrero about lots of things! It really was a neat meeting with another of my dedicated FB rock followers who has contributed hugely to the project over the year and who I was SO excited to meet in the flesh today!

One of the many things that stood out for me was about being true to self, being who you are and not compromising on that at all. My whole life has been about finding who I am, what is my place in the world…and so the conversation reinforced this.

And always back to the spiral, back to water – water being a strong theme throughout my work this year and something that will flow into next year. It is fitting that we will be spending the last day of the year beside the Wanganui river and the first day of 2012 beside the Wanganui river… reinforcing once again, connection through water, wai…Ko wai au? Who am I? Grounded in connection…

So back to Marama – te ao marama – the world of light and for me in this moments reflection, I look back over the year and this rock a day project has been exactly that – moving toward the light into an understanding of who I am, understanding through my eyes, my experiences, journeys and healing.

I feel like I can move into 2012, the next part of my journey, sure in the knowledge that I am where I need to be, right here, right now. Kua marama inaianei – I understand what this journey has been about. It has been about me returning to who I am and sharing the journey with others in the hope that they will be inspired to embark on their own journeys of reflection and self-discovery.

Arohanui,
Jo x

So thank-you once again to Mere, MT and Jay for a lovely afternoon!! Hope you’ve had a great day for your birthday today Ma!! AND – two more rocks to paint for 2011!! YAY!!

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A reflective time of year marks the beginning of a new… change, connection, relationships, healing – all have been strong themes this year, woven into life’s intricate web…

I love the spider web – resilient and beautiful, it is one of nature’s many wonders that always amazes me. How could this be possible? What is possible in the future?

A question I’ve been asking myself over these last few days of the year – what is possible? If there was one thing that I would want to bring to fruition this year, what would it be? How would I bring this to fruition and what would I need to do this? And who will help me?

The year is nearly over and excitement is building as we head into 2012 – it is an important year, probably the most important year of my life for many reasons and everyday up until now has brought me to here, this moment, this time, this place. And I am grateful.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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I decided that I would write the story for this rock with my three nieces. And these are the thoughts that came to mind from all of us.

It has been a great day – all the family getting together for a yummy hangi! We haven’t seen each other for ages and all the mokos have grown! No one knows anyone’s age or birthdays anymore!

Teiarere says the rock looks like a mushroom and then Rexina says she doesn’t like mushrooms and Teiarere says me either!

Rexina says, “they remind me of curls and Robyn said, “xmas snow”…

Nana was so happy today and she’s been in a really good mood around family and the ham was great with pineapple and cherries and mint sauce…

One thing we will remember:

Robyn – everyone sitting in a row all together.
Rexina – the food.
Teirere – the games.
Aunty Jo – Xmas in the orchard with the whanau all gathered together united in the kitchen putting the kai on together like it was a marae… and our sister Char was not here but oh well we hope to see her at the end of January!

Last words from all of us – colour in the snow – colour at xmas – family – sunny day – eyebrows – sneezing at eyebrows being plucked lol (that was Rexina!), joyful…

Arohanui,
from US! Jo, Rexina, Robyn and Teiarere xxxx

PS – from the nieces AND Tai the nephew – DOITTZZZZZ!!

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I was putting healing cream on my niece’s excema this morning and she just sat there, fluttered her butterfly eyelashes and was enjoying the touch and attention to her skin.

Today I picked up my Mum from the resthome and she loved to have kisses on her face, me touching her soft skin with my two hands, she responded with a smile and glow in her eyes. Just beautiful.

All it takes is time, attention and love to give a child, touch can be the most special gift one can give to a child.

All it takes is time, attention and love to give… when we grow up and have given all the love, we then require love and care in return to replenish that love. It can be the most warming and life giving thing for an adult, to feel loved and to be touched with love.

It’s been a beautiful day today with whānau! We are all together – have prepared kai for the hangi tomorrow (well actually today as it is 1am in the morning!) but it has been such a special day. Pō mārie.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Out of space into the daylight a brand new day, fresh, alive…
brightness… I come alive again…

Yay! So I’m here with whānau and looking forward to the next few days ahead. It was so lovely to come to Rotorua and to the sun!

I love the rain and the coolness but my body was wanting to feel warm, my bones wanting to loosen up with the warmth of sun. Longing for summer!

I took a series of photos for this rock and asked my niece Robyn which photo she liked. She says this one and called it – Into the Daylight. I like that and it reminds me of our drive through the gorge – from the cool, damp, rainy Gisborne to a brighter day.

Yes, the future is bright.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Every little bit counts. Going back over the year, I am reminded of all the wonderful things that have happened! We remember the big bits because they stand out but there are those little bits that are just as important.

In fact they are often the most challenging because the results are not so obvious, or they are hard work and you feel like you’re not getting anywhere. But these little things make all the difference in our lives, challenging us to move forward to the next step, up a level, to take a peak around the corner and persevere.

I had two amazing trips overseas this year – I met some really beautiful talented “different” people and had life changing experiences. I had an art residency at the beginning of the year which was also life changing and actually, this residency set the tone for the entire year and was where my overseas journeys began.

But in between these major events there were all these other little things that pushed me further beyond my boundaries, they had me thinking in new ways because I had to and each experience had a huge affect on my life.

Oh and I can’t forget, my rock a day project – HUGE! Or in the words of Tamzyn Rose Pue – EPIC – that word even sounds HUGE and when you hear her say it you’ll know what I mean! But I also see this project as being full of all these little things too, each day a step, a small step, important in the bigger scheme of things.And it all matters. Yes it does.

Aaaaaaannnd actually when I look back over the past 10, 15, 20 years it all matters – regardless of what it was or whether it was right or wrong. Each experience has led me to be the person I am today, to be on the journeys I have been on. And I have no regrets, only lessons learnt, stories to tell and a whole lot of love shared.

Yes indeed, it does all matter and what a life it’s been – SO looking forward to the future, reminiscing about what has been and at the same time basking in the now…

Arohanui,
Jo x

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This time of year has in the past been a time of mixed feelings. Xmas – overindulgence, consumerism over-the-top, extravagance, stress and expectation.

I was down town the other day and I saw this family buying their Christmas presents and my first thought was, can they afford to buy presents or is there an expectation that at this time of year, you must buy presents for loved ones, and the expectation is that if someone buys you a present then you must buy one in return? Expectation. And because we’ve done it in the past, must we continue that tradition?

A few years back we stopped buying Xmas presents and decided that the most important thing at this time was sharing quality time with loved ones. And if there were gifts to be given, they were hand made for the person and were given with aroha.

But this year feels different. That feeling of extravagance, overindulgence and consumerism is not as ‘heavy’ as I’ve seen it in the past. I’ve always been relaxed about this time of year and it seems that way for others and people are starting to see what this time of year is really about. This is one of those “something in the air” things I spoke about yesterday…

SO! Expect not and give lots! Especially the gift of aroha because the gift of love and time is what will be remembered.

Arohanui,
Jo x

PS – I’m so excited about spending time with whānau this week – yay!!

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It’s that time of year again – the silly season has arrived! But this year is different. Can you feel it? There is definitely something in the air…

The past few days have been quite different. My body is telling me it wants to feel warm, but outside it is cold and rain. We’ve had patches of sunshine but not summer like we’ve known it over the past few years.

But there is something in the air – change, something… things on the move, things being revealed, unravelled, uncurled…

The earth is going through big changes, I am going through big changes, we all are. It’s time for change and the change in seasons we see, I believe, is Papatūānuku bringing things back into balance. And it must happen…

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Back in the early 90s I read a book called “Crystal Mission”. Today, many years on, I started reading this same book but an updated version. And I’m like WOW – I was actually reading this at 20 years old!

It’s an interesting book about a man’s journey, synchronicity, the power of crystals, the energy of the earth, connection and more! It’s one of those books you just wanna keep reading! It’s mind boggling actually, not just the story but the fact that I was actually into this kind of stuff at such a young age.

This reminded me of the first personal development book I read at 16 years old – Your Erroneous Zones by Wayne Dyer. I also remember The Power is Within You by Louise Hay – and there were many others!

So 20 + years on and I’m still healing, changing, growing… and this book is also a reminder that my love of precious stones began in my teens. I was drawn to their beauty and healing properties and still love to surround myself with them today.

A nice reflection on the past to the present…and now continuing on my crystal mission…

By the way, has anyone read this book?

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Man oh man – I’ve been going back through the year, reminiscing with rocks and words from all of us and I’m like WOW – there is so much awesomeness! Real gems! Such insight and colourful kōrero and I’m just buzzing at all the kohatu I’ve painted and the imagery that has been captured of each rock – WOW!

I printed a few pages of the kohatu, including stories and comments and it’s taken me the last couple of days to get through them! And I have another 300+ days to read!!

It’s actually quite overwhelming and I feel very humbled by all the things that have been said, the many many people that have left comments – just amazing!

I started working on the book a while back and am now going through each day, sitting for a while and really getting a feel of what the message is for that day. And I did not realise how important these kohatu would be, for many people and for me, but when I read the words and look at the images, I’m totally captivated at what has been created.

