He Kupu Whakataki
Whāia ngā pae o te māramatanga me te aroha
Te pae tawhiti, te pae tata
Kia puta ki Te Whaiao, ki Te Ao Mārama
Ko Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga tēnei, he momo whare wānanga. Kāore i te rite rawa ki ngā whare wānanga o mua, engari, he whare wānanga tonu i te mea, ko tāna whāinga nui, he hanga, he whakairo i te mātauranga. Mō te aha te take kia hangaia he mātauranga hou? Arā, kia puta he aroha, he māramatanga ki te tangata, ki te Ao anō hoki.
Tērā anō ngā tini āhuatanga, ngā tini take e whakatupu nei i te ora, tērā anō hoki ngā āhuatanga e pēhi nei i te ora. Ko te wāhi ki Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, he tirotiro, he mātai, he tātari, he wānanga i ngā tini āhuatanga nei kia hangaia ai he mātauranga hou. Mā reira pea e tupu ake ai he aroha, he māramatanga; mā reira hoki e kitea ai he tikanga e puritia ai te ora, e āraia ai hoki ngā pēhinga o te ora.
Ka eke rā te whakataukī e mea nei:
E noho koe i te waewae o Uenuku, kia ora ai te tangata
Nō mua rā anō tēnei atua a Uenuku, ā, he tohu hoki mō te māramatanga e tupu nei i te tangata. Hei te tupunga o te māramatanga, ka tupu ai te ora, ā, koia te tikanga o ngā kupu e mea nei ‘kia ora ai te tangata’. Nā, ka hāngai hoki ēnei kupu ki te kōrero e mea ana, ‘Kia puta ki Te Whaiao, ki Te Ao Mārama’.
Kāti, ko te wāhi ki Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, tuatahi, he whakatakoto i tētahi rārangi kaupapa o ngā take kia wānangatia e ngā pūwānanga, e ngā tāngata whai mahara, hanga mātauranga – arā ngā take wānanga mō te tupunga me te pēhinga o te ora. Ka mutu, ka hāngaia he māramatanga mō aua kaupapa wānanga nei, ka hāngaia hoki he whare kōrero kei reira taua māramatanga e kōrerotia ana, e pupuritia ana.
Tuarua, ehara i te mea kei tētahi pito anake o te motu ngā pūwānanga, ngā tāngata whai mahara, hanga mātauranga hoki e noho ana. Engari, kei te motu whānui, kei ngā rohe katoa. Nō reira, ko tā Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, he tuitui haere, he honohono haere, otirā, he whakakotahi i te hunga whai mahara nei ki raro i te maru o tētahi whare wānanga e kiia nei ko Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga – ahakoa kei te raki, kei te tonga, kei te rāwhiti, kei te uru rānei ēnei tāngata e noho ana. Mā taua whakakotahitanga e kaha kē atu ai te māramatanga hei tiahotanga ki runga ki te tangata .
E ngā pū, e ngā weu, e ngā wānanga
Ko te take tuatahi e kiia ai te tangata ‘he pūwānanga, he tangata whai mahara, he tangata hanga mātauranga’ rānei, e ngākau nui ana ia ki te whakaaroaro, ki te whai hoki i ngā mahāra mō ngā tini āhuatanga o te Ao, arā, ngā take kei mua tonu i tōna aroaro. E kore hoki ōna mahara e makere noa iho i a ia, ā, kāore hoki tēnei momo tāngata i te pūhoi ki te whai atu i tāna i mea ai hei pātaitanga māna.
Ko te take tuarua, he tikanga, he kawa, otirā, he whakahaere motuhake tā tēnei momo tangata mō te whiriwhiri i ana urupounamu, ā, ka whāia taua whakahaere kia kitea rawatia he māramatanga. Ka āta tirotirohia hoki e ia mehemea e tika ana tāna whakahaere me āna tikanga hanga mātauranga, mō te tūponotanga ka kitea e ia ētahi atu tikanga hou e rangatira ake ai tāna wānangatanga i ngā take nei.
Ko te take tuatoru, ka oti tonu i a ia te whakairo i tētahi whakautu rangatira, tētahi māramatanga rangatira rānei mō tāna i whakaaro ai hei kaupapa wānanga māna, ā, mō ana urupounamu hoki. He rangatira, he ātaahua tēnei momo tangata whai māramatanga nei, i te mea, e whakautu mārika ana tana urupounamu, tana pātai nui hoki i whakatauria e ia hei wānangatanga māna. Kāore hoki ana urupounamu e ngaro noa iho i a ia. Ka mutu, he maha hoki ngā hua e puta ana i tōna māramatanga hei whāngaitanga ki te iwi whānui.
A Translation
Introduction
Pursue the horizons of understanding and love
The near horizon, the distant horizon
So that one may emerge into The World of Light
Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga is a centre for the creation of knowledge. It is different to centres of the past, however, it still is a centre for the creation of knowledge. For what reason does one create knowledge? So that love and understanding may come to humankind and to the world.
There are many things which foster and nurture life and there are many things that conspire against life. The role of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga is to explore these aspects, to study and analyse them so that new knowledge and understanding about them might be forthcoming. It is on this basis that love and understanding might grow and we might discover ways to nurture life and address those things that suppress life.
Hence, the proverb which states:
Sit at the feet of the rainbow so that you might live.
The rainbow is a deity of the past and a symbol for wisdom and understanding. When wisdom and understanding grow so life does too. Hence, the statement, ‘so that you might live’. This is also expressed in the statement ‘So that one may emerge into The World of Light’.
The role of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga is, firstly, to establish a plan of matters to be studied by researchers, matters concerning ways in which life is nurtured and inhibited. Knowledge and understanding is to be created about these matters and also a ‘house of knowledge and narratives’ whereby this kowledge and understanding might be ‘housed’.
Secondly, researchers and creators can be found throughout the land and not just in one part of the land. Hence, it is the role of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga to unify these researchers, these knowledge creators and to coordinate them under the umbrella of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga – whether located in the north, south, east or west. By unifying researchers we can add to the overall pool of knowledge and understanding.
To the wise and learned ones.
The key feature of an expert researcher and knowledge creator is that they are curious and alert to the questions, problems and opportunities that lie before them. Their questions are not easily set aside or forgotten and they remain committed to them.
The second feature of an expert researcher and knowledge creator is they possess methods, approaches and techniques for addressing their questions and they apply these methods so that understanding might be forthcoming. The expert researcher continuously reviews their methods to ensure that they remain effective and meaningful.
The third feature of an expert researcher and knowledge creator is that they are capable of creating quality answers to their research questions. This person is lauded for their ability to find answers to their questions which form the foci of his/her research. Finally, there are many benefits that arise from their knowledge and understanding which are then shared with their community.