Whakataka te hau ki te uru Whakataka te hau ki te tonga Kia mākinakina ki uta Kia mātaratara ki tai E hī ake ana te atakura He tio, he huka, he hau hū Tīhei mauri ora Cease the winds from the west Cease the winds from the south Let the breeze blow over the land Let the breeze blow over the ocean Let the red-tipped dawn come with a sharpened air. A touch of frost, a promise of a glorious day.
and often humorous stories of Tauri’s visits to Wellington on behalf of the executive. He described Tauri as a ‘Māori Education Colossus’. His stories illustrated Tauri’s commitment to his role as kaumatua for the Federation, his graciousness and humility, and his exceptional ability to build bridges between Māori and Pākehā. Above all, Peter told the audience, Tauri knew how to foster relationships and he used those relationships to strengthen the NZPF kaupapa. ‘The food of the chiefs is speech,’ Peter said, ‘but what counts is what Tauri could achieve through his speech and his purposeful humour. His addresses and his karakia were always inspirational,’ he said, ‘and I am a better man for his teachings.’ He recalled recently asking Tauri what it felt like to be 80 years old. Tauri’s quick-fire reply was ‘There’s not a lot of peer pressure’. Peter thanked Tauri’s family, who had come to celebrate this special occasion, for managing without their Dad whilst he supported, mentored and kept the principals of Aotearoa New Zealand culturally secure.
This karakia was NZPF kaumatua, Tauri Morgan’s signature incantation. He often recited it to invoke spiritual guidance and protection for the NZPF membership. When the Federation opened a hui, a moot, or a national conference, the NZPF President Denise Torrey karakia created the perfect metaphor to bring hearts and minds NZPF President Denise Torrey talked of the mana that Tauri together to focus on a common purpose, to create new directions, brought to NZPF and thanked him for imparting his considerable experience, knowledge and to embrace fresh ideas and to wisdom on the many hundreds reach agreed outcomes for the It was an unforgettable night of tamariki and tumuaki who future benefit of the tamariki of punctuated by moving speeches, have been transformed through Aotearoa. his teaching, mentoring and The driving force behind humorous anecdotes and a coaching. She said the executive everything Tauri did was to felt truly honoured that Tauri had e n h an c e t h e e du c at i on a l surprise visit . . . fulfilled the kaumatua position prospects for tamariki. As the NZPF whānau celebrated Tauri’s considerable contribution to for NZPF for the past fifteen years. ‘Presidents past and present the education sector over many years, we heard this message thank you,’ she said, ‘for walking alongside them, giving them strength, confidence and support to be strong advocates for repeated many times, by many different speakers. The tribute to Tauri was held at the Rydge’s Hotel in his own their colleagues.’ She also acknowledged the links Tauri created home town of Rotorua. No one could have anticipated that the in partnering NZPF with Te Akatea, The Māori Principals’ celebratory dinner would simultaneously become a stroll through Association, and how that relationship led to members of Te the annals of NZPF history. Life members, including founding Akatea being elected onto the NZPF national executive. ‘The member Ian Payne and former NZPF presidents from as far back executive members from Te Akatea gave us a much richer as 1989, turned out in unimagined numbers to honour the man understanding of Tikanga Māori,’ she said, and that led us to who had given so much to education and to NZPF in particular. partner with Te Akatea and the Ministry to develop the Māori It was an unforgettable night punctuated by moving speeches, Achievement Collaboratives, a unique initiative designed to humorous anecdotes and a surprise visit from a passing Māori build truly bi-cultural school communities. She assured Tauri that his place in the history of NZPF is enshrined and that the concert party who dropped in to honour Tauri. organisation will always honour the generosity of his fifteen Peter Witana years’ commitment to NZPF. Peter Witana, former member of the NZPF national executive, played Master of Ceremonies throughout the night and drew Russel Young on his own close relationship with Tauri to both enlighten and Russel Young, NZPF Treasurer for 16 years, gave a potted history entertain us. Between introducing speakers, he shared insightful of the Federation from the 1990s. ‘When I joined the NZPF