It is going to take a while to get through them all and that’s ok it’s a very exciting process.

But I just want to say thank-you to ALL OF US for sharing openly our thoughts and feelings throughout the year. I have been truly blessed and I do believe that the book is going to be a stunning collection of images with important messages from all of us that will guide us into the future. And look out for the book which is due to be published in time for the Māori new year – June 2012!

Of course there will be more thank-yous over the next few days but I just want to say for the first time, THANK-YOU SO MUCH – from my heart.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Thoughts today of swimming through murky waters, polluted, searching for spirit…

A feeling of clearing out, the physical experience we have on earth – putting that aside for a moment and just searching, searching…

And then there within the darkest part of water, a light…

Spirit knows, and life does not always go according to plan but always, spirit will lead us to where we need to go, to the lessons we need to learn, over and over until we learn them.

A reminder today that I am a spiritual being having a physical experience and in any moment I can connect to that part of me that knows.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Well the house was a flurry of visitors today! From 10am onwards, we had nine people visiting throughout the day – so it was pretty full on and before you know it – it’s dinner time and the day is coming to a close!

But it was a fantastic day – wonderful kōrero about all sorts of things – moving to a new land, public speaking, spinal manipulations, (even got my back put in – thanks Barrie!), swimming pools, art, art and more art, business, death, life – all sorts of things.

It reminded me (again!) about the importance of connection and sharing kōrero. And when people come together, no matter what your background, you can always find common threads, common levels of connection.

So it was a beautiful day (the sun was actually shining!) and I sent a few kohatu off today – some will be travelling back to Perth and others will head up north to Dargaville. Wonderful. The power of stones. The power of connection. Conversations and meetings that were just meant to be.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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I was sitting in a cafe today reading a wonderful book about indigo children – a book that made me smile from ear to ear. What amazing and insightful words had come out of children’s mouths, I was totally inspired.

So as much as I don’t like to quote from books, I want to share some today! The words are from the book, An Indigo Celebration by Dee Carroll and Jan Tober and it is such a delightful book, I would highly recommend reading it!

So I want to share three quotes from three young children and the question asked was, “what is love?” And the answers are beautiful, funny and powerful. I love all three quotes!

What is Love? When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands get arthritis too. That’s love.

What is Love? Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.(Funny!!)

What is Love? If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.

Straight from the mouths of children… thank-you children for the inspiration.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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You know when you’ve forgiven someone. You totally and completely accept them for who they are.

TOTAL ACCEPTANCE = FORGIVENESS = HEALING

Today has been a wonderful time of healing and forgiveness. Often fear and pain block our pathways to healing, we fear something happening again and don’t want to have the same experiences over and over again. But if we allow ourselves to go through that healing process and forgive, great healing can take place.

Forgiveness is powerful. Forgiveness of self and others can release us from long held resentments, releasing, renewing, reviving…freedom…

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Often we question life – why me? Why now?

But if we lived “in” the questions and really tried to understand life from an experiential level and continued to ask the questions with a sense of curiosity and wonder, perhaps we will one day find our way into the answers…

Arohanui,
Jo x

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It has been one of the most important things in my life up until this moment – to know myself and who I am. Why am I here? Where have I come from and where am I to go? And who am I in this moment?

My life’s many journeys and experiences all contributing to my ongoing healing that ultimately enable me to “be” who I am – fully present with what is and giving me the insight to help others in their own journeys.

I don’t know if I will ever fully know myself in this lifetime, but what I do know is that being on the pathway to know myself is better than being lost, walking around in a state of confusion, cloud and lack of purpose.

I love my life and all it’s ups and downs and I welcome another moment, another experience that will lead me to the next part of my journey.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Layer upon layer upon layer in between gaps and shapes and on top of layers – the paint went on to this rock. Even though the layers were going on, there was a feeling of taking layers off.

Each strand, each line linking with the next to create a never ending flow of energy. The colours simple and plain but each contains all the colours of light, shining through each layer to reveal the next.

I started with a face – a line already within the stone – a definite marking that reminded me of Celtic origins and old days. A stake in the earth, holder of land, stating that this is our land, this is where I belong.

A never-ending flow of water, sea, earth, light, energy… where spirit meets people, interwoven…

Happy birthday Haidee! This was very much a meditative rock, painting and then writing words, intuitive – that came out like water from a tap. Infinite. Hope you’ve had a special day today.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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There’s this lady that bikes past our house. She looks middle age from what I can see in the few seconds I see her as she zooms past! And she carries a big basket on the front, you know like those ones that can hold flowers or vegetables.

She is dressed nicely like she’s ready to go for a picnic in the park AND she has NO helmet!

And she ZOOMS past!

Now one would think, ahh hullo where is your helmet? But actually, there is something kinda cool about her, enjoying the wind blowing through her hair with not a care in the world…

I’m not saying don’t wear a helmet when riding a bike – I’m not saying that at all, but there is a certain freedom that goes with bike riding a bit like riding a horse or being on a surfboard that requires trust, letting go and enjoying!

And her freedom I could see as she peddled past, to just jump on a bike and go, to trust that all will be ok, trusting life, her life…

I had great fun painting these two stones today. I just decided to paint two stones, no particular reason why, just felt like it.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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It’s lovely waking up in the morning at 5am to chirping birds outside the window. And there have been a couple of new sounds I’ve been hearing lately – so beautiful!

Sometimes there are birds that we ignore or don’t think are special because we don’t have stories or connection to them, but you know those brown birds (I don’t know their name) there’s heaps that hang around in our garden. They have a long call and they are actually really cool birds – other than eating our young shoots in the garden, I kinda like them.

It’s just like magpies. I’ve always considered them to be a pain in the butt but in some countries they are a special bird that is symbolic.

But aside all the beautiful birds that I feel so grateful for – I just want to say how proud I am of Aotearoa musicians. We have some pretty amazingly talented manu tioriori and there are a some awesome up and coming artists as well!

Music is so important in our lives and I couldn’t imagine what I would do if I couldn’t listen to music! And in the words of Stevie Wonder…”music is a world within itself, it’s a language we all understand…”

A universal language…

So here’s to Aotearoa music and all the talented amazing people that bless us everyday with their music. And actually here’s to all those radio stations who play our wonderful music – definitely something to celebrate.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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We were out again today capturing kōrero from a koroua about a traditional form of fishing. I’m constantly in awe with the way our tūpuna (ancestors) lived – they were very on to it!

Anyway, we came home with three kahawai today and when we were given them we were like WOW – thank-you SO much and YUM! It’s not everyday you get kahawai given to you.

But part of the kōrero that came out was about community living and how back in the day sharing kai in the community was the norm. One whānau would have grown certain types of kai and another whānau would have grown other types and then the kai was shared.

You rarely see this these days so lets start doing it again! Even if it’s just swapping one vegetable or fruit with another vegetable or fruit. It’s a step forward again to living WITH each other.

Right! Off to have a kai of kahawai – yes at 9pm in the evening! Thank-you for the kind whānau that gave us kahawai which by the way was reciprocated with raspberries and kamokamo grown from our own garden.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Dear Mum,

It was lovely talking to you today. You always remind me of what’s real, love, unconditional love and what I should be grateful for.

I reminded you today of who I am, as I do each day I talk to you. And we reminisced about the old days when you would come and support me at netball, every Saturday you were there. You always supported me at all my school and sporting endeavours. You were my rock – you are still my rock.

And even though you may forget me in a moment, I know that deep inside you there are still memories and you know me, you still know me.

And when I hang up and say goodbye and tell you “I love you māma” you say, “yeah” (about five times!) and then you say, “me too darling.”

That’s real.

Embracing that physical body of yours that has endured many things, there is a strong beautiful spirit that still lives and it doesn’t matter if the words you say don’t make sense sometimes because I feel the love, I feel your love māma – and I love you.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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No matter how hard you try to go against the flow of life, the wind will always turn you to the experiences that will carry you forward to do the work you were meant to do.

Life is not always what we want it to be, and we do not always get want we want but know that you will always have what you need in any moment and life will never give you an experience you cannot manage.

So fly with the wind, trust and believe that you are where you are meant to be.

Arohanui,
Jo x

PS – 340 days! 25 more days until the end of the year – yipeeee!

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I was out at Wainui today for a hui and man it was so nice to be by the sea again…

The sound of waves roaring in, the wind blowing a warm blow and feeling the sand beneath my feet and in between my toes, grounded…ahhhh…

Where have I been all spring? Geez, need to get out and over to the beach more and now that summer has arrived there is even more reason to!

So a wai reflection today. I’ve talked many times this year about the importance of wai to our existence and why we need to look after it not only for ourselves but also for the earth itself.

The sea always reminds me of the distance our tūpuna (ancestors) travelled and also the water that connects us to other lands around the world. Connection is important.

Water also reminds me of who I am, where I come from and my obligation to share my gifts with others.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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This rock is an extension of yesterday’s rock but instead of being focused on the outside, this rock is about looking in.

