“Tērā a Matariki, kua rewa ki te pae. Nau mai haere mai te hua o te tau hou.”
“Matariki has ascended to the heavens and we welcome the bounty of the upcoming year.”
For my whānau, Matariki means a cold, early morning on our hapū lands in Motueka. We gather as the local community, with the staff that work our lands, clustered around a fire beside the carved representation of Rongo, the atua of cultivated lands.
The dawn silence is pierced by karanga and then karakia, as we acknowledge those that have left us in the previous year. Following reflections on the year that has been and thoughts for the year ahead, we all make the short walk to our ancestral marae where a hot breakfast and cup of tea awaits. Our Pacific cousins that work our lands, express their gratitude in harmonious song and we all depart to return to our regular schedules of work and school.
Matariki is a time of past reflection and forward planning. Traditionally, it’s when the storehouse was full and there was a last chance to feast as a community before the lean months leading up to the current year’s harvest.
It’s also an opportune time for reflection and planning at Network for Learning (N4L) , as I transition into my new role as Chair of the Board of Directors.
Recently, I spent an exciting day with a variety of thought leaders from the education sector at an event organised by N4L, which was a fantastic and appropriate way to farewell our outgoing Chair, Colin MacDonald, following his four years of dedicated service.
Reflecting on my six years on the N4L Board, I’ve seen the delivery, and subsequent upgrade, of a safer and more secure, high-speed network to all ākonga and kura in the country. While our operating model has changed significantly during this time, the conversations at the board table have maintained a common thread – how do we help all ākonga in Aotearoa to thrive, regardless of where they go to school?
To me, Matariki feels a bit like the journey my whānau has had with te reo Māori. Through the turbulence of our history, both were deprioritised and the learnings lay dormant. But we are rediscovering this dormant mātauranga and, in the same way that te reo Māori is playing a valuable role in connecting my tamariki to their identity, Matariki is playing a similar role in helping all of us connect to our shared national identity. It’s fantastic that we all can now share a day in holiday, acknowledge those that have left us in the last year, reflect on the year that’s been and plan for the year ahead, in whatever way is appropriate to our own whānau and communities.
I’ve seen firsthand how important and powerful it is to make sure that our ākonga have a strong connection to identity. I’ve also seen the valuable role technology can play in online education. It’s an exciting time for us at N4L, as we explore what role we can play to help support all ākonga in Aotearoa having equal opportunity for and access to online learning – ahakoa ko wai, ahakoa ki hea – no matter who they are, or where they are.
“Matariki hunga nui, Matariki ahunga nui, Matariki manako nui.”
“Matariki is a time of gathering, it’s a time of celebration and it’s a time to prepare for our future success.”
Tēnā tātou katoa.
About Jeremy Banks:
Jeremy Banks (Ngāti Rārua, Rangitāne ki Wairau, Ngāti Kuia) is the new Chair of Crown owned organisation, Network for Learning. Mr Banks commenced as Chair on 1 July 2023. Mr Banks is a software developer with experience in growing software startups and holds a variety of governance roles. He created the successful ‘Tipu’ app, which has helped people of all ages learn te reo Māori. Alongside his wife, Melissa, he runs Plink Software.