executive, there were only 20 member schools, mostly from Auckland, and so we went out to the country principals and gave them morning tea, to encourage them to join,’ he laughed. Today of course some 90 per cent of all primary and intermediate schools are NZPF members alongside one third of all secondary schools. He went on to explain that it was the election of Con Coffey as President (1987–1989) that opened the doors to parliament and the Minister’s office. ‘This was the ‘Tomorrow’s Schools’ era, a time when principals would be needing strong and effective advocacy,’ he said. He also recalled Tauri’s inauguration as kaumatua in the late 1990s and the less formal gatherings of assorted executive members that took place at Whangamata beach, where several had summer batch connections. ‘We would gather on the Friday night,’ he explained, ‘and would head out to a restaurant for dinner. Tauri would be there and he would sing. The whole restaurant would sing and no one would want to go home!’ he laughed. ‘The restaurant loved us!’ He went on to say that many a fresh idea on how to better support principals was hatched at these informal gatherings which later turned up on the national executive agenda. Pat Newman Pat Newman, president of the Te Tai Tokerau Principals’ Association and former NZPF president said of Tauri, ‘It has been an honour to have you as our kaumatua and a privilege to become your friend, because friendship never dies.’ Pat was a member of the NZPF executive at the time Tauri was recruited to the role of kaumatua. ‘Tauri was the obvious candidate,’ he said. ‘He had proved himself to be an excellent leader, a knowledgeable and very wise man and a very strong advocate for Māori education.’ He spoke of Tauri’s days as principal of Waiouru School, and how fortunate the Waiouru children and staff were to have such an astute and supportive principal. He talked of Tauri’s ability to make vital connections and reach out beyond his school to the community the children lived in. ‘He has always been about kids first,’ said Pat, ‘and to get the best for kids means understanding their family and their community.’ Colin Watkins Colin Watkins, president of the Rotorua Principals’ Association told the audience that when he thinks of NZPF, the face he sees is always Tauri Morgan. ‘Tauri has opened and closed every NZPF conference I have ever attended over 14 years,’ he said proudly. He said it would be hard for anyone to follow in Tauri’s footsteps, or to harness the respect that Tauri has long attracted. ‘But tonight,’ he said to Tauri, ‘it’s about celebrating and acknowledging your outstanding contribution to education.’ Speeches for the evening concluded with a heart-warming oration from Tauri’s son Rex Morgan and an equally moving song from Tauri’s daughter Denise. Rex, a top Wellington chef, told us that his Dad had always put others before himself and the way he reached out and brought people together was amazing. Despite his educational duties taking him away from the family, Rex assured us that Tauri did make time for his family and was always a great listener. Rex also took the opportunity to acknowledge the part his Mother Wendy had played in supporting Tauri in his work. The pride he held for his Father and his achievements and the warmth of this close knit family was unmistakable. A presentation to Tauri of a pounamu pendant followed and finally Tauri took the floor himself. As always he was gracious and humble in his response. He told us that he and his family were overwhelmed that NZPF would come in such numbers
to his home town to celebrate his retirement as kaumatua. It made him feel very humbled, he said. He reminisced ov e r h i s y e a r s on t h e e x e c ut i v e a n d as kaumatua telling us what a privilege it had been for him to meet and engage with so many wonderful people. He considered he had been ver y lucky throughout his teaching career to have had so many wonderful opportunities to make a difference and that made him feel very satisfied and proud. Whilst that may indeed be true, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind, that those opportunities were created by Tauri himself who actively sought ways to improve the lives of those with whom he came into contact, whether inside or outside of his school. As the curtain fell on a magnificent evening of tribute and celebration, the conversations and reminiscing continued long into the night. He hono tangata e kore e motu; ka pa he taura waka e motu Unlike a canoe rope, a human bond cannot be severed.
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