Today another part of myself was revealed to me. I experienced again a releasing of the past and oh boy what a wonderful release and realisation it was.

Many of us wonder through life carrying our bag of compulsions on our back. We may drop off some along the way, but if the very thing that brought about that compulsion in the first place is not released, then we will continue to replace it with another.

Until such time as we let go and allow the healing to take place.

When we look our compulsions in the eye and say – I no longer wish to fight with you, I acknowledge you are there and have served me to manage my life this far, but I am strong now and I let you go. This is progress.

So the outer in the world today was reflected inward and I am so grateful for awareness and letting go my desire to be right and in control for just a moment because in that moment – there was my healing…

Arohanui,
Jo x

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I had a deep yearning today to be in other lands, it was only for a few moments but the yearning was SO strong.

I thought about my time in Turkey and in that moment wanted to be there with the people and the land. And I thought about other places I had visited and felt this deep longing too…

And a yearning for lands I have not yet been but feel a strong pull to go to – other parts of Europe, Scotland, Cornwall – I have a deep longing to visit these places too. And then places in the US, spiritual places I feel connected to…

I cannot fully explain this longing, a sense of sadness, like something was lost, deep hurt and pain…

A feeling for the earth, a longing to heal and relieve the pain. And feeling the pain of the people too – so much happening around the world and all I want to do is embrace it all…

Arohanui,
Jo x

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A gift to another – it does not take a lifetime for a gift given to have an affect on another. Sometimes it can happen in an instant where something given or shared can transform someone’s life forever.

It may be a hug, a smile, a surprise visit, an unexpected gift, loving thoughts sent to another, inspiration, words of encouragement, or no words at all…

When I started painting a rock a day on January 1st 2011, I did not know how much of an effect this would have on people’s lives. My goal was to be creating everyday and I thought if I shared what I was doing with others – great! And I was holding myself accountable to the task by telling the world! So the world was holding me accountable too!

In hindsight, it has been the most wonderful thing – and I’m so happy that at least one of these rocks, photos and stories has had an effect on someone in some way.

We all have gifts to share and one of my biggest fears about sharing this project was, what will people think? But I’m so glad I never let that get in the way and today with 29 more days left in the year – I’ve faced my fears and put these wonderful healing stones out there!

Because they are healing… the stones, the photos, the kōrero… they have all been worth the effort, every day for the past 336 days! So I encourage everyone to share their stories, gifts and art with others because you just never know who might be watching and who might be needing your help.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Teia comes home from school yesterday and I was playing the beautiful sounds of Majic and her brother Robbie. She goes, “that’s that girl aye?” And I said, “yeah what’s her name?” And she says, “Majic! Aaaaaahhh!” – and a BIG smile on her face.

Then she says, “she’s rich aye?” Me – “huh? – Just because someone is an awesome singer and has their music on a CD, it doesn’t mean they’re rich.” She accepted that and then said, “she’s famous aye?”

And all I could say was, one day – she will be. The whole world will hear her beautiful waiata and they will love her! And at such a young age there is so much potential ahead in the future…

We were absolutely honoured to have Majic, Robbie and Ropata in our home, just for a day… and in that one day, I was moved and inspired deeply. Speechless.

And for me, this is real, these are beautiful people doing their thing, not trying to be anyone else but themselves, carrying their kaupapa around the motu and eventually overseas and man, that inspires me.

So I just want to say, rā whānau ki a koe Majic – you inspire me, you and your whānau inspire me and I know that when others hear you sing, they will be inspired by you too. Stay true to who you are and keep going after those dreams because like you say – dreams are for free…

Arohanui,
Jo x

PS – please go and like MajicsMusic page here on FB http://on.fb.me/rLV3L6 If you go to her band profile you will also be able to download some of her beautiful waiata – for free And wish her happy birthday for today while you’re there!

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I’ve been in a state of excitement and tiredness today. Tired probably because I am full of chocolate haha but excited because I am inspired and uplifted and hopeful for the future.

Some days are just like nah – so many things happen where you just want to go and have a moe and not do anything, things seem like they’re not going your way and other days are like full of life and energy and always so positive.

No wonder so many people lose the plot sometimes – to be quite frank about it! It’s actually a challenge living life and keeping it all together at times, balanced and focused on life and living life, being happy with all the pressures of everything around you that challenge everyday? Isn’t it?

My gosh – we have got to one of the most complicated beings on this planet and sometimes I think (see I think) if we didn’t have brains or the ability to think too much, life would be so much easier.

But such is the challenge of life ne? We either choose to live it as it is with it’s troughs and valleys or we stumble around aimlessly, lifeless, blaming everything outside ourselves for why life has dealt us such a bad deal.

Get up and get going because life is waiting – for YOU! And while you’re at it can you also take good care of yourself and the environment too. Please.
Arohanui,
Jo x

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Tō mātou waimarie kua tae mai ngā reo waiata ataahua kei waenga i a mātou.

Kāore he kupu. There are no words for the beautiful waiata that are gracing our space at the moment. I don’t know how many times I have said this year I am in awe, but this time I really am in awe!

Kei te paopao te whatumanawa i te ataahua ō ngā waiata. Kei te rongo hoki i te wairua o ngā mātua tūpuna i roto i te ngākau o te tangata. He rawe.

Thank-you Majic, Robbie and Ropata. We are truly blessed today and will be forever blessed. Thank-you for sharing with us your beautiful waiata, waiata that we can feel are who you are. So thank-you for sharing who you are with us. The world is waiting for you all.

Ae, we are truly blessed. Me hoki mai anō.

Arohanui,
Jo x

PS – Majic painted the rock on the left and I painted the rock on the right. And those are Todd’s glass pieces in the foreground. The painting is one I painted over a year ago and have only just pulled out today. I love how all the colours work together nicely, they remind me of the beautiful waiata we have been hearing today – waiata that have moved me to the depths of my being.

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You know, some people may be disappointed about a National led govt, I certainly was in the first instance but all that aside, we have some pretty talented, charismatic, intelligent Māori in the house!

And I think we need to celebrate that.

It’s unfortunate that we’re spread across different parties but this is how we as Māori have existed for years. We are tribal, we have our own kawa, our own tikanga and ways of doing things. And that’s ok. Not to mention our own personalities and personal values.

But from what I can see, there are also areas of common ground. So perhaps this is where we meet? If we all worked together toward these common areas of interest we could actually move forward!

Respect for one another, understanding another’s point of view without compromise for our own views, we can actually bring about change! And if we let go of this desire for power and ego! The next three years are going to be very interesting – for both our existence as humans on this planet and for the planet itself.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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At the end of the day – we are all human. We feel, we laugh we cry. We all have hearts. So why do some think that their lives are more important than others? Why are we so self-indulged? It’s all about us. It’s all about me me me.

There is nothing that distinguishes you from me. We might look different, we may speak different languages but underneath these many layers, we all have the ability to feel.

What makes us different is how we choose to perceive each other as human beings. Do we choose in each moment to respond with love, compassion and understanding or do we choose to react in ways that widen the gap between us?

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Well I’ve just returned home from a 60th birthday and I’ve been having a nohi at the election results.

My goodness, why am I not surprised? National are back in the house but I’m happy for one thing and that is my party vote for GREEN counted tonight.

No longer can we rely on our govt for our health and wellbeing. No longer can we rely on our govt to deliver the things they say they will deliver. No longer can we rely on the govt. Fullstop.

Let us take responsibility for our own health and wellbeing. Let’s create our own work, our own opportunities, we do not have to wait for the govt to say go – we can take control of our own lives.

The outcomes of this election have put the importance of my work and my life into perspective. Who I am in this life is now more important than ever – I have work to do!

It’s three more years to the next election in 2014 – let’s hope that our planet survives that far into the future because at the rate we are going, we are going to destroy it before we even get there and if that happens, it will not matter who will be in parliament.

And tonight at the party, those same words reflected on again and again – we must live life fully and enjoy each moment.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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What matters today, right here, right now?

So many things swishing around in this brain of mine – a realisation that this year is nearly over and in 36 more days it will be 2012!

My goodness – time is so precious, every day we must embrace, each day has meaning, every minute important and sometimes hard in amongst the storms that blow through now and then.

Today’s rock is from the Mohaka river – a beautiful white-ish stone, slightly textured, small and delicate, a lovely energy. I gathered a few stones from the Mohaka river and some of them carrying shells inside creating patterns within now smooth stones that resemble stories of old.

These two koru, like two pillars that stand side by side – the space in between that allows air to flow through…

Two pillars that give strength to each other and hold up the roof above, a solid foundation…

Much aroha to Di and Pete who celebrate their aroha for one another today.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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I remember the feeling of selling my first piece of art work, there was nothing quite like that feeling! I can’t remember the exact amount I sold the artwork for, it didn’t matter, but that feeling of satisfaction – wow, unbelievable, awesome, yay me!

