Vision
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We arrived at our Vision through reflecting on what are the two most important things in the world?
We arrived at the following two ideas as the most important ‘things’ in the world - the People and the Land.
The People
There is a well known Maori Whakatauki - a proverb or treasured saying that asks
“What is the most important thing in the world?"
The answer in the whakatauki is
“It is people. It is people. It is people.”
I know of no other whakatauki - and I have books full of them - that is like this. It asks a question, then it repeats the answer - three times in total.
I believe this is because our ancestors, the wise women and wise elders of times long past, wanted to make absolutely certain we heard their message, and not just heard it, but really heard it and understood it.
It is people. It is people. It is people.
Martin Luther King said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?’”
In other words, life is about what we do for others.
Connecting this to the strike story above, this is why we are teachers, because we are passionate about our service to our children.
Mahatma Ghandi said, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
A Native American quote says, "Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people.”
At Western Heights we address these concepts through our own “Bucket Filler” philosophy, through our focus for every class every year to undertake a “Pay It Forward” contribution, and through our foundation stone value of Manaakitanga - Caring Always, being kind and showing respect.
At the heart of all of these is a universal principal, often called the Golden Rule - “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
People first and foremost - a life lived in the service of others is fulfilling, rewarding and a life well lived.
The Land
Following a close second in importance behind people is the Land.
Without the land - a healthy, thriving, nurtured and productive land - we cannot survive. Already we are seeing signs that what we have done in terms of climate change and pollution is taking us past the point of no return. Clearly, if we do not look after the earth, it will not be able to look after us.
There is more to it than that though. Again, we can look to Maoridom and other original peoples for their wisdom and thoughts.
Maori refer to the earth as Papatuanuku - Mother.
We are all born of a mother. A mother who nurtured us in her belly for nine months, who fed us at her bosom and who loved us more than she loved herself. (There are always odd exceptions, but this is true for nearly all.)
Earth is equated with that same level of importance and reverence that is due our mother.
Papatūānuku is the land, a mother earth figure who gives birth to all things of the world and imparts many blessings to her children. She is seen as the birthplace of all things and the place to which they return. These ideas inform the concept of tūrangawaewae – a place to stand. In the Māori world view, much of life is about finding one’s tūrangawaewae, one’s foundation and place in the world. This is traditionally expressed through a people’s relationship with particular places, such as a mountain, a river and other important sites.
Literally tūranga (standing place), waewae (feet), it is often translated as ‘a place to stand’. Tūrangawaewae are places where we feel especially empowered and connected. They are our foundation, our place in the world, our home.
To sum up, earth is our mother, the source of all good things. Our relationship with our mother is key to the life and success of us both.
Consider your own mother, the pain she went through in child-birth, the sacrifices she made for your nurture and well-being.
Our debt to our mothers is beyond measure. Without them we do not begin. Without their love and nurture, we do not survive.
The Vision
Our Children, Our Land, Our Future
A tātou Tamariki, Ō tatou Whenua, Mō Apopo
Our People, Our Land, Our Future
A tātou Tangata, Ō tatou Whenua, Mō Apopo
We arrived at the following two ideas as the most important ‘things’ in the world - the People and the Land.
The People
There is a well known Maori Whakatauki - a proverb or treasured saying that asks
“What is the most important thing in the world?"
The answer in the whakatauki is
“It is people. It is people. It is people.”
I know of no other whakatauki - and I have books full of them - that is like this. It asks a question, then it repeats the answer - three times in total.
I believe this is because our ancestors, the wise women and wise elders of times long past, wanted to make absolutely certain we heard their message, and not just heard it, but really heard it and understood it.
It is people. It is people. It is people.
Martin Luther King said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?’”
In other words, life is about what we do for others.
Connecting this to the strike story above, this is why we are teachers, because we are passionate about our service to our children.
Mahatma Ghandi said, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
A Native American quote says, "Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people.”
At Western Heights we address these concepts through our own “Bucket Filler” philosophy, through our focus for every class every year to undertake a “Pay It Forward” contribution, and through our foundation stone value of Manaakitanga - Caring Always, being kind and showing respect.
At the heart of all of these is a universal principal, often called the Golden Rule - “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
People first and foremost - a life lived in the service of others is fulfilling, rewarding and a life well lived.
The Land
Following a close second in importance behind people is the Land.
Without the land - a healthy, thriving, nurtured and productive land - we cannot survive. Already we are seeing signs that what we have done in terms of climate change and pollution is taking us past the point of no return. Clearly, if we do not look after the earth, it will not be able to look after us.
There is more to it than that though. Again, we can look to Maoridom and other original peoples for their wisdom and thoughts.
Maori refer to the earth as Papatuanuku - Mother.
We are all born of a mother. A mother who nurtured us in her belly for nine months, who fed us at her bosom and who loved us more than she loved herself. (There are always odd exceptions, but this is true for nearly all.)
Earth is equated with that same level of importance and reverence that is due our mother.
Papatūānuku is the land, a mother earth figure who gives birth to all things of the world and imparts many blessings to her children. She is seen as the birthplace of all things and the place to which they return. These ideas inform the concept of tūrangawaewae – a place to stand. In the Māori world view, much of life is about finding one’s tūrangawaewae, one’s foundation and place in the world. This is traditionally expressed through a people’s relationship with particular places, such as a mountain, a river and other important sites.
Literally tūranga (standing place), waewae (feet), it is often translated as ‘a place to stand’. Tūrangawaewae are places where we feel especially empowered and connected. They are our foundation, our place in the world, our home.
To sum up, earth is our mother, the source of all good things. Our relationship with our mother is key to the life and success of us both.
Consider your own mother, the pain she went through in child-birth, the sacrifices she made for your nurture and well-being.
Our debt to our mothers is beyond measure. Without them we do not begin. Without their love and nurture, we do not survive.
The Vision
Our Children, Our Land, Our Future
A tātou Tamariki, Ō tatou Whenua, Mō Apopo
Our People, Our Land, Our Future
A tātou Tangata, Ō tatou Whenua, Mō Apopo