Thursday, June 12, 2014
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
ABC Wednesday V for visit
My Mt Albert Baptist ESOL class are preparing for their first ever visit to a Maori marae. This morning we had a Couple Bill and Violet Tangarikin, pastors of the Waitakere Communuity Church in Henderson agreed to represent us on the protocol part of our Marae visit at Unitec. They came today, to enrich us the customs and protocol of a culture of the country some of the students have chosen as home, or visiting.
I am teaching my students the Marae, the meeting place of the Maori people. I have been to Marae before, and I show you photos of earlier visits. I spent an evening there, and later I went with my sister. I learn quite a bit of protocol to teach my students.
This is the first entrance, where visitors wait until they are invited to enter the grounds. There is a Powhiri. The visitors sing a karanga, telling the hosts they come in peace. The women will enter first, to show indeed they come in peace.
From Sarawak to New Zealand.
On Thursday evening, Ngarimu of the Ngatiwhatuaorakei Marae invited some 75 volunteers to a formal welcome, a Powhiri with an female elder singing the welcome or the Karanga. We had a Pakeha Natasha who could reply in Maori. It was a symbolic gesture that we came in peace and the females entered the Marae ground first,and the men behind us.
When
we entered the Marae, the men sat infront , and women behind. This is
Maori protocol. The elders spoke to welcome us,at the end of it, we went
to greet the elders with the Hongi, the Maori greeting with rubbing of our noses. We were treated with a sumptious vegetarian dinner.
Ngarimu
asked the volunteers why we came. Some came because they were
environmentally conscious, and some came because they came last year and
were commited to this "Zero-waste" concept. Some of us were new Kiwis
and students. Coming to this occasion was a privilege to experience the
Maori way of life. Among these foreign contigent, there were volunteers
from China, Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand, France,
England, Germany, Canada, and probaly more, but I didn't talk to them
all. There some children.
As for me, I
explained I came to New Zealand in 1978, when Bastion Point was in the
fore front of controversy. This was an excellent chance for me to be
part of it. besides I have always been a proponent of recycling when I
was living in Singapore.
I went away with
some insight of the spiritual aspect having spoken to a Maori grand
mother who invited me to sleep beside her grand daughters. We spoke the
protocols of why we should not take photos inside the Marae because of
the mana of the spirits, and to ordinary things like the puha
vegetable that I had posted before. The Maori Culture is very
interesting, if you go to my links, you too will find it very
informative.
We became Whanau or family. I want to thank Ngarimu and his Marae family for this opportunity. Next year, I will be back with Sam.
***I photograph a T-shirt with the symbols from my birth country and the photographs fo the marae taken from the outside.***
Maori customs
Kia Ora, hello. I have been to Marae and slept in them. I like to share this with you.
When visitors come, the home marae "family" tangata welcomes them with a call, karanga. A guest female replies.
You take your shoes off at the entrance.
Pre Marae Visit
At last it is happening, after years of discussing about visiting a Marae, a New Zealand meeting place and to teach our International ESOL students, we will be going next week.
Bill and Violet Tangariki, pastors of the Waitakere Communuity Church in Henderson agreed to represent us on the protocol part of our Marae visit at Unitec. They came today, to enrich us the customs and protocol of a culture of the country some of the students have chosen as home, or visiting.
Bill is a pastor of a Maori congregation in west Auckland. Violet taught us the Waiata and explained to us what will happen on the day .
We learn and practise some Maori songs, and the students chose the Te aroha t
o sing when we arrive at the Marae.
Bill and Violet Tangariki, pastors of the Waitakere Communuity Church in Henderson agreed to represent us on the protocol part of our Marae visit at Unitec. They came today, to enrich us the customs and protocol of a culture of the country some of the students have chosen as home, or visiting.
Bill is a pastor of a Maori congregation in west Auckland. Violet taught us the Waiata and explained to us what will happen on the day .
We learn and practise some Maori songs, and the students chose the Te aroha t
Mother in law tongue
this year must be a special year for mother-in-laws. This plant is flowering. My friend wondered why it has such a horrible name, He said it should aptly be called daughter-in-law plant, referring to me.
it's call mother in law tongue because in the old days the MIL's had very sharp tongue......meaning they are fierce and likes to scold their DIL........don't you ppl agree..
