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Winter Talk 2007 – Reflections
Sunday 21 January 2007
As I write this reflection I am back in Aotearoa / New Zealand recovering from ten days of tiki touring in America. Rejuvenated after a huge sleep, feast of fish and pork bones herewith follows a gathering of my thoughts from this once in a lifetime experience.
Travel & Accommodation
From Aotearoa to the James River in the State of Virginia is by my estimates over 9,200 miles. After 18 hours flying time, many taxi and shuttle rides and two hours driving time on a bus we arrive in Surry County, Virginia at 8pm, 12 January 2007 for the 19th session of Winter Talk.
The venue is Chanco on the James, a retreat centre owned by the Episcopal Church of America. It is a secluded place, located on the banks of the James River where the first European settlers landed in the early 17th century. The facilities are like log cabins with no phones, television or internet access. The rooms however were not totally void of technology, with nice hot water showers, a toilet that flushed and a powerful heating system; what more could you ask for. The whare kai was fully functional with caterers who prepared and served 5 star meals.
Kaupapa
The 2007 Winter Talk session commenced on Saturday 13th January 2007 with a brief welcome from The Rev. Malcolm Chunn, Chairperson of the Executive Council Committee on Indigenous Ministry (ECCIM). The kaupapa was simple, the agenda very light and fluid. Participants had arrived from all corners of the United States, Alaska and even the North Pole. There was a strong contingent from the Hawaiian Islands and one Torres Islander from Thursday Island in the North-East of Australia. Dr Hone Kaa and I were acknowledged as the guests who had travelled the greatest distance to participate. Tribes from the Oklahoma area were unable to attend due to weather complications, with snow and ice cutting off all transport services in and out of Oklahoma.
The main event of the Winter Talk was the building of the altar. Each participant was invited to present a cultural item for the altar and offer a story about its significance. This kaupapa took the onlooker on an emotional journey as each person placed their item on the altar. The kôrero that was shared so freely was very spiritual. As the stories were told the audience moved from collective bursts of laughter, to commonness of purpose and vision.
Koro (Dr Hone Kaa) presented four paua shells, explaining their significance and use as a vessel to carry the sacred water in baptismal rites. He also presented and explained the Mâori theology surrounding a green stoll and the context in which the colour green is used in Mâori ceremony surrounding burial rituals; the green representative of the parekawakawa – wreath of mourning and the twig used for purification in tohi rites.
I presented two New Zealand Prayer Books to the altar, outlining the extreme significance these books had as containing Te Reo Mâori in written form. I also lay a greenstone taonga I had received from Te Pihopatanga o Te Waipounamu at the 2006 session of the General Synod in Christchurch as a significant emblem that embodied the unique character of tikanga Mâori amongst the other taonga presented by the Native Americans.
Other participants presented photos of their loved ones, precious bibles and prayer books that belonged to their old people and prayers were also offered for guidance for the journey ahead. The Rev Robert Two Bulls was commissioned to paint a portrait of Mataoka (a.k.a Pochahontas) as an icon for the Winter Talk 2007 kaupapa. A veiled Mataoka was placed on the altar as the guest – in honour of her memory and her part in the history of the settlement of America.
The icon (Mataoka) was unveiled and blessed at the Sunday Eucharist Service – a remembrance service aimed at acknowledging and honouring the past.
The other kaupapa of Winter Talk focused on ‘the ripples of discovery’ where participants were asked to reflect on the coming of the European and the affect contact with the West had on the Indian Nations.
Koro was invited to share his knowledge about discovery from within an Aotearoa / New Zealand context. It is not surprising that the experience of colonisation in the Southern Pacific is fairly similar in detail to the colonisation of the Americas. This parallel history of colonisation and its affects provides a common bond for Mâori Anglican and Native American Episcopalians. The painful history of the deeds of the past were recalled and retold at Chanco on the James, and so they should be.
Further Reflections
However, what was noticeably absent from the kaupapa of Winter Talk was a targeted forum whereby a solution could be designed and fashioned to remedy the past through the Gospel message. Perhaps this conversation is being progressed at other levels, forums of their church – or perhaps the spirit has not moved in the direction of remedying past injustices. There is no doubting the powerful nature of Winter Talk however. The regular forum that is Winter Talk is an necessary opportunity for Native Americans to join together in singleness of spirit to strengthen their unity. Witnessing the tradition of Winter Talk, and the ability of this tradition to achieve a certain level of unity within the Native American Episcopalian church could easily be transferred to Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa as a traditional kaupapa to strengthen the Mâori church for its mission.
As manaakitanga and tautoko is a major part of tikanga Mâori, the Mâori representation at these international indigenous forum are very important. The Mâori church history and experience provides much assistance to the journey of other indigenous nations. This was evident in the response to Koro’s presentation and the many invitations he fielded from tribes requesting him to speak to their communities.
Maintaining that Mâori profile at the international level is extremely necessary to ensure that Mâori participate in design and build of the indigenous network, and the continued maintenance and strengthening of those structures.
As these indigenous forums are reconfigured to become more effective and targeted – the potential to lobby and change unjust structures both locally and internationally within the church and society becomes more attainable.
Out of the 70 participants – there were 8 rangatahi delegates, aged below 40. Whilst I was afforded time to speak to the meeting as an observer – youth did not feature much in terms of youth ministry and the church from a youth context. The kaupapa did not distinguish or categorise age groups. However, from informal talks with the other Rangatahi delegates, there is the potential for an indigenous youth forum to investigate cohesion amongst indigenous youth.
The Native American youth have agreed to explore opportunities through the office of Native American Ministries to explore the establishment of an indigenous youth forum to strengthen the next generation of indigenous leadership. Contact details have been exchanged and it is envisaged that the conversation that commenced informally at Winter Talk 2007 will continue via the world wide web and hopefully at a preliminary hui in Aotearoa / New Zealand if their kaupapa finds favour with their rangatira. These are just some of the opportunities that were discussed over the short amount of time spent with the other youth that attended Winter Talk. For a greater insight in to these young people’s vision and mission their recordings will be posted on Radio Ruia shortly.
In conclusion, the Winter Talk kaupapa was a deeply spiritual experience. An experience that will leave a lasting impression; and, an experience that will certainly produce further opportunities in strengthening the mission of the indigenous church to transform indigenous nations through justice and freedom.
Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.
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'Kia kaha i roto i nga taumahatanga o te wa - ma Ihowa koe e tiaki'
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