The Footprints of a Chief

Growing up in Te Hāpua, one of my absolute favourite stories was that of Tūmatahina, a prestige rangatira of Ngāti Kurī. It is a story of cleverness, sacrifice, and the deep love a leader has for his whānau. When his people were besieged at their pā and running out of food, Tūmatahina didn't just give up. He had them make dummy warriors out of bulrushes to fool the enemy into thinking the pā was still full of fighters.

Then, he had them stretch a long flax rope from the pā to the mainland. One by one, the people moved hand-over-hand along that rope to safety, each stepping carefully in the exact footsteps of those before them. Tūmatahina walked at the very rear. Because he was known for having especially large feet, his own footprints concealed every single track left by his people. To the enemy, it looked like only one person had left. He sacrificed himself so his people could live another day.

The Beauty of Whareana

This escape took place at Whareana, a place of incredible, remote beauty. There is a waterfall there that is simply breathtaking, though only a select few have ever stood before it because it is so hard to get to. My Dad has a framed photo of it on his wall that he took back in the 1980s, and looking at it always reminds me of the lengths a Rangatira will go to for their people. It serves as a perfect parallel to the mahi of Yeshua.

Reflecting on the Weekend

As we reach Easter Monday and the long weekend comes to a close, many of us in Taitokerau are reflecting on the gatherings, the kai, and the stories shared at our marae and churches. The dust is settling on another Easter, yet the central theme of this season, the sacrifice and the blood of Yeshua, remains a point of deep discussion. You might wonder, now that the holiday is over, is this ancient message still relevant for our modern lives? This series explores how the life of Yeshua provides a foundation for our collective well-being, starting with the deep logic of what was accomplished on the cross.

The Essence of Mauri

In the biblical tradition, the blood is not just a biological byproduct of a historical event, it is an ontological necessity that acts as a bridge between our human limitations and the infinite life of the Creator. This operates on a foundational rule: the life of the flesh is in the blood. For us as Māori, this resonates deeply, as we recognise that blood (toto) is inextricably linked to our whakapapa (genealogy) and our mauri (life force). To speak of the blood of Yeshua is to speak of the ultimate manifestation of this mauri, which sustains all of creation.

The Plan and the Power

If you have a blueprint for a house, it is just a piece of paper until two things happen: someone has to understand the logic of the design, and someone has to provide the energy to build it. In this series, we have looked at Yeshua as the "Incarnate Blueprint." To understand how that blueprint actually works in our world, we have to look at the two things that bring it to life: the Intellect and the Breath.

Io-te-wānanga: The Mind of the Source

Our tūpuna had a very sophisticated understanding of knowledge. They spoke of Io-te-wānanga, which refers to the Source as the seat of all wisdom and higher learning. This isn't just about facts or information; it is the "Universal Intelligence" that thought the world into being. It is the logic that decided how gravity should work and how a seed should grow into a tree.

Yeshua is this "Intellect" made human. He is the mind of the Source expressed in a way we can talk to and learn from. He didn't just bring new information; he is the information. When we look at how Yeshua lived, we are seeing the "Higher Intelligence" of Io-te-wānanga in action, showing us how to live with wisdom, clarity, and purpose.