The Values of Te Rōpū Pākehā

Inspired by their role and definition within Matike Mai, Te Rōpū Pākehā understand values as akin to stars, as a shimmering, otherworldly ‘ought to be’ that guides our process, keeping us tethered even, especially when we don’t know where we are going. The words below were generated through a collective, online ritual that called on darkness to help us sense these guides. They are, and likely always will be, a draft. For now, we have written them in three languages - English, Gaelic and Te Reo Māori - to also experiment with our nascent, tentative approach to Pākehā as a people who (can) emerge from the cracks of and between worlds.

We, The Pākehā Group of The Tīpuna Project, ought to be…

… GROUNDING in whenua, in our relationality and entanglement with everyone and everything

… LIVING breathing, sensing, eating, laughing, crying, learning, enjoying, singing, dancing, snuggling, fucking up, dreaming, unknowing, loving, feeling, experimenting

… LISTENING to bodies, ancestors, descendants, Māori, Papa and kin 

… TRUSTING of selves, ancestors, descendants, Māori, Papa and kin

… CARING & FIGHTING for each other, ancestors, descendants, Māori, Papa and kin

… MOVING forward, backward and awkward to Matike Mai



… TALAMHADH, ann an dàimheadh ‘s roc còmhla ris a h-uile duine ‘s a h-uile rud

… A BHITH BEÒ le bhith a’ dèanamh deò, faireachdainn, ag ithe, a’ gàireachdainn, a’ caoineadh, ag ionnsachadh, a’ còrdadh, a’ seinn, a’ dannsa, a’ caidreamhadh, a’ dèanamh mearachdan, a’ dèanamh aislingean, nach gabh fios, a’ toirt gaol, dearbhachadh

… AG ÈISTEACHD ri corpan, sinnsearan, sliochd, Māori, Papa ‘s dàimh

… A’ TOIRT EARBSA ann an duine, sinnsearan, sliochd, Māori, Papa ‘s dàimh

… A’ CÙRAM ‘S A’ SABAID airson ri cèilean, sinnsearan, sliochd, Māori, Papa ‘s dàimh

… A’ TEACHD ‘S A’ FALBH gu neo-chùimhir a dh’ionnsaigh Mhatike Mhai


… Kia WHAKAWHENUATIA mātou ki a Papatūānuku, ki ngā hononga me ngā porowhīwhiwhinga me ngā tāngata, mea katoa anō hoki

… E WHAI ORA ANA mā te hā, te rongo, te kai, te kata, te tangi, te ako, te hari, te waiata, te kanikani, te awhiawhi, te hē me te hē rawa, te moemoeā, te pohewa, te aroha, te kare ā-roto, te ngana 

… Kia WHAKARONGO ki ngā tinana, ngā tīpuna, ngā mokopuna, ngā tuakana Māori, Papatūānuku rātou ko āna uri

… Kia WHAKAWHIRINAKI atu ki a tātou ake, me ngā tīpuna, ngā mokopuna, ngā tuakana Māori, Papatūānuku rātou ko āna uri

… Kia POIPOI kia NONOKE mātou mō ēnei hoa aroha, mō ngā tīpuna, ngā mokopuna, ngā tuakana Māori, Papatūānuku rātou ko āna uri

… Kia NEKE mua, neke muri, neke hauroki whakamōwai kia Matike Mai ai e!