"When contemplating flight one kuaka, the tute or Kahukura, takes to the air first to test it. If all is good it calls the others"
The male kuaka has a shorter bill than the female. The longer billed female can maximise feeding opportunities by finding food at deeper levels on the mudflats. We are all equipped differently to support our whanau.
The kuaka’s wings are adapted for soaring on thermals of air. Each feather on the kuaka’s wing is an intricate piece of equipment, a series in interlocking barbs that hook together presenting a strong and smooth surface to fly. The feathers require regular maintenance. Feathers are kept in shape by preening and cleaning. There are implicit metaphors here about keeping our tinana in good shape.
When contemplating flight one kuaka, the tute or Kahukura, takes to the air first to test it. If all is good it calls the others and they rise in a funnel or spiral called by Maori the “Poringi”
When kuaka are in flight as a group they adopt a slightly curved bow shaped formation or a V shape. In the north the lead bird is called the “tuta”. In other areas it is known as the ‘Kahukura’ and this is believe to allude to the reddish sheen that these birds display. The lead position will change as the flight goes on. It is not known if there is reciprocation due to kinship and recognition but we might hope so. In any case the role of the Kahukura is an example of selfless whanau and community leadership.
In the flight formation of the V or bow, the lead bird, both assists the flight of the following birds by cleaving the air and also receives benefit from lift from its group. In theory a bird gains the greatest benefit if its wingtip overlaps with that of the bird in front. As there is a slight upwash preceding each bird the leader can benefit from lift generated by its trailing neighbours. The leader breaks the air and takes on an extra load but also gets the uplifting support of the rest of the formation.
Regardless of flying in formation each individual kuaka needs to power its own flight. Each of us has a responsibility to contribute to the whanau to the degree that we can and to take responsibility for our own actions.
However, the older birds, the rakakao, usually occupy positions on the outside and flanks of the main flock thus providing protection, guidance, and supporting lift from upwash. In our terms this seems very much like the role of parents, grandparents, kaumatua.
How does a young kuaka setting off from Siberia manage to find its way to Aotearoa? Ornithologists talk of orientation and navigation, two related but distinct concepts.
Orientation is the capacity to determine and maintain a particular compass heading in a general direction rather than towards a specific destination. Orientation could well be a metaphor for tikanga and the underpinning values of a whanau.
Navigation requires a bird to determine its position in relation to a fixed goal and then enable it to reach this precise destination. So like members of a wh?nau kuaka need a map to tell them where they are, a compass to tell them which direction to go, and the skills to pull all that together.
The kuaka’s 29,000 km flight from the far reaches of the northern hemisphere to Aotearoa and back again is one of the great odysseys of any living creature. It is a long haul, but the kuaka is a long haul champion. Likewise bringing up a whanau is a long haul, a marathon, not a sprint.
• In ancient times this annual arrival of the kuaka was looked as a great event. Through Te Wharau o Naha Kuaka we wish to revive this practice as a time to celebrate Te Mana Kaha o Te Whanau, the implicit strength and capacity of whanau Maori. It is a time to reclaim tikanga, foster pride and affirm whanau and hapu identity as the foundation for positive change. Maori have solutions within. What is good for us as Maori is good for all of New Zealand
• For Maori the kuaka were birds of mystery. They feature prominently in our mythology. It was believed that they came from, or at least passed through the ancestral home Hawaiki.
Kua kite te Kohanga kuaka?
Who has seen the nest of the kuaka?
Ko wai ka kite I te hua o te kuaka?
Who has ever held the egg of the kuaka?
All things you need to know have already been done for you. You are responsible to your ancestors – ancestors leave responsibilities and tasks for each generation to complete. Have you checked to see what they left for you to do?
• The whakapapa of the kuaka starts with Karihi, grandson of Tangaroa. Karihi is the kuaka’s father and Kauitara its mother. These two are the parents of all sea birds that fly in flocks like kuaka, tara, and torea. In the formative period of living creatures on this earth it is said to have been the task of the kuaka to fly to the furthest seas to call together all sea birds to fight for a share of the harvest of river fish claimed by land birds Share stories about your tribal traditions and encourage elders to talk about your history with your children. It is important our whanau members have knowledge of their whakapapa, history, and taonga and are confident within their identity and able to live in the present and shape their futures. We need to be comfortable in our own skins.