How does success feel? I remember playing a national touch final – the hooter goes to signal the end of the game and you’ve won and you know you’ve won a gold medal – but it’s not the medal that matters, its those months of training and hard work that got you there, the journey, the people you spent time with to get there, that feeling of success is unbelievable. I can still feel it now.

What is that feeling when you lose someone you love – painful, sadness, why me? Why now? Devastation. Confusion. Loss feels SO huge. That feeling we all know at some stage in our lives.

I love it when you help someone – that feeling of – yes – this has made a huge difference to someone else’s life, even for a moment.

The ability to feel, to allow oneself to feel…to really feel in each moment, challenging at times, but feel we must…

Arohanui,
Jo x

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I love it when I talk to our old people – they are just a big kete of knowledge.

We visited a lovely koroua today to capture some wonderful kōrero about a traditional Māori way of fishing. It was so beautiful to watch.

These gifts handed down from our ancestors – these are real taonga – special treasures that need to be shared so that they can live on into the future.

But I can understand the concern of our old people, that these taonga can get lost, not because we don’t share them although this can happen too, but because there is fear that people will want to exploit our culture to make money – fear that they will lose again – what it is to be Māori.

So we were so lucky to be sharing with this koroua something that has been handed down to him and which he is now sharing with his mokopuna. And what wonderful mokopuna he has – all great fishermen, farmers and musicians! An interesting mix!

So honoring our elders today as I have done throughout the year – our wise historians, scientists, teachers, philosophers, parents, grandparents – many whose fame and successes in life have been living life, living with the environment and understanding her movements and ways.

One brush stroke is all that was needed for this kōrero today. Actually it was all I could manage. I was so drained from being at the beach all day but well worth the time – kua kī i te kōrero ataahua – very tired now – currently in Taradale and am posting this rock from Wed – yesterday.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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When you let go of expectation, it’s amazing at how things turn out. I always feel so enlightened after I’ve painted a rock and have totally let go to the process. There is something about letting go that is so fulfilling and so hard at the same time!

Most times I think I know what I’m going to paint, why I’m painting it and the story that will go with it but when brush is down and I’m writing my words for the day – most times – it is not what I expected.

And always everything has made perfect sense even though at the time, in my mind it was something else!

Letting go and surrendering to life’s wonder-full ways is often hard to do but when we allow things to unfold as they should, it is pure magic.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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You will know the truth and the truth shall set you free – I was reminded of these words yesterday, words I had learnt many years ago. I am not religious, but these words of Jesus really touch me deeply.

And as a child I actually had a good relationship with Jesus, I thought he was kinda cool – but not in a religious way.

I am not against religion, people can believe in whatever they want to and I have much respect for Jesus who was for me a man of honour. He was an expression of unconditional love and kindness. He lived and breathed those qualities, they were very much a part of him. And I think that’s wonderful.

So those opening words have obviously been with me for a long time – familiar and something I aspire to everyday, to find the truth within me, my truth…

And you’re probably wondering about the 40 days – another reminder of another story!

The story of the great flood. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights. And there are 40 days left in the year and so 40 more rocks to paint. So 40 more opportunities (for this year anyway) to share my stories with the world!

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Memories of a Crescent Moon…

Sitting high in the sky on a crescent moon is like lying in a hammock, swinging your legs over the side watching the day float by…

A crescent moon reminds me of a cup runneth over, full to the brim of goodness…

A crescent moon balancing on another crescent moon on another crescent moon…

Like seeds in a pod waiting to hatch to come out into the world, waiting for the full moon…

Ahhhh… there is something wonderful about a crescent moon…

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Green green green! It’s been on my mind all day today!

I love green – it is one of my favourite colours. I haven’t actually used green for a long time on my rocks because I haven’t had green paint so I just had to mix some green paint today to curb my desire for green!

Green is a healing colour for me. It’s fresh and calming and there is something about it that makes me come alive.

I remembered playing netball at five years old for our Waipa village netball team. Our uniforms were green – bottle green! So this thought came to mind today as I mixed the green and painted this stone.

This rock is very healing for me – another memory of my childhood embedded in stone, accepting and embracing all parts of me.

Green…sacred green…

Arohanui,
Jo x

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We were just talking tonight about learning in mainstream school and ahakoa te aha – even though there were so many things not good about mainstream school for us as Māori – I learnt to read, write and spell in english – in spite of everything.

I read today that Te Reo o Taranaki won an award at the Te Reo Māori awards which are happening now – YAY!!… in spite of everything that our whānau have suffered we have managed to revive our reo and keep our reo alive.

In spite of everything, our history, the negativity – STILL – toward Māori, we have survived.

I listened last weekend to kōrero from home at Parihaka and I am so honoured to one of ngā mōrehu o Parihaka – the future generation of an important legacy that has been left to us by our tūpuna.

Yes we must move on and forgive the past and heal ourselves, but we must also honour those who have gone before us, who have paved the pathway forward for us, so that we may tread more easily upon this earth, strong, in dignity and pride.

In spite of everything, we have survived. And life does go on, tomorrow is another day, another opportunity to honour life, to honour who we are and live.

Arohanui,
Jo x

Many people around the world do not know about Parihaka and our history at Parihaka. http://www.parihaka.com/About.aspx Many know about Ghandhi and his stance of passive resistance but before Ghandhi there were our tūpuna – Te Whiti and Tohu – there was Parihaka and the people of Parihaka who still live today to tell their story.

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You know, I really love weeds and just today we pulled all of our weeds out of the garden but not until the weeds had established themselves overtime and grown into big wild bushes!

Weeds grow like forests do I reckon – that’s my observation anyway. First these plants grow and then those plants grow until you’ve got a forest of weeds!

Have you taken note when weeds do grow how many special and varied weeds there are? There are heaps and many have pretty little flowers – I especially like buttercups and namunamu which have a tiny purple flower. This plant and many of the others can be used for healing.

The roots of weeds also create space in the soil – they actually help break it down and so when we do eventually pull them out, the soil is nice and loose.

I think I’ve told this story before but I used to grow my lawns until they were long enough to roll around in and until all the dandelions grew – until the landlord told me I had to mow them – well I had my roll around and got my photos of oversized dandelions and daisies anyway!!

Next time you’re out in the garden and you have weeds, leave them a little longer and see what appears – you’ll be surprised at what beauty there is in amongst the weeds.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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I painted this rock today directly in front of my eyes – I held it up in front of my eyes and I painted it there. I wouldn’t normally do this of course but I had just been to the Osteopath and I was consciously holding my spine in place lol!

Let me just explain that again so it’s clearer. Normally I would place the rock in my hand, on the floor or on the table and I would look down at the rock to paint, but this time I brought the rock up to my eyes and held my posture upright!

It felt kind of strange but at the same time I felt like I was painting from another place… it certainly felt different, everything flowed out onto the rock nicely and when I looked at what I had painted – I thought wow – that is cool!

It made me think about the body and how when we are aligned physically, energy can flow easier, there is less stress and so creativity comes from a more balanced place. I was also thinking, that I will probably paint directly in front of my eyes again because as odd as it was, it felt good at the same time! Other than having to hold my arms in place for a reasonable amount of time!

And I just want to say thank-you to all those who contributed kōrero to yesterday’s kohatu – such beautiful words were shared by everyone – thank-you! I’m actually going to do that again before the week is up so stay tuned for the next opportunity! And of course you can always share a kōrero about the rocks anyway

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Well – one of my lovely friends Jack Gray suggested yesterday that maybe one day, you all should write the kōrero for the rock of the day. And I thought that was a brilliant idea and so did a few others, so I said why not tomorrow which is now today – so here it is!!

I look forward to hearing all your wonderful kōrero for today’s kohatu – and thank-you to you all who have shared so much already. Yay – can’t wait – so excited to hear all your wonderful words!

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Well today I thought I could just come to my blog and start writing my kōrero for the day but oh no – hullo – 8.30pm, no kōrero, 9.30pm, no kōrero and then 10pm is looming and here I am.

So I thought bugger it, I will tell you about my lack of inspiration right now and my taking it all for granted that I could just come here to my computer and all the words would just come spilling out! Not!

Day 318 and I’ve hit another writer’s block. There was one day early on in the piece when I had no words – and that is pretty much what I said – I have no words.

So anyway, as you can tell I’m just letting it all come out and talking like I’m having a conversation with you and I just wanted to say if you ever get writer’s block or creative blocks like I’m having right now, just keep writing whatever comes to mind, or just create anything. Have no expectations of outcomes and just do.

This is what I do with my rocks and my kōrero and I must have been trying to push the kōrero out tonight because it just wasn’t coming!

I must say, I do love this kohatu and perhaps no words are necessary, but some days are like this and you just have to go with whatever is in front of you. Right, I feel like I’ve had a big blah out onto this page and am now ready to write again – yes!

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Looking back over the past 316 days I’ve come full circle and gone back to painting koru and circles again. It feels kinda nice actually, back to balance, restoring the passion and motivation that kick started me in the first place.

