Te Ururoa Flavell: The spirit of the Games

The hottest story in the newspapers and on TV now is the hype surrounding the 2012 London Olympic Games. And fair enough. For some of the competing athletes, the physical, mental and spiritual preparation has spanned the past two or even three years - all for three weeks of Games. For some, it will be a stellar victory, for others a sad defeat. In those sports that require endurance, such as the decathlon, only the strongest will survive. For those running the 100m sprint, the rise or fall of a champion happens in nine seconds, yet both sorts of champions get medals.

It could be said that most of us were not aware of the distinctively Maori preparations that our Olympic team underwent in getting into the spirit of the Games. Last month, we witnessed just how much of a Maori influence there would be at a launch in Wellington. Thanks must go to Amster Reedy and Trevor Shailor for championing the inclusion of tikanga Maori throughout New Zealand's campaign. They shared karakia throughout the contingent and draped New Zealand's flag bearer Nick Willis in the Maori Queen Dame Te Atairangikahu's gifted korowai and all received a special pounamu - elegant symbols of the importance of Te Ao Maori to our national identity. As far as I am aware, new arrivals to the village are given a powhiri as are those who are victorious. The symbols on the clothes are Maori and, according to those two gentlemen, all of our athletes have embraced that special place of things Maori in giving inspiration. Give it everything, New Zealand.

In other news, I must acknowledge all those schools that travelled to Whangarei to participate in this year's illustrious National Secondary School Kapa Haka Competition. Congratulations to Nga Taiatea Wharekura and to all the rangatahi involved - you make those of us back here in Te Arawa proud.

In closing, Parliament is abuzz with its latest bill introduced to the house last week - a bill that I am seeking input on. The Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill seeks to legalise gay marriage, consistent with our society's view that gay people should not be discriminated against and should be treated the same way as heterosexual couples. For now, I leave this for your consideration.

I welcome your feedback. Email: mpwaiariki@parliament.govt.nz Post: PO Box 12028, Rotorua 3045. Phone: 07 3503261

Tena ano tatou katoa. Ko te katoa o nga korero i tenei wa kei nga niupepa, pouaka whakaata hoki, he korero mo te Taumahekeheke nui o te Ao e tu nei i Ranana.

Me miharo ka tika. Ko etahi o te hunga tae atu ki reira, kua whakapakari tonu i te tinana i te hinengaro i te wairua mo nga rua, toru tau, a, i te toru wiki, kua wikitoria etahi, ko etahi kua hinga. Mo nga hakinakina ahua roa nei, ara ko te rua haora, penei i te tauwhainga roa, me te 'decathlon', ko te hunga tino maia ka eke. Engari, mo nga mea penei i te oma kotahi rau mita te roa, ka eke, ka hinga ranei i te ira kotahi rau pea. A, ka oti te mahi i te iwa hekena engari ko raua tahi, ka whiwhi metara!

Heoi ano, ko te nuinga o tatou kaore i te tino mohio ki nga momo kaupapa Maori kua whakaritea e etahi hei whainga ma te tima o Aotearoa. Na, i whakarewahia aua kaupapa i te Whanganui-a-Tara i te marama kua hipa. Me mihi ki a Amster Reedy raua ko Trevor Shailor, na raua tonu nga ahuatanga Maori i whakarite. He karakia ta ratou, ara ano te korowai mo te kaiarahi o te tima (ko Nick Willis), a, ka whiwhi i a ratou katoa tetahi pounamu. Ki taku mohio kia tae atu tetahi mea hou ki te wahi noho, kua powhiringia, a, ki te eke panuku tetahi, ka perahia ano hoki. Ka tu te haka hei whakanui i tana toa. Ko nga tohu kei nga kakahu, he tohu Maori, a, e ai ki ta te tokorua nei kua aro mai nga toa katoa o Aotearoa ki te wahi o te ao Maori hei whakahihiko i te ngakau. No reira, kia kaha Aotearoa!

Ki take ke atu, me mihi ki nga kura tuarua o te kainga i haere ki Whangarei ki te Whakataetae Kapa Haka-a-Motu. Me mihi ki te Kura Tuarua o Nga Taiatea, ki nga rangatahi katoa. Kua whakahihi tonu atu a Te Arawa i a koutou.

Hei korero whakamutunga, kua tangohia tetahi pire hou i te Whare Paremata i na tata nei, a, me whaki atu i tona putake kia taea ai e koutou te tuku korero mai. Ko te ingoa o te Pire nei, ko te Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill. Ko te tikanga o tenei, hei whakaae tonu ki te marena o te tane ki te tane, wahine ki te wahine kia orite te ahuatanga o tenei mea o te marena ki tera o te tane ki te wahine, wahine ki te tane ranei. Na, ka waihotia ake tera hei wananga ma koutou.