Written by Sneha Lakhotia, Independent Consultant (Impact & Policy)
On Retreat Two (Te Tiriti o Waitangi & Te Ao Māori) of The NZ Leadership Programme, one of speakers wisely said, “Stories are powerful! They can connect, touch, crush and uplift”. Retreat 1 embedded the importance of stories and planted the seed to question,’ what is my story?’. This second Retreat continues to stir the curiosity of stories. This time: What is the story of this nation, New Zealand?
What better way to understand the story of a nation than to explore its biggest story of time, its history! This Retreat opened the portal of discovery of Aotearoa, New Zealand’s most important historic site, Waitangi, and reconnected me to the founding document of Aotearoa, Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Treaty connects us to history - to a series of events and signings in 1840, to the subsequent events which unfolded and led to what is present today. The journey to the North was revealing and immersive. It was my first visit to the birthplace of this nation, Waitangi, and also my first stay at a marae.
Our Retreat unfolded several stories: Some were narrating the birth of the nation to its present, others described the tīpuna and atua carved beautifully on the walls of the marae to the individual stories which connected us and brought us to the very place and time. This Retreat has further exposed me to the Tikanga and Te Ao Māori. It reminds and reinstates the value of culture in guiding the identity and living of individuals and groups.
As I embark on this Mana Ōrite journey with Leadership New Zealand, I return from this retreat with more questions than answers. How can we understand the present and glimpse in the future if we cannot understand our past? How would we know who we are and who we want to be if we don’t know who we were and how we got here? How and where do we take it forward from here? In this present day and climate, how do we move from blame and shame to responsibility and respect? What will we do in 19 years when the Treaty is over? How do we move from the Treaty being a constitutional obligation to an active commitment and responsibility of everyone? How will tika, pono and aroha guide us there?
As we progress and move from the bicultural landscape of the 1840s to the multicultural land of the new era, a number of areas arouse my curiousity: How do we build Aotearoa hou within a nation firmly forged in the past? How can we create a future where everyone lives equally and equitably as intended by the Tiriti in 1840? I’ve begun to imagine an Aotearoa where everyone honours each other, respects their differences, acknowledges their commonalities and embraces each other. Only then (I believe) can we give rise to a true Aotearoa as Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti.
I am curious and excited in the quest to seek these answers. I am building the courage to face and ask the tough questions and even more to step out of the comfort zone to find braver solutions. I am ready to rumble and grow in this endeavour to seek the true north as leaders of Aotearoa hou.
Did Sneha’s story resonate with you? This is one of many courageous, enriching and impactful journeys on The NZ Leadership Programme.
Are you a leader for the future of Aotearoa? Are you a mid-level, senior or community leader in New Zealand who wishes to help evolve its leadership landscape? Do you know someone who is?
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