News Letter from January 26, 2009

Greetings from Aotearoa for the 2009 season. Our world is facing many changes and the world is you and me. This year is a year for first time happenings all around our planet. The changes will affect us body soul and spirit which brings us closer to ourselves by the realisation that there is no separation.

In the beginning we began life as a we family and supported each other as a community. Over time we travelled many journeys facing the many winds in our seasons. In those seasons we discovered parts of us and learned to accept and integrate those parts and take ownership. The Journey that you all will making very shortly as you become a family on the hikoi Wairua.(sacred walk) Let this time be a time of integration and harmony within ourselves and nature.

Thank You

My team of assistants have been working hard to make this hikoi a hikoi of all hikoi! A big thank you to Elisabeth Jacob (Hamburg) who has worked very hard while I was sleeping in my bed at the other end of the world. Taking care that the western accommodation in NZ is in place. She has sent many emails to Top10 Rotorua, De-Bretts Taupo, Tauhara centre Taupo, and Prime hotels Wellington. Her focus was to make sure your stays are comfortable and restful. Her aim is to serve with love.

A big thank you to Barbara Burkhardt Switzerland for her work taking care of all the administration and mails, overseeing that all payments settling many questions that come up when such an event happens. I have had a lot of contact with her over the last months. She has kept me informed and made it easier for me to deal with the overall organisation and planning of everything.

A big thank you to Lida Duijn Netherlands for taking care of all the participants from Holland and setting up a meeting place, helping them by passing on information about this year's hikoi Wairua 2009. Long hours of careful planning energy and loving thoughts have gone into everything. My Brother Moetatua and his partner Christa Hunziker have been helping to put the program together to go online. Thank you.

A big thank you to Alexander Jacob for setting up google earth so all the participants can see their journey from cyber space. I know he was in the middle of a busy time with his study and nevertheless did put it up. He knows that I can do great shamanic journeys but I am hopelesly lost in cyber space without his help. So thank you from aunty Wai.

Thank you Dave Hegglun and Charlie Matenga and Klaus for your tireless work as a team and ongoing preparation of work materials for our travelling projects also Dave for been patient with me when the stress becomes almost impossible.

The Hikoi Wairua is really happening, we are on count down time, you are now starting to count in sleep times. So many sleeps and you will be on the plane to little New Zealand Aotearoa cool yippee.

Don't forget to look up the list of requirements from sunscreen protection to insect repellent.

Christa said that trekking sandals are the best for walking on rocks and uneven surfaces they also dry very quickly. I am told they are better than boots.

Make sure you have a fully comprehensive insurance to protect you from loss of glasses, passport to unforeseen health situations.

Sonja's advice is don't try to smuggle in things you are not allowed. She met a big dog at the airport who stood by her bag (she forgot that she had kept her dogs biscuits in the bag and had to have all her bags examined. She had nothing, but the dog smelt her dog's biscuits scent. This was a scary experience for her. If you bring a knife or sharp objects make sure they are in your big bags.

Bring something warm encase we have a cold day or evening. Normally this time of the year, February, is the nicest time and most of the hikoi is in our subtropical part of the country. You will notice that our planet is upside down. The further north you go the hotter the weather in the south like Wanganui and Wellington it is colder.

Be prepared to sing along and make music, swim in warm volcanic lakes and cold rivers, warm seas and cold waterfalls. We will have concerts, and join our voice to the harmony of others. This hikoi is a wonderful learning healing experience where we become a whanau (we) family.

Food

We have a travelling chef, Bernadette, from Lugarno and her assistants. They do magical things with food. She specialises in adding healing love to all the food. Bernadette flies out every year in her holiday time to spend 18 days preparing, buying and creating and working in love; this is her way of serving for the greater good. She also learnt like many of you as my student from the early nineties.

Assistance

We have a big backup support team of 17 made up of experts in their field to take care of you. We have a management team of experienced wisdom teachers, healers and therapists, artists and cook's. Many of our assistants have come in from other countries and are doing this as a service of love. Many have been returning to NZ to assist on the hikoi wairua since the first hikoi in 2001. Close friendships have been made on these journeys; little cupid's arrows have also found their place.

My brother Moetatua is our Kaumatua,( elder Rangatira leader,) who carries the expert knowledge, genealogy and protocols of our culture.

My Sister Aunty Mei is our hikoi kuia and she will share with you her wisdoms of the art of poi, and be the hikoi aunty who is available at anytime to hear your stories and advice if needed without judgement.

TeWaimatao Turoa is our hikoi spiritual leader and hikoi Matakite, (shaman,) under the guidance of our creator. This is a teaching hikoi, where everything we see, hear, touch or smell is teaching us something. We will be joined at times by other Ropu, (groups,) of healers or Manuhiri (visitors) from other countries. On this hikoi there will also be students of mine who are in training to take their place as traditional shamans of their culture, or learning to accept the teachings their ancestors have been prompting them to hear.

Group Leaders

The Hikoi Wairua 2009, (sacred Walk,) is a big group of 43 people travelling together. We also have projects and activities that will require group participation. To maintain order and allow the smooth running of our hikoi, we will work together as a whanau, taking part in duties we are all required to do as part of the Tikanga, (Tradition): Service to mankind, to each-other, to ourselves, to our planet, to the universe. You, the participants, will be divided into 4 groups.

Mana Aroha, who are my students in their final year of a three year study program, are attending this hikoi as their 5th module study. We have 14 Mana Aroha and two honorary Mana Aroha, Christopher Schopf and Barbara Burkhardt, our hikoi wairua administrator. The group leaders will come out of Mana Aroha, as they have been working in groups as part of their studies; The group leaders will be Maria Graf, Sandy Auert, Arnold Marzecki and Joop Wagtmans.

You will be advised of your groups when we meet on the 17th.

Activities

The hikoi is full of activities and projects incorporating the Maori arts and our symbols and designs. We have travelling with us two master carvers one in stone and both skilled in wood, bone and jade; Charlie Matenga and Dave Hegglun. We also have Ayako, our artist coming from Singapore who will also teach through her art work about yourself. We have Orna Ralston who will work with music and sound. I will also be giving wisdom teaching. There are many more activities such as healing days.

We have Michael Poa from the Wanganui river "one river many journeys". We will go on the river on the long Waka (Canoe).This will last some hours. If you have any health problems that may stop you from some activities please let us know when we meet. There will be occasions that we may come to you and ask you to make a group donation of money (a koha). It is our custom to do many things as a group so we will speak to you about this custom. There are also times that you may like to do things that are not part of a planned activity, this could be possible but please discuss this with your group leader.

Readings and Healings

Readers are available at a koha. We have Ayako who is a intuitive artist giving readings with paintings, also Orna is an artist working with sound and giving readings and myself, too. There will also be healing sessions by Atarangi healing team also by koha. The second healing day will be hosted by Mana Aroha.

See you soon

Don't forget to let Barbara know your flights, (you could get lost in the mist or in the middle of mother earth), Then we will know where to find you.

Let us know if you require NZ $

Our $ is low so your money is more valuable here. It is possible to change your currency in our banks when you require it or contact me and I can have the currency ready for you saves bank charges.

Your hikoi leader, aunty Wai