When I stop for reflection times like this – each rock a reflection of me, the day’s offerings, emotions, my kōrero and other’s kōrero too…triggers that remind us of something, reminisce, be inspired…

It really does feel like I’ve run a marathon and coming to the end of that marathon, it feels like when you’re at the end of something and you just want it to be over but in the same breath you wanna make it a good sprint to the finish line and give it all you’ve got – and – have time to be thinking about what’s gonna happen next year too!

Wherever I’m going with this kōrero – circles are where it’s at, there is nothing straight forward or linear in life! Things happen in all sorts of ways, unexpectedly, and expected at times but whatever way they happen, there is always the circle to bring us back to where we started, back to balance, arrived at the end which is also the beginning of another page, another time in life’s wonderful web.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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It’s been one of those days full of stuff! I don’t know what to call it – a mixed lolly bag, four seasons in one day, ups and downs, a roller coaster ride – haaaaa – āpōpō will be different I’m sure – ceremony, quiet, taking stock, redefining, planning, change, change, change…

It’s one of those troughs where you come to realisations about many things, that life does not wait and you have to take the bull by the horns and just do it – after you get through all the fluff, all the gunk that stands in your way, out the other side, there is the treasure…

So embracing these moments of transit…going to the next level, pushing oneself again but remaining balanced at the same. Not easy but necessary.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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I ngā rangi tata nei, kua rere atu tōku wairua ki tōku kainga i Parihaka.

Me pēhea te timata i te kōrero nei?

I’ve just been tuning in back home to Parihaka – Toroānui marae where whānau have gathered for the beginning of Taranaki Tū Mai. I’ve been listening via Te Korimako o Taranaki and have been blown away by the kōrero of our whanaunga Ruakere.

It’s interesting because this kōrero, these waiata are not new to me but there was something about listening to the kōrero this time that really perked my ears up and helped me understand on a deeper level who my tūpuna of Parihaka were and what they stood for.

I am humbled and warmed by the kōrero that flows through the beautiful waiata E Rere Rā and Piukara – kōrero that cannot be explained in depth in english so I won’t even try, but I just want to say that what our tūpuna (ancestors) stood for was real – they were passive resistance personified and they lived this stance for many years and to this day we as a people honour our tūpuna and the legacy they have left for us.

One of the most important things I heard tonight from Ruakere was about bringing out those stories, those stories that our ancestors did not want our children to learn because they did not want to burden them. I agree – it is time to heal from our past, to really understand the legacy that our tūpuna left for us and live it. Really live it.

Perhaps this deeper understanding – “te reka mai o te kōrero”, the essence of what our tūpuna stood for and that they spoke about and left for us in our waiata – perhaps this is our starting point to heal.

Kei te haere tonu ngā mihi ki ngā mate o te wā, otira ki tātou e noho mai ana i ō tātou kainga maha. Pō mārie tātou.

Arohanui,
Jo x

PS – and how special this day is – the 11th of Nov 2011.

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Whenever he sung, he sung from his heart.

Michael Jackson for me is THE most amazing artist and musician that has ever lived. No-one in my life time has ever come close to him. And I want to honour him today because as I watch the story of his life unfold, I realise he was an amazing human being who inspired many, right from a child to the day he died.

He was one of the most sensitive, cleverest and loving people and he was a real humanitarian, someone who cared about life, about others and about the environment. He was tuned in and unfortunately some people wanted to make a drama of his life because he seemed too good to be true.

Much to his demise also, he was a perfectionist and so he strived to be the best until the day he died. He wanted to be good in the eyes of others and his outward success was to eventually become his fate at such a young age. The pressure and stress became too much.

Why am I writing about this? I’ve just watched Michael Jackson – The Life Of An Icon – a new release on video here in Aotearoa and it puts the record straight, spoken by many of his friends and family who tell his story as it was.

His heart was in his music – he loved to perform, he was caring, he was passionate, he strived to be the best.

And his success did not come from the money that he had, he was always trying to give that away, but it was the music that he made, the songs he sung and the legacy that he will leave for many generations to come.

I remember watching another documentary – This Is It which came out not long after he had passed away. He was practicing for his last worldwide tour. I remember watching this master construct a stage show to perfection – a show which would never be performed live. But I saw in that video the “art” of Michael Jackson, and he was a genius. The words I remember from that documentary, “we have four years…” and I believe he was talking about the state our world is in at the moment.

Beneath our mirror here at home in the bathroom, we have the words, “if you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change…”

I see those words everyday and everyday I strive to heal a small part of me. Michael Jackson did not start me on this journey of healing by the way, I have been on this journey for over 20 years but he does inspire me very much and will inspire me for many years to come.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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It’s important to tell our stories. Looking back over the past 300+ days I can see the importance of story as a way of connecting with one another, to be inspired or moved in some way and to add to the conversation and share our own stories.

It’s the sharing of our stories that helps us make sense of the world. The stories we tell and share that have been fashioned from our own lives, that are then told, passed on and recreated into other stories, new and inspiring.

It’s our stories that give us life.

Stories are a way of understanding where we have come from, who we are, who our ancestors were and where we might go into the future. They are also those experiences from moment to moment that may become stories into the future and that reflect our stories of past.

Stories have a life of their own – they are forever.

There are very little stories or photos of my grandparents, even my mother’s and father’s generation that I can refer to, very little. So it has become more important for me to tell my stories every day as a documentation for future generations.

Stories, told in many ways – through our creations, music, written on paper or just in conversation. But whatever way we capture them we must capture them and share them.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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I haven’t painted a small rock like this for a while but out of all the rocks that I have painted this year, these tiny ones although small, are the most special to me.

One of our friends called in tonight, just to have a kōrero and say hi. It’s those thoughts and small gestures of caring and aroha that can make all the difference in our lives. Making time to stop in and spend time with friends or whānau instead of leaving it until next time. Reminding each other that we love each other.

I have all my small rocks lined up in a row on two window sills and it’s wonderful to remember that each one has a story and each one is meaningful for a time, a person a place, but also meaningful for this time too – right now.

So I just want to say, if you have ever been a part of my life up until now, at any time or place – thank-you and if you are ever passing by, do call in because you never know – we may not see each other again.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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So many things floating around in my mind… actually, whizzing around in my mind right now! Emotions – sad, angry, helpless, confusion, tears, tiredness, grateful, moved, overwhelmed…

Appreciation for life, for those I have in my life. Remind me to never put off spending time, to show someone you love them… never leave a visit or kōrero to a loved one, until next time… because next time may never come.

It has been a tough few days for many and my thoughts have been at home in Taranaki – at Parihaka and to all those whānau and friends who have gathered to farewell a loved one. My thoughts are also with my ancestors who 130 years ago stood in solidarity and passive resistance as their kainga, their home was invaded.

And most importantly for me right now, I want to end with a big mihi to my niece whose birthday it is today. A young woman who has endured so much in her life already. I am so proud of you darling, for living your life, being there for your whānau the best you can and for having grown into a beautiful young woman. I love you.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Flying on a plane in the realms of Ranginui today, the bumps and noise and then moments of smooth – I’ve learnt to ride with it although not pleasant at times, but it does not last forever.

The Power of Now – this moment is all there is. If I try and will the bumps and turbulence away, it makes it even worse and it feels like forever before it stops and then the smooth times, enjoying those moments wishing all plane rides would be like this and yet I have only ever had a handful of plane rides where there was little turbulence at all!

So even though I know turbulence is a part of plane rides why do I try and will it away or wish I wasn’t in the plane at that moment?

So a plane ride is very much like life – it has it’s ups and downs, turbulence and calm – if we just learn to ride with it, to go with it, to fly and appreciate each moment because NOW is all there is.

And if we appreciate life as it is in each moment, we learn to see in ways we have never seen before, we accept what is which allows us to flow with life and life is like an unfolding – growing, changing, learning…

Arohanui,
Jo x

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I’ve always loved the stars. As a kid we lived in a village away from bright lights and tall buildings (not that the buildings in Rotorua were tall lol) so the stars we could see from our house were amazing. A blanket of magic…

I had a wonderful day today (ahakoa te wā pouri) with a group of people from such diverse backgrounds – geologists, biologists, physicists, artists, philosophers, ecologists… who all shared their perspective on the evolution of the earth, time, energy – from the beginning of time as we know it to the present day.

I was totally fascinated and curious of course, asking all sorts of questions and feeling like I was in heaven with a couple of geologists in the crowd (rock knowledge rock knowledge haha!) and picking their brains to buggery!

But it was so exciting to see the connections of science to mātauranga Māori and that somewhere in amongst all this terminology that I can’t pronounce, there is a wealth of knowledge, history and stories that have become so meaningful in many wonderful ways.

I really was a kid in a lolly shop lol – wanting to get as much as I could as well as share a perspective that perhaps at times gets discounted and put to the side…

And I was so happy to hear that all things on this earth including us as human beings contain matter of the stars so we are in essence of another planet, star, space, place in time.

We really are made of stars! I love that! I’m already a star haha!

Sending a big happy birthday to Phoebe who turns the big ONE today. May your life be filled with love and wonder – yes it is all about you – you are the future and I am so happy to be celebrating your life today.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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The first word that came to mind when I was painting this kohatu was mangopare – the hammerhead shark. A symbol of strength and tenacity.