三 從 四 德. The three obedience of a woman: ‘obey her father before marriage, her husband when married, and her sons in widowhood’ and the four virtues: morality, proper speech, modest manner and diligent work of women in ancient China; spiritual fetters of wifely submission and virtue imposed on women in feudal society （古 代 中 国 妇 女 应 有 的 品 德。三 从 是 未 嫁 从 父、既 嫁 从 夫、夫 死 从 子, 四 德 是 妇 德、妇 言、妇 容、妇 功 (妇 女 的 品 德、辞 令、仪 态、女 工).
A seventy something Chinese woman told me, the day
she got married, she became a slave to the family, her mother-in-law, her
husband and the rest of her husband’s family.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Rebecca Blithe
Always grateful to the first newspaper write-up by Rebecca Blithe. Rebecca gave me my first break. She contacted me and wrote this wonderful piece. From there, I was interviewed on national TV on Channel one on a documentary, my book was exhibited in England, and I had that dream of launching my 3 books, and meeting media.
Rebecca is now the editor at Girlfriend magazine NZ
- Editor at Girlfriend magazine NZ
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/aucklander/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503372&objectid=11030495
The New Zealand Herald is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by APN News & Media. It has the largest newspaper circulation of any in the country, peaking at over 200,000 copies in 2006, although numbers had declined to 162,181 by December 2012.[1] Its main circulation area is the Auckland region. It is also delivered to much of the north of the North Island including Northland, Waikato and King Country.[
Words of healing
6:00 AM Friday Jun 3, 2011
A mother's account of the death of her newborn son has been turned into a book in the hope it will help other mothers heal. Rebecca Blithe meets the author.
"The specialist said, 'You're going to have a normal baby',"
says Ann Chin, as she sits with a pile of her recently published book,
Diary of a Bereaved Mother.
But the days that followed the birth of her son, Andrew, proved anything but normal.
"Once I had my baby they realised he was dying," she says, of his diagnosis of Campomelic syndrome; a bone and cartilage condition resulting in short limbs and breathing problems because of a small chest capacity.
"They knew because of the scans, but they didn't investigate because it was a rare thing," she says, of the abnormalities. "When the baby was born, they resuscitated him. He was going to die that night. He survived for 55 days.
"One afternoon I was told he had died. He stopped breathing, he turned black, he was dead for half of the afternoon. Then he began breathing again." Describing that afternoon, the author seems lost for words. "You can't really give words, except that it was heart-wrenching, I was in a black tunnel."
During this period, Mrs Chin stayed in the nurses' home at National Women's Hospital, awaiting her baby's death, and writing.
"It was not only a diary for myself but I was writing letters to family in Australia and Singapore. I kept carbon copies," she says, adding her father had made his six children write daily compositions from a young age.
Twenty-one years later, after meeting other women who lost children, she decided to revisit her ordeal, in the hope of helping mothers cope and those close to them understand.
"Six hundred babies a year die. That's more than the road toll. [Compared to the funding for road safety] there's just nothing provided for us."
Mrs Chin, who teaches English as a second language, says reliving the experience was difficult but cathartic.
"I took out all my old files. I read them and I cried. I sat at the computer and I cried. But after a while, I was okay. Then I finished the first draft on his anniversary."
She says the feedback so far has been positive, especially from those who have had similar experiences.
"One of the mothers [from a Stillborn and Newborn Death support group], she just cried. She said to have someone writing about it was really helpful. I've spoken to grandparents as well. People tell me, 'Now I understand'."
Her story also tells of her disappointment with some of the staff at the antenatal unit and the importance of cultural sensitivity. "We had two doctors who kept saying, 'This is his problem'," she says, of medical staff shifting the blame.
The book has been requested by one of Mrs Chin's doctors, who is now based at the University of Toronto, Canada, to assist with training and hospital management procedures.
Dr Simon Rowley is a consultant at Starship Children's Hospital who's been given a copy of the book.
