What moments shaped you in 2025?
Jazz | Kaikohe
Jazz honours her mother’s courageous healing journey, breaking seven generations of toxic cycles to create a better future for their whānau and whakapapa.
“Ko tōku māmā he wahine māia, he wahine aroha. E tino poho kūkupa ana ahau i tana hīkoi, ahatia ngā raruraru nui kei runga i a ia. He mea nui tēnei, he mea whakahirahira tēnei mō tō mātou whakapapa katoa.
What’s given me strength and joy this year has been the healing journey of my māmā. We walk what we talk as a whānau. And healing has been our hugest commitment to our tamariki.
We could see that if we were not healing and actively healing and consciously healing then the cycles that we were, that we grew up with, would carry on. The toxic, abusive cycles that were so normalised and rampant throughout our whole upbringing and through seven generations. So we wanted to stop it for our whānau. And my mum coming on board gives our waka three generations of committed whakapapa, whānau to healing and to ensuring a better future for our tamariki.
I tū māia a Māmā ki te whakamahuru i ana mamae mai i tōna tipuranga. I tū mārō ia, ahatia i ngana ētahi atu tāngata ki te whakapēhi i a ia mō tōna oranga katoa. I tū hei toka tū moana mō mātou, ahatia he nui ōna hara ki a mātou i a mātou e tamariki ana. Ki ahau nei, he māia ake tērā, ki te tū ki mua i tō whānau, ki ō tamariki, ki te whakapāha atu, ki te kawe i ō hapa, ki te whiwhi anō i te whakapono me te aroha o āu tamariki. He tauira tērā ki a au. Ko ia te ihorei pūmanawa, ko ia te tumu whakarae o tātou. Āe, so proud of my mum.
And she said to me, last year, she said to me, ‘Babe, the little girl in me, thanks you. Is grateful to you for taking care of me and for believing in me, because nobody took care of the younger me.’ She said ‘You’re the first adult that I’ve, the little, younger me has ever felt safe around.’
Ko te whāinga nui o te whānau ka kāti. Korekore rawa ērā hurihanga pirau e ora ana mō ngā rā kei te heke mai.
E taku tau he nui taku poho kūkupa i a koe. Nōku te whiwhinga nui nā te mea ko koe tōku māmā. Ahatia ngā uaua, ahatia ngā raruraru, ahatia ngā hara i tū koe hei toka tū moana mō tō whakapapa pounamu. E kore taku mihi, e kore taku aroha e mimiti mōu.” (See comment section for full English translation)
English translation:
“My mother is a brave woman, a loving woman. I am very proud of her journey, of her walking her path, despite there being great troubles upon her. This is important, this is significant for all our descendants.
What’s given me strength and joy this year has been the healing journey of my māmā. We walk what we talk as a whānau. And healing has been our hugest commitment to our tamariki.
We could see that if we were not healing and actively healing and consciously healing then the cycles that we were, that we grew up with, would carry on. The toxic, abusive cycles that were so normalised and rampant throughout our whole upbringing and through seven generations. So we wanted to stop it for our whānau. And my mum coming on board gives our waka three generations of committed whakapapa, whānau to healing and to ensuring a better future for our tamariki.
Mum stood bravely to heal her pain from her upbringing. She stood firm although other people tried to oppress her for her whole life. She stood as a rock in the ocean for us, although she had many faults toward us when we were children. To me, that’s even more brave, to stand before your family, before your children to apologise, to carry your mistakes, to regain the trust and love of your children. That’s an example to me. That is the heart of a leader, that is our leader. Āe, so proud of my mum.
And she said to me, last year, she said to me, “Babe, the little girl in me thanks you. Is grateful to you for taking care of me and for believing in me, because nobody took care of the younger me.” She said, “You’re the first adult that I’ve, the little, younger me has ever felt safe around.”
The big goal of our whānau is to stop it. Never will those toxic cycles live on in the future.
My darling māmā, I am so proud of you. It is my greatest privilege to have you as my mother. Despite the difficulties, despite the troubles, despite the transgressions, you stood as a rock in the ocean for your precious descendants. My acknowledgement will never, my love will never diminish for you.”