Just as I had finished putting the final touches to this kohatu, I received a phone call from Todd with some sad news.

I have no words at this time other than I am grateful, I am grateful to have life, to have my loved ones in my life and if you have not told someone in a while you love them – please go and tell them now. Life is so precious and we can lose those we love in an instant.

Sending much aroha and strength to the Wano whānau at this time. Kaore he kupu. Kei te riri au, kei te pouri hoki. Kei te tangi kaha te ngākau i tēnei wā, ka nui te aroha…

Arohanui,
Jo x

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I hold the earth in the palm of my hand.

I am 100% responsible for my actions.

I take responsibility for myself, to treat myself with respect and love.

I take responsibility to care for the earth.

I have the ability to bring about change.

Change begins with me – right now.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Don’t you just love a bloody good laugh! You know that deep belly laugh that hurts your puku and you just can’t stop laughing for ages!

Now I’m not going to tell you what we were laughing about tonight (it’s a surprise and you’ll hear about it in a book later!) but oh my goodness – funny – the very thought of it had us in fits of laughter!

Laughing is SO SO GOOD – it exercises “funny” muscles in your face and puku and releases all these unwanted things that no longer serve us – like stress – and oh my gosh, I’m laughing still right now! You’re probably wondering what at, but not telling…

Just a reminder to keep smiling and keep laughing every day! Go and have a laugh right now, go on! And what should you laugh about? Oh I don’t know, whatever makes you laugh!

Arohanui,
Jo x

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We’ve had heaps of birds around lately including the tui who are out in full force – I was delighted the other day to see a tui land on our harakeke plant to eat the kōrari (flax flowers) and that was after it had a feed on the neighbours kōwhai tree – my goodness!

There are many birds that are kaitiaki for me – the kahu (hawk) is one, the tīrairaka (fantail) and the kererū (pigeon) or kūkupa. There are others, but these birds are always on my pathway.

When driving on a long journey, guaranteed I’ll see at least one kahu. With massive wingspans and freedom in flight, I always get excited when I see one, especially when they come close. And having photographed them often over the past five years, there is not one that is like another – they are all unique. Such amazing birds…

And the fantail – the tīrairaka – I see also while on a journey, in the bush or in another place away from home. They often catch me unaware and appear out of no-where. This is an amazing bird to photograph if you can catch it in a still moment but they are the most beautiful birds – just like friends – they are cheeky, intelligent, funny and clever.

And then the kererū – you can hear their wings before you see them, whoooooosh…they’re impressive flyers and beautiful birds with golden coats of glistening green, they are royalty to me and I’ve been privileged enough to have lived amongst them, in the realms of Tāne in their territory, in their forest.

I’ve been priveleged enough to have all of these birds in my life as kaitiaki – as guardians looking over me.

For me they are the link between the physical and the spiritual world, they move in both worlds and are our link to our ancestors and those who have gone before. They also remind us of our aspirations, our dreams and hopes for the future and our ability to fly again.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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I started painting this rock today and then I said to myself, stuff it, I’m going to paint this rock with my right hand!

And so I carried on, painfully at times lol painting this rock with my right hand. I’m left-handed, but there are sports that I can play right-handed such as golf. And I also use scissors with my right hand but the funny thing is, I can only use scissors with my right hand, not my left-hand but I can play a few sports with both hands, on both sides!

Don’t ask me about the scissors bit, I have no idea where that came from! But I reckon my ability to play sports such as golf have been because I hung out with my Dad on the golf course quite a bit as his caddie. He was also a sportsman that dabbled in many sports so it rubbed off on us kids.

So anyway, this rock took me longer than normal – of course – and it was, how should I put it – frustrating at times!! But I realised I need to do it more often because when I had finished, I felt SO different! I felt like I had really achieved something (with a time difference of course!) and my whole being felt different. I also felt like a child painting too which was kinda cool – it was like tapping into my creative child again.

And Todd says it’s the golden egg and I like that too.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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When I think of red and yellow I remember my assignments I used to do in primary school. Yellow borders of koru and wriggly squiggles surrounding words telling stories that I can’t remember. But I remember the colour and the patterns.

When I think of red and yellow I remember the waiata (song) – red and yellow and pink and green, purple and orange and blue… I can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow too…listen with your eyes, listen with your eyes and sing everything you see…

Now I don’t actually know if these words are correct but as a child they were right for me at the time, and they are all I can remember!

Red and yellow – my favourite colours when I was a child. They make me happy, I think about sunshine, sunrays, sunlight and energy. These colours strong in my mind, I wonder if our connection to colour changes as we grow? I love red and yellow and painting this rock today took me straight back to when I was a child but now my favourite colours are purple and green…

A lighthearted kōrero today, these colours make me feel light and full of happiness, so sharing light and happiness today.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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I am always in awe of nature – the rhythms, shapes, colours, sounds, movements…

When you see something in nature that resonates with your soul, that really touches you…how does that make you feel? Like standing at the foot of a majestic mountain, or a raging river, or looking into a flower. Connection…

Today’s kohatu is inspired by the kōrari – the beautiful flower that sprouts from our native harakeke (flax).

Eight of our nine harakeke plants that we’ve been growing over the past three years have produced beautiful kōrari – I’m so amazed at how beautiful they are! I’ve seen many korari in my lifetime but these kōrari are something else! Or is it that I am seeing with new eyes?

I removed some of the kōrari from the flax bush because I wanted the growth to go into the rau (leaves) and a couple of days later, the flowers opened up and out came this wonderful array of colour! Even after they had been removed from the plant! So I sat and observed nature’s awesome-ness, such reverence, it was a moment of grace for me.

And so when I look at this rock from all angles, I’ve rotated it 360 degrees – it is all of nature. And the stalk – the manawa line, the heart line that runs through the centre and holds everything together, supporting the beautiful flowers, it reaches up to the sky and down into the depths of the earth.

The colours are vibrant and strong, they challenge how I use colour in my paintings and inspire me to find the colours for them. Each turn of the stone reveals a new kōrari, a new kōrero that speaks nature – reflected back to me again and again and again.

Many of you will have a favourite rock but this rock for me is the rock of all rocks.

Day 302 and this rock says everything I want to say about life, who I am, the transformations, the journeys… this is all the rocks I’ve painted so far and all the rocks and stories that are to come.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Green is one of my favourite colours (with purple) and I don’t know if anyone noticed, but I haven’t used green for a long long time! And the only reason I have green today is that this is a recycled rock from the rock pile that already had green paint on it!

I don’t actually have any green paint in my paint collection right now, perhaps it’s been for a reason but it just hasn’t been there to choose from so when I saw this rock in the rock pile – it was screaming at me – pick me pick me! And I felt like it needed to be a green day today – so here it is.

And this rock has been out in the elements for a while which is why the paint looks quite weathered and worn and peeling off.

So while we’re on the subject of “green” there were lots of calls for being “green” today.

I went out to the compost this morning and got a big shock when I opened the bin and there were heaps of worms all around the edges of the bin, hanging off the sides, inside, outside – there were SO SO many – I’ve never seen anything like it! The warm weather and the rain perhaps but these wormy worms were in heaven!

I weeded the garden today which is hard for me at times because I actually like the weeds, the dandelion leaves that taste great in a salad and some of the pretty weed flowers. It was great to get my hands in the earth again, to be inspired and then be able to eat the lettuce that our hands had grown with Papatūānuku.

And one last “green” thought for the day – sending much aroha to ngā tohorā… There have been strandings of whales in Papamoa today near Tauranga. One of the whales has died and the other two are being helped out to sea again. And the one question that people are probably asking is, are these strandings and the death of this whale because of the Rena incident and the oil spill?

Signs are presenting themselves everyday, mother nature is having her say, enough is enough. No more.

I read a wonderful quote today by Anne Frank – I read the diary of Anne Frank when I was teenager and was very much inspired by this woman’s life. She said, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” Start now.

Arohanui,
jo x

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I visited the Osteopath today – don’t you just love the French, they’re so passionate and expressive when they speak – well this one is anyway!

Anyway, while he was fixing me up and talking a lot lol, we got onto history and where we come from and I realised that some people just don’t get it and in order to understand, fully understand someone else’s perspective, you really have to put yourself in their feet. And even then, that is hard to do if you don’t feel what they feel.

And that is where the conversation went to – because I was saying that our people have a history and it is hard when that history is in your blood and is a part of who you are and yes we have to take responsibility for who we are today, we must heal from the past, but for most people it is not easy.

He got what I was saying but he wasn’t really listening. He was wanting to share his perspective assuming he knew my perspective but wasn’t really listening.

He made a really good point though about traveling the world and experiencing another land, another culture because it takes you away from your own little hub, your own experiences and history, just for a little while, into someone else’s history. And when we’re there, we realise that we are not the only ones in this world who are suffering, or who have suffered or whose ancestors have suffered, we are not the only ones.

