From Nanny. (Te Atamihi Papa)

Kia ora raa kei aku mokopuna,

Today, I walked through your Marae, Poohara and thought of you. I want to tell you what I saw, what I felt and what I remembered so you will always know how much your tuupuna gave to this place, and how their aroha still lives in every corner of our marae.

When I stepped outside, I heard the awa flowing clear and strong. Birds darted above me, Tui, Kereruu, Kaakaa once almost gone, now returned. I smiled, remembering the times when our awa were too dirty to swim in and the manu were hardly heard. I’m so glad that your Tuupuna worked hard so that these precious taonga could return.

At the marae, I first thought of your Nana Wiki. The gardens were tidy, the grounds alive, the harakeke vibrant and I could almost hear her voice telling stories on the slopes of Maungatautari.

She was the one who taught us how maatauranga Maaori and science could walk together.

Because of her, our Maunga is still cared for with love.

Inside the whare, I heard the sound of our Reo Maaori all around me. That was your Nanny Pan’s dream. She once attended Te Panekiretanga, learning from the masters of Reo and Tikanga, and later taught Te Reo to thousands through her shows on Whakaata Maaori. I still remember how she would listen carefully and correct us whenever we stumbled. She gave her whole heart to make sure that Te Reo Maaori lived and now, it thrives.

As I walked past the wharekai, I saw a group weaving, another practising karanga, and tamariki learning waiata. That was the work of your Nanny Ata. She turned Poohara into a living whare waananga, where knowledge was shared openly. Toi, reo, hiitori, all of it kept alive because of her organising waananga.

Not far away, I passed the papakaainga. Our Whaanau filled the homes at the back of the marae and down the road, tamariki running, laughter echoing. That was your Nanny Linda’s vision. She dreamed of whaanau living close to their tuurangawaewae, and she worked hard to make those homes a reality. Because of her, Poohara is not just a marae we gather at, it is the embodiment of a village, a papakaainga, alive every day.

And then, I returned to the wharenui, I heard whaikoorero. Someone was reciting whakapapa, connecting everyone together. It reminded me of your Koro, Stanley. He was a man of history, stories, and tikanga. He had a way of weaving knowledge into every speech, slipping in cheeky lines that made the whare erupt in laughter. His words still echo through our wharenui today.

It’s been a long time since then, almost 60 years, but I can still remember their smiles, their stories, their laughter and their determination. Every hua planted, every design crafted, every waiata sung and every karakia recited. They did it for us, for you, for ngaa uri o Poohara.

So, e aku mokopuna, when you walk here in your time, remember: every voice you hear, every whare you stand in, every laugh that fills the air, it is the work of your Tuupuna. They built this for you. And now, it is your turn to carry it forward. So don’t forget their names, and don’t forget their work because you’re gonna meet them one day, but don’t worry, Nanny will be there to introduce you.

Arohanui my mokopuna.