It's been a while since I've written anything.
To be honest, I've been a bit bogged down with mahi and whānau, but here's the latest.
Two weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to accompany the Māori All Blacks on their tour of Japan. They played two games against Eddie Jones' Japan XV winning the first 36-10 in Tokyo and losing the second 26-14 in Toyota a week later.
Although being there as a voice and māngai for Sky Sport and Whakaata Māori was special.
The highlight was supporting my teina, Te Wehi, as he covered for koro Luke Crawford as Cultural Advisor for the team.
His guitar skills are still playing up, but I thought Te Wehi did a great job at providing our men, most of whom did not grow up as Māori, with the opportunity to connect and delve deeper into their Māoritanga through wānanga, pūrākau, waiata and haka.
The feedback I got from the boys and coach Ross Filipo was overwhelmingly positive.
The only hope is that this is not just a flash in the pan and that our Māori All Blacks team maintains its true authentic Māoritanga well in to the future.
Japan came at a cost. Back home it was Matawiki! All the big kaupapa marking the Māori new year were well under way, including the Te Kāhui Whetū National Secondary Schools Kapa Haka competition in Nelson.
Our big boy Manawapōhatu made his return to the national stage for Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Puku (a collective of kura Aho Matua from the central north island). To cut a long story short, he was handed the responsibility of delivering the whaikōrero a day before the performance.
Zooming in from half way around the world, I tried to talk him in to learning a much shorter kōrero, but he insisted he would learn the existing kōrero. Proud moment number one.
Despite being deducted 5 points for going over time in their preliminary performance, Te Puku still qualified for the finals! It was the first time since 2014. Proud moment number two.
Manawapōhatu decided he wanted to learn another whaikōrero for the finals, which he learnt over night and delivered like a boss. Proud moment number three.
To top it all off, against all odds Te Puku won the finals for the first time in the history of our kapa! A proud moment, not only for our kura whānau, but for the entire kaupapa.
As a father, former leader and tutor of Te Puku, it was bitter sweet watching the grand pōhiri for the national taonga online from my hotel room in Japan.
But boy oh boy it was a beauty!
These are the sacrifices we make sometimes. Do the mahi, get the treats.
Tuku.
Whakamōhiotia mai ō whakaaro! Ahakoa pai, kaore rānei. Share your thoughts - good or bad! - Kereama Wright
Pai tēnei update!
Mean chief !!