And so the conversation went all over the place and it came back to what we have in our heads and what we have in our hearts. And at the end of the day – what is in the heart is what matters, and if there is something there to heal, then we need to heal it – because our hearts are where we feel and it’s bad enough when we deny how we feel but worse when we have heavy hearts that remain heavy for a long time, sometimes forever.

So I left there with more than what I went for – he is a fantastic osteopath by the way and read my body immediately. I take my hat off to people who can do that in an instant. And as I’ve said, everyone you meet has a message for you and I’m still trying to digest this one as there were so many parts to it!

And one last thing, our conversation ended on common ground talking about water and rocks and rock art and he mentioned a cave in France with some of the oldest rock art in the world. I have heard about this and will visit there one day. And our conversations about art and being an artist weren’t for nothing because when I was leaving, he says, I’m not an artist, but I am starting to paint more and more… and in that moment I heard his heart and I realised that my listening to him go on and on lol enabled him to get to that heart place and what he really wanted to say… and it was such a relief!

Arohanui,
Jo x

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I’ve been fully aware that ever since I returned from overseas, the rocks I have painted have definitely taken a turn. No longer do they always begin with the koru, they are now starting from anywhere.

A part of that for me was about stepping out into the unknown, letting go of what I thought was the only thing I’ve known and allowing something different to come through.

It was about trusting, taking a risk and as I near the end of the year for this project I remember that first day in January – oh boy, that first day was such a huge risk – my self-imposed risks of rejection, criticism and not being good enough, I have traded these for acceptance, change and growth. I’m so glad I took that risk.

This rock I’m dedicating to my friend Jacq who lately has just blossomed with her creativity! She is following the path of “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron which some of you may know, but as long as I’ve known her she has always been an artist at heart like many of us – she has just rekindled that fire again to create. And I’m sure she’ll agree it is so good for your soul.

So here’s to the artist’s way and creativity and all artists around the world who choose the path less travelled! Art is not about creating good art in the eyes of others. Art is personal, it can be whatever you want it to be and the most successful art, is art from the heart because that is the art that is enduring and the art that people will remember.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Listening to my ocean music today, I painted this rock. Hearing the waves, the flow of water and dolphins playing and singing beneath the sea…

There is something about dolphins that move me – perhaps their friendly loving nature, I feel like I’ve known them many times before…

And they are becoming more frequent in my thoughts especially since I dreamt of a dolphin migration a few rocks back…

Yesterday, I had a sudden overwhelming desire to be home – home being in Rotorua where I was born, where my Te Arawa roots are, my mother’s strong lineage…and Taranaki by the sea, our mountain and land so spiritual…but I also had a desire for another home…

So the dance of the dolphin I was listening to today, it took me to many lives ago, in another time and place and hearing the dolphins sing and seeing them dance in my mind as I listened, it took me to a place so familiar – home.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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So we’ve won the Rugby World Cup which is fantastic – you can feel the energy around the country at the moment. There were thoughts today about how the country would be if we had lost – I’m pretty sure the energy would have been a lot different!

But celebrations aside, we have a real game on our hands not just here in Aotearoa, but around the world. Our environment needs us and our environment needs us now. And right now I’m sending much aroha to all those affected by the recent earthquake in Turkey – such contrasts in our world, celebrations in one direction and devastating loss in another.

I watched the live coverage in downtown Auckland today, the All Blacks were doing their victory lap and thousands of people had come out to celebrate. Add to that the thousands around the rest of the country too.

I can’t help but think if we all collectively gathered together, had one big collective inhalation and then a collective exhalation just as we felt last night when the All Blacks finally won, what if we shared that same positive energy into other areas that need attention. What would happen then?

There was a post here on FB last night while the rugby was on about child poverty – and the question was asked, why has our country allowed child poverty to come this far and all I want to say – change is driven by emotion, you can’t tell people what to do.

So if we look at all those passionate rugby supporters, what is it that drives them to support rugby so much and how can we transfer that same energy, that same passion, into bringing about change in the world?

Yes we desire change, but a desire for something does not make it happen. Change begins with us and if we are truly honest with ourselves about the change that needs to happen within then I believe the world would be a better place. Respect for one another, for self and love.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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So this is the day! We’ve just finished pizza and are now getting ready for the game of the year – the All Blacks vs France!! It’s going to be an exciting game I know that much!!

So why rugby for me? Why am I so interested in this game, why am I interested in rugby in general, why is the country rugby mad?

Why rugby for me?

Because it is in my blood. Rugby has been a part of my life since I came into this world. Both my parents are sports fanatics, Dad actively involved in many individual and team sports and Mum who has always supported our sporting endeavours for as long as I can remember!

And rugby? Dad was a representative rugby player and a coach and Mum has got to be one of the most supportive All Blacks supporters I’ve ever known! No matter what the time of day, she’s there in front of the TV supporting our team.

So it IS in my blood. Sport is in my blood. And this is why I am watching rugby. This is why I support the All Blacks and watch this game. I also remember my parents, the support they have given rugby and the support that they have given me as a sportsperson.

THIS IS WHY I WATCH THE ALL BLACKS.

So if you don’t want to see my status updates during the game, then temporarily unsubscribe from them and yes there are other things that we could be focusing on right now, such as Rena and earthquakes and the state the world is in at the moment and they are not out of my mind for good, but when this game is on, there will be nothing more important. This IS something to celebrate as far as I’m concerned!

So C’MON the All Blacks!

Arohanui,
Jo x

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I’ve painted two stones today – one for my darling niece Rawinia who turned 10 today (left rock) and one for my dear friend Di. Ngā mihi aroha ki a kōrua i tēnei rangi whakahirahira!

So I have two stories that merge into one because when I painted these I painted both at the same time so both stories are contained in each of the stones…

For Rawinia:

I remember when you came into this world, you waited for everyone to go and then you came out! So I missed your entrance into this world, but I remember you were so tiny and beautiful. With eyes like greenstone you were sensitive and alert.

At two years old I remember you bossing your older sister around – you told her to get in the garden and help Koro – you were definitely assertive then. You loved being with Koro in the garden and you and your brother have always been wonderful grandchildren for Koro and Nan.

I also remember a big mop of curly hair you had, you loved having it all out, you would never tie it up! You love roaming up the road and playing at your friends house, just like your mother and I used to be when we were kids.

And now you are 10 and will be a teenager soon… you have grown so fast – 10 years have gone so fast. Your birthday helps me remember how precious life is and how much we need to treasure those we love.

Sending you all my aroha on your special day my darling and see you soon!! xxx

For Di:

Unfolding koru, like unfolding life, taking me on a journey into the unknown, revisiting past lives and places…

Knowing self, rolling with the waves and the clouds, two sides to the story, balance of all that is seen and unseen, mind, body and spirit all coming together as one.

Releasing into this journey, a new journey that is not just mine but all those that have lived before and all those that are to come. Past, present and future merge as one…

A sacred journey I am, life, I appreciate every moment… rā whānau ki a koe Di xxx

Arohanui,
Jo x

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We went to the beach today – it was a beautiful day and there were so many bits of driftwood laying about all over the place! I was in heaven, waves lapping into shore, a chillybin full of food (well not exactly – but there were two blocks of dark chocolate!), a good book to read and a beach full of driftwood!

I sat in one place for a while, grabbed a stick and started to play on the many pieces of wood that lay around. Where did they drift from? What kind of wood is this? How old is this tree? A different sound resonated every time I hit a different piece of wood, I was excited to hear the next sound each time. Had this wood drifted from Australia, what forest did it come from?

All these thoughts wondering through my mind as well as the concern for the rubbish that I would spot in between pieces of wood – some people just have no respect…

And what also fascinated me were the shapes and colours of these bits of wood. I’ve brought some home, (to add to the rest of the collection!) to explore the natural patterns of nature lightly etched into the wood or deeply ingrained – it’s always been there – but amazed as usual at nature so beautiful, flowing shapes that make you feel real beauty. You know how beauty makes you feel, when you see it – well that feeling!

So I have my sticks, new ideas, smelling like the sea, inspired to share more messages about Water and Trees and the importance of looking after our environment. Now is the time to pay attention.

Arohanui,
Jo x

I deliberately posted this out of focus photo – sometimes you can feel the beauty or see the spirit of something when your eyes are slightly out of focus…

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I felt like I was in a scene from Finding Nemo when I was painting this lol Like a whole lot of seaweed or hair or grass growing from the earth but under the sea…

And then the bit at the bottom, like little seeds ready to sprout to push up through the surface, getting ready to rise and bear fruit.

Yellow is everywhere right now – bright and sunny! On the kitchen bench at one time there was pineapple, lemons and dandelions that Teia had just picked and then when I placed this rock there, it fitted in perfectly.

So what does yellow mean and what kind of emotion does it bring out or express? Right now, it certainly isn’t a mellow yellow colour for me where you chill out with it – I don’t feel like chilling out at all – but it is bright, the future is bright and brightens a room – amazing what yellow can do!