"It is a good reminder to all health professionals that when our patients leave us, the story does not end for the parents. The detail is amazing, and every little thought and action seems to have been recorded as it happened, and then has been reflected upon.
"For parents undergoing similar experiences this book could be a great comfort. For health professionals, I would see it as essential reading."
Further reading
Diary of a Bereaved Mother is available at The Women's Bookstore, 105 Ponsonby Rd, or email Ann Chin: annkschin@yahoo.com
But the days that followed the birth of her son, Andrew, proved anything but normal.
"Once I had my baby they realised he was dying," she says, of his diagnosis of Campomelic syndrome; a bone and cartilage condition resulting in short limbs and breathing problems because of a small chest capacity.
"They knew because of the scans, but they didn't investigate because it was a rare thing," she says, of the abnormalities. "When the baby was born, they resuscitated him. He was going to die that night. He survived for 55 days.
"One afternoon I was told he had died. He stopped breathing, he turned black, he was dead for half of the afternoon. Then he began breathing again." Describing that afternoon, the author seems lost for words. "You can't really give words, except that it was heart-wrenching, I was in a black tunnel."
During this period, Mrs Chin stayed in the nurses' home at National Women's Hospital, awaiting her baby's death, and writing.
"It was not only a diary for myself but I was writing letters to family in Australia and Singapore. I kept carbon copies," she says, adding her father had made his six children write daily compositions from a young age.
Twenty-one years later, after meeting other women who lost children, she decided to revisit her ordeal, in the hope of helping mothers cope and those close to them understand.
"Six hundred babies a year die. That's more than the road toll. [Compared to the funding for road safety] there's just nothing provided for us."
Mrs Chin, who teaches English as a second language, says reliving the experience was difficult but cathartic.
"I took out all my old files. I read them and I cried. I sat at the computer and I cried. But after a while, I was okay. Then I finished the first draft on his anniversary."
She says the feedback so far has been positive, especially from those who have had similar experiences.
"One of the mothers [from a Stillborn and Newborn Death support group], she just cried. She said to have someone writing about it was really helpful. I've spoken to grandparents as well. People tell me, 'Now I understand'."
Her story also tells of her disappointment with some of the staff at the antenatal unit and the importance of cultural sensitivity. "We had two doctors who kept saying, 'This is his problem'," she says, of medical staff shifting the blame.
The book has been requested by one of Mrs Chin's doctors, who is now based at the University of Toronto, Canada, to assist with training and hospital management procedures.
Dr Simon Rowley is a consultant at Starship Children's Hospital who's been given a copy of the book.
"It is a good reminder to all health professionals that when our patients leave us, the story does not end for the parents. The detail is amazing, and every little thought and action seems to have been recorded as it happened, and then has been reflected upon.
"For parents undergoing similar experiences this book could be a great comfort. For health professionals, I would see it as essential reading."
Further reading
Diary of a Bereaved Mother is available at The Women's Bookstore, 105 Ponsonby Rd, or email Ann Chin: annkschin@yahoo.com
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/aucklander/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503372&objectid=11030495
Save the world/ save the children: Violence Free Waitakere
We invite you to browse our site to learn more our organisation, our projects and events.
Robyn Brady-Operations Manager
Robyn
comes from a strong business background combined with both Community
Centre and Event management for an Auckland Council contracted YMCA
facility. She is very passionate about community support and networking,
project coordinating and managing operational systems within this
great organisation.
Robyn sings in my church, Mt Albert Baptist Church. I don't have a close-up photo of her, but I have photos of the day she and I went on a working bee to plant the garden at the Mt Albert YMCA. I went back this April and saw the ferns growing.
Children's well being in IMPORTANT to me.
Thursday Challenge is a place for photographic fun and learning. "IMPORTANT" (Something important to you...)
http://www.spunwithtears.com/thursday.html
http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/
Children's well being in IMPORTANT to me.
Thursday Challenge is a place for photographic fun and learning. "IMPORTANT" (Something important to you...)
http://www.spunwithtears.com/thursday.html
http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/
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