A teacher stands with her students under a vast skyscape, clouds skudding across it. She urges them to look up to the magnificence of The Majestic Sky Father.
As the day wanes, she sits with them as the sun sets.
“Smile to your ancestor, The Great Sun, who’s smiling back at you.”
Each part of the natural world has a guiding principle that the teacher shares with her students.
“Let’s all be kind-hearted, girls and boys, neither greedy, nor selfish.
Follow the generosity of your ancestor, The Bountiful Earth Mother.”
The Great Ocean shows them peace and rumbling calm from the waves, and The Mighty Blustering Wind can whisk away any grudges or troubles.
There are many more parts of Nature that can heal, provide peace and harmony, and years pass as this teacher advises class after class of students. As the years go by, the teacher’s hair turns grey, and she retires, eventually being cared for in a rest home with whanau by her side.
Her wisdom passed down throughout her life is now given back to reassure, entertain and finally let her go to their waiting ancestors. Another generation is ready to pass on to others what they have learnt about listening to their ancestors, never far away.
Now out in paperback, this award winning picture book portrays a teacher and grandmother sharing the values and principles of Māori gods and ancestors.
The illustration settings take the reader from field to forest, beach to classroom and beyond. Each page and setting is enjoyed along with life advice and values to guide readers, taken from examples set by Māori ancestors within the natural world.
Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna – Listen to your Ancestors is a serene, thoughtful read and love shines off the pages from the teacher to her pupils, and from granddaughter to treasured grandmother.
The culmination of a tangi in the story is full of respect, love and tranquility, and the opportunity to follow in a loved ones’ footsteps of sharing ancestor’s teachings to a new generation.
Ngā Atua / The Gods are shared with the reader in more detail on the inside back cover of the book. First in te reo, then in English, we can all learn more about many Māori Gods.
Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna – Listen to your Ancestors’ author Darren Joseph was a senior lecturer in Māori language at Massey University for over 20 years, and is the author or translator of dozens of Māori immersion educational titles.
See more of Munro Te Whata’s illustrations and work here.
Author – Darryn Joseph
Illustrator – Munro Te Whata
Picture Book
(2024, Oratia Books, Aoteroa New Zealand, Bilingual, Te reo – English, Family, Grief, Teaching, Natural World, Ancestors, Guidance, Life advice, Principles, Values, Traditions, Whanau, Family, Award winning, Māori Gods, Atua, Ancestors, Generations, Care, Love, Sharing)