And it’s everywhere right now… spring, even the pollen that gets stuck in corners and ends up on cars is yellow…

Hopefully! A sign that summer is just around the corner. But you never know these days, you just can’t seem to predict the weather, the seasons have changed, it’s time to be ready for whatever and yellow seems to bring some hope for the future even where the future is uncertain.

Arohanui,
Jo x

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People are brought into your life for a reason – you may know them for many years or you may meet for a few moments in conversation, in the street, but every person has an important message.

As a teenager, I rarely paid attention. I was too busy living my life to even see opportunities for learning but not long after when I did start to pay attention, I realised that every person I met had a story and somewhere in that story was a message for me – another step in my journey.

When I look back, the signs are even more clearer but at the time they were not so obvious. And these lessons would present themselves over and over until I learnt them!

But when I look back, there are no regrets for not learning at times because I understand now that I was simply not ready to receive.

But when I was ready – boy did life speed up (in a good way!) and so many wonderful things have happened since then. The past has made me the person I am today, as hard as it was sometimes – these experiences have made me strong and resilient.

So whenever I’m out and about, I’m always on alert for opportunities to learn, even when sitting in a crowd and tuning into conversations and what is happening around me. And I ask myself, how does this make me feel? Every moment there is something to learn and every person no matter who it is, where you meet them, when, why, how, they have a message for you!

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Teia says to me, that’s not a lot of paint on there and Todd says, wow that’s different lol Even the people I live with have expectation of what my rocks should or could look like and so when something looks a lot different to what I usually paint… it stands out.

And yet I feel very comfortable painting this. This rock feels old, and the symbols feel old, like rock art left in caves, on rocks, on trees as reminders of times gone by…stories of old…

I’ve been reading a lot about Lumeria, Atlantis and Avalon and feel a strong connection to my Celtic roots. I’ve been wanting to explore more the Celtic symbols and stories and in looking back to when I was a child, I’ve realised I’ve been drawing these symbols all my life and now I’m starting to understand them…

Another journey in the future to a far away land is on the horizon, a heart and soul connection – reconnection with a part of who I am…

And the digging for treasure – Teia and I went digging in the garden today just outside her bedroom window. A while back her crystals fell out and we became archaeologists today to excavate the site and find the hidden treasures. We found many things including lots of worms and four of the five crystals she had lost! So it was a successful day! We will set out on another mission during the week to find the other one!

So all our crystals are now outside getting a good dose of rain – we’ve had four seasons in one day today! We gathered some sea water from the beach this morning to bathe the crystals in and then the sun came and charged the water ready for cleansing and now – rain! Perfect – all the elements coming together…

Arohanui,
Jo x

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So many things I could talk about today…

The way the kōwhai flowers from the neighbours tree fall onto our driveway creating a bright yellow carpet, soft…

The kōrari (flax flower) – I love, it’s bends and curves and many colours, it stands poised like a dancer, elegant and graceful…

A conversation with my mother is never a dull moment – she makes me laugh, sad and hurt all at the same time…I miss her, I miss her early morning calls to me to see if I am ok, even at my age…

My sisters who I share conversation with, conversations that I can have with no other…

And the comforts of home, of partner, of children, of family, the familiar in life where you know that it is ok to be you no matter where you are…

Laughter at the simplest of things and children… so in the moment and enjoying life…

Planning for the future – so much to think about, but actually it’s really quite simple! Know who you are and what you want and then it’s easy to make decisions – going through my mind today… sorting out the purpose from the clutter…cleaning out…letting go…

Life – full of moments to remember… each experience, each thought, each moment moving into the next, a constant flow of life, continuous and changing, changing, forever changing…

Arohanui,
Jo x

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Now I know I’ve got a bit of a challenge posting this rock tonight because I will be competing with at least half the country watching the All Blacks vs Australia game, which also means most of Australia too and a good portion of the rest of the world who will wait anxiously to know who will play France in the final.

And I must say, I’m slightly nervous despite not following rugby all year, I’m still nervous! There is a lot of confidence in the All Blacks tonight, but I’m not so sure… there is just something about them that I’m not confident about!

Perhaps it is there inconsistent history of stuffing it up at times (am I being too negative?) or just that feeling that it is going to be a close game…

But what I want to say is… I watched all those Welsh rugby fans at the Millenium stadium and saw the looks on their faces when Wales had lost the game. Some were crying, some were utterly shocked, some got angry and took it upon themselves to settle the game off the field, but none-the-less, there was a lot of emotion involved.

And this is the feeling here in Aotearoa too. You can’t go far without seeing an All Black flag flying somewhere! All Black fever is well and truly alive here in Aotearoa and all I want to say is that expectation of ourselves and “our” team, is SO SO high. And what happens when our expectations aren’t met and we lose, we go into mourning for two weeks (Todd says more like two years) and it affects many on a deep emotional level.

So all I want to say is (and you probably don’t agree or don’t want to hear this but that’s ok!) expect nothing, enjoy watching the game, and whoever wins wins… and here is the big one… it is just a game! The sun will rise again tomorrow, there will be another world cup and we will… eventually… get over it… but that’s if we lose!

And if we win, we celebrate for the next two weeks, two years… but it is still just a game! And the sun of course will rise again tomorrow…

So I’m trying to be as equanimous as possible going into this game, I’m neither here nor there, no expectation and WILL accept what is… well that’s the plan! Breathe in, breathe out! Haha…

Arohanui,
Jo x

He nui tonu ngā whakaaro ki a Tauranga moana. Me mihi atu hoki ki ngā tāngata e awhi ana kia whakatika i tō tātou moana.

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We’ve just got home from Taradale so I’m posting my rock that I painted yesterday…

There’s a party going on inside this house and I’m out in the garage painting my rock for the day…

It reminds me of a starfish with all it’s arms (or legs); amazing little creatures that look stiff when you see them on the side of a rock but I imagine they move quite gracefully with their water vascular systems that actually help them move through water…

Like many of our ocean’s creatures they are so important for the ocean’s ecology, intricately woven into life’s cycles, systems and beauty. There are many stars of the seas, each with their own patterns and shapes adding to the richness and diversity of life…

And at the end of each arm, they have an eye that sees and feels their way through light and dark……

We often forget about the intricacies of nature, the amazing stories it has to tell and the amazing creatures that inhabit this place we call earth. Next time we’re at the beach, or in the forest or in the garden, look at a sunflower, a ladybug, a sea urchin and ask – what part does this have to play in life?

Arohanui,
Jo x

Thanks to the Dobbie whānau for looking after us last night as we celebrated Kahurere’s 2nd birthday! : )

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When choosing a photo of a rock that I’ve painted, I don’t necessarily choose the best looking photo but the photo that portrays how I feel and what I want to say at that time. And most times it’s the best photo!

This photo speaks volumes about a journey that I am on. It is a lonely pathway, one that feels like people are looking at you funny, either that or they’re going in a totally opposite direction.

This journey is about speaking your truth, being who you are, acknowledging feelings and emotions and knowing who you are. We’ve become reliant on external environments to reward and acknowledge us and dictate to us the lives that we should live. We crave recognition and attention from others, if only we would recognise ourselves…

I don’t even know what to call this rock today, it’s a spiritual journey full of many things – and I’m far from lonely on this journey, so I’m not going to call it lonely. Although at times, I do feel like I’m on a totally different waka… but such is life I guess, we’re all on a waka going somewhere and some of us know where we’re going and some of us don’t.

Arohanui,
Jo x

Feel free to name this rock – right now it is called “No Name” because I just don’t feel like naming it, but I’m sure it will have a name soon

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I thought it was about time for a change of scenery – looking at all those devastating images of oil on the beach and wildlife – now dead – can get a bit depressing after a while… but it is the reality at the moment…so very very sad, devastating, you can only try and express the feelings that are conjured up by this…and I’m not even there. I watched and cried as people cried, their lives affected so deeply, no longer being able to go to the beach to gather kai – food source now gone. Many wildlife, now gone.

Mokopuna is the Māori word for grandchild and when you break the word down there are many other words within the word mokopuna. There is moko, there is puna, there is kopu, mo, ko, pu, na so many meanings within this one word.

They are the spring that comes forth into this world, the next generation, the future… a spring of water, a puna, that comes up from the earth as life and wellbeing for people and for the earth. Mokopuna are so important and when we think about moko, the art of Māori tattoo as being something that is very much a part of us, that we celebrate, our art and creativity, mokopuna is embedded in this too…

So I thought I would share some of the words in mokopuna and their meanings…

mokopuna / moko – grandchild

puna – to well up, flow, spring, well, pool

moko – Māori tattoo

kopu – belly, womb (often referred to for wahine)

mo – for, for the benefit of

ko – here, now, in the future, to sing, to dig

pu – blow gently, flute, lie in a heap, root, base, origin

I felt the need to share something beautiful today and what better than another example of our Māori language – conceptual, eloquent, connected and beautiful.

Rā whānau ki a koe Kahurere Moana – kua huri ki te rua i te rangi nei – yay! Ka kite akuanei!

Arohanui,
Jo x

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