• Kuaka on the wing are known as “waka kuaka”. Their cries are loud as they fly along. During daylight the ancestors followed the course of the flight in their canoes by observing the direction of the flight. In the night they would listen for the cries of the kuaka on their way to the south above the fleet of canoes and so be guided by them
Ko te kaupapa waka ki te moana hoe ai ko te kahui atua ki te ranga rere ai
Whilst the fleet of canoes over the ocean are paddled the flocks of gods are above in the heavens flying
Promote open communication within and amongst your whanau. Your voice and what you say provide guidance and direction for your whanau. Korero awhi – let it be an uplifting and supportive voice.
• The kuaka arrive in great swarms of whanau clusters. A saying composed by Tumatahina of Te Aupouri goes:
Te kuaka marangaranga, kotahi manu i tau ki te tahuna: tau atu, tau ra
The godwit flock has arisen; one bird has come to rest on the beach: others will follow.
It is important to practice whanaungatanga and maintain whanau connections. We rise together and follow established patterns. Make them patterns worth following. Set a good example – your children may not listen to what you say but they will imitate what you do. We are all born with the seeds of greatness within; nurture them
• In some areas the gathering place of the kuaka is called “tahuna a tapu” a sacred sandbank. The kuaka find natural resources to feed and places to rest. Do your best to make sure that your whanau has sufficient access to resources so that they are able to provide for their needs
• The kuaka is a purposeful creature.
Ka ngau kit e turikakao te paringa o te tai, e tika te rere o te kuaka
The spinifex (seaside grass tuft) wanders along the beach like the incoming tide, the kuaka flies direct
Be purposeful with your whanau. Build a clear pathway to the future – set goals with your family and live to achieve them.
• The male kuaka has a shorter bill than the female. The longer billed female can maximise feeding opportunities by finding food at deeper levels on the mudflats. We are all equipped with different capacities and capabilities to support our whanau. M?ori are diverse and innovative, and there are many successes to build on
• When kuaka are in flight as a group they adopt a slightly curved bow or a V shaped formation. The lead bird has been called the ‘kahukura’. The lead position will change as the flight goes on and one kahukura will take over from another. Be a leaderful whanau and share the load. Mana manaaki – uphold people’s dignity and give of yourself to others
• In theory a bird gains the greatest benefit if its wingtip overlaps with that of the bird in front. As there is a slight up wash preceding each bird the leader can benefit from lift generated by its trailing neighbours. Support your Kahukura and give them lift as they cut into the headwinds that all whanau face.
• Regardless of flying in formation each individual kuaka needs to power its own flight. Take responsibility for your own wellbeing and act now. Rebuild the mana of whanau. We all have a stake in it. Restore the home as a place of safety and love where healthy partnerships are expected. Practice Tikanga – doing things the right way, according to our values. Violence towards women and children is not traditional
• The older kuaka, the rakakao, usually occupy positions on the outside and flanks of the main flock thus providing protection and guidance. In some ways it reflects the Patuwhatawhata, the traditional protection formation of Maori with warriors on the outside, leders, then women, then children. In flight these formations provide supporting lift to those in the middle from the upwash of their wings. Elders, kuia, and kaumatua have a full role to play in the whanau in all aspects of life and in turn to be valued supported and cared for. Be wh?nau first – strong, united, connected wh?nau create strong, united hapu which leads to great iwi
• How does a young kuaka setting off from Siberia manage to find its way to Aotearoa? Firstly the young kuaka needs orientation, which is the capacity to determine and maintain a particular compass heading in a general direction rather than towards a specific destination. Think of this as the directional guidance provided by tikanga and the underpinning values of a whanau. Secondly the young kuaka needs to be able to navigate their way across oceans even in adverse weather. Navigation requires a fixed goal, so make sure your whanau have set goals and are provided with a map or plan of how to get there and the skills to do so. Do your best to make sure your whanau members are able to make decisions about their own lives and participate in all aspects of life. Help ensure they have a future vision and have a sense of future possibilities
• The kuaka’s 29,000 km flight from the far reaches of the northern hemisphere to Aotearoa and back again is one of the great odysseys of any living creature. It is a long haul, but the kuaka is a long haul champion. Likewise bringing up a whanau is a long haul, a marathon, not a sprint.
• The kuaka’s wings are adapted for soaring on thermals of air. Each feather on the kuaka’s wing is an intricate piece of equipment, a series in interlocking barbs that hook together presenting a strong and smooth surface to fly. The feathers require regular maintenance. Feathers are kept in shape by preening and cleaning. Make sure your whanau are equipped with the feathers to fly and are adaptable entrepreneurial and well educated. Help them keep those feathers in good shape
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