Vaiula Roberts from Inland Revenue reflects on the first retreat of Tū Mau Mana Moana.
Retreat One in one word: Wow! Other words that come to mind: humbled, encouraged, inspired, hopeful, excited, and blessed. I’m humbled to have been selected by my employer to be a part of the inaugural Tu Mau Mana Moana. I'm encouraged to be surrounded by strong Pāsifika leaders from across the Public Sector. I’m inspired by the amazing and intelligent (and funny) facilitators. Their passion is contagious. I’m hopeful about the future of Pāsifika. It starts with us and the leadership roles we are in; both personal and professional. I’m excited about my Tū Mau journey ahead; the journey of discovery (or perhaps more accurately, rediscovery).
Vā Tupu helped me to see my culture through a new lens; a better lens. I didn’t think I could or would connect with a group of strangers so quickly, but the spirit of connection was strong and powerful. It created a safe space; a special space; a Pacific space. It was liberating to share with other Pāsifika leaders. There was a natural and comfortable vā amongst us. A vā that only our culture can identify and explain. Connection through stories, experiences, challenges, tears and much laughter. Again, wow!
The three main takeaways for me from Vā Tupu were:
Vā and connectedness. I’ve always known what ‘vā’ means. But I never thought about it conceptually or as a leadership resource. Relational vā and connectedness are so simple yet relevant and impactful concepts. I have returned to work more conscious about the various vā’s that I am a part of and the connectedness that flows from those va’s and the connectedness that is required of me.
Entanglements and disentanglements. I learned that I am made up of many entanglements. It’s important to identify what those entanglements are and by sharing it with the universe, I am one step closer to being free (or disentanglement). Entanglements can subconsciously hold us back.
Nervous system and the importance of plugging in. We may have trauma but we are not trauma. Leaders are healers. Be prepared to be the frontiers in an unstable system. Have the courage to disrupt the waka. Sometimes things need to come apart before transformation can happen.
I feel blessed to be on this journey and I look forward to the many learnings that the rest of the programme has to offer.
Vaiula wrote this about Va Tupu, the first retreat of seven in Tū Mau Mana Moana.
Tū means to stand, arise, be, to be upright in 48 of our languages – it is Austronesian in origin and one of our most ancient source languages. At its zenith, Tū or Kū is the archetype of humanity - of the god of war, of the realm of humankind.
Mau is in 47 of our languages and is linguistically categorised as Polynesian in origin. It refers to seeking, finding, persisting, holding on to, firmly and tightly. Mau is a well-known movement of liberation and a calling cry to reclaim power.
Together, these words create Tū Mau – to stand and hold, to be firm and seek. The approach and orientation of this programme is designed specifically for Pacific peoples seeking to lead in the public sector.
Find out more about Mana Moana here.