Today Dr Brown asked this very good question and so I thought about it abit.
At the outset I feel strongly that the boys must have a strong sense of who they are and the place they have in the whanau(family). This will serve as the foundation of their connectedness to the hapu(sub-tribe), their iwi and invariably their connection to our tribal lands as part of our environment. It is my own thinking that this knowing wil have prepared them to understand at some level the responsibility that comes with the role that they will play in the whanau, in the hapu and the iwi, notwithstanding the responsibility they will have to the greater community.
From the guidance of Dr Lee Brown, I sought to explore this further to begin to articulate these ideal values at four pivotal points;
1. Physical values - Fundamentally the boys ought to be able to work at the marae/ tribal ceremonial centre at tribal meetings and gatherings. This will include the gathering of seafood, fishing, eeling, hunting; the preparation of their catch for cooking and then on to the apprenticeship of catering for the people. It is the expectation of the tribe that the boys, if physically abled, will undertake all of these tasks and any other heavier tasks around the marae as determined by the elders;
2. Mental values - The boys can be tested on their application of commonsense in the tasks set them at the marae gatherings and ceremonies. Commonly they will be expected to calculate the ceremony processes in order to deduce time to prepare food and to serve at the conclusion of ceremony, etc. There will be times where the boys will be expected to anticipate events in order to cater for last minute changes if the occassions require such. Positive mental aptitude will be the ideal sought, not only for the self but also for the tribe;
3. Spiritual values - The performance of the marae tasks begins to assure the tribal elders that the marae pride and mana/prestige continues or improves whatever the tribe opiniates. To do them well will always be the ideal for every marae and so the boys will be encouraged to push themselves harder, for tribal honour and respect. To do this automatically validates the honour and pride that they should have for themselves;
4. A positive emotional sense of self is implied in the achievement of tribal success of hosting a successful tribal gathering. The symbiotic relationship with the tribe will allow the boys to focus on the greater good of the tribe in order to gain personal satisfaction in supporting the tribe and also extending themselves to the benefit of other people.A strong sense of pride and humility is the ideal.
5. Volition will strengthen the connection that one will have in knowing about planning, hosting tribal ceremonies and the role the one plays in these ceremonies and therefore the skills that one will have to be able to host large or small groups.
3.
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