Let’s talk about ‘awa’, ‘wai’.. yes, WATER.. life giving, replenishing, it’s abundance, how important it is to all life that lives in it, on it, beside it.. #WaterIsLife, #HeOraTeWai, #Marcus Matawhero Lloyd.. #StrongHeartHikoi.. Marcus is on a 10,000 steps hikoi (walk) around East Coast/ Central of North Isl New Zealand to bring attention for saving ‘WATER’, the pollution in our creeks-rivers- streams- oceans of New Zealand are being polluted, and around the world.. what was once pristine is being threatened.. if you wish to add your own favourite original story & photo, of your ‘water scene/ place’, just follow #WaterIsLife

#WaterIsLife, #HeOraTeWai, Marcus Matawhero Lloyd.. #StrongHeartHikoi

  
This is dedicated to an important subject, #Water, ‘awa’, ‘wai’, our lives depend on it..!
one that Marcus is creating alot of noise & attention for, and rightly-so.. he is on a 10,000 steps hikoi (walk) around East Coast, North Island New Zealand’s to bring attention to an important ‘resource’ for our planet and every single living thing on it.. ?

“Life giving WATER”.. with out this resource, we all are in alot of trouble..

The ‘WATER we drink is being polluted, help protect ‘WATER’ .. follow Marcus by clicking on the highlighted name is the start of this post, see what else is happening & how you can help..  this affects you too, it affects all of us..

   
Most of my immediate family/ grandparents/ cousins/ uncles & aunties – that can relate to my ‘korero’ (story).. since I was a lil girl, (a 2 year old- dad & mum tell me) I have ’embrased the waters around Mahia like a ‘fish’, I could swim at 2 years of age (2yo) confident & keen ‘young protege scuba diver’ from 7yo, and I still dive today, now a keen GoPro underwater photographer & editor for a Tropical Pacific nations Website..The Pineapple Post, Solomon Islands I have been fortunate to snorkel & dive off some of the most stunning Solomon Island tropical iconic dives sites, best in the world, and photograph/ video these.. but, what I did notice, was pollution, plastic bags & other domestic waste floating in these waters.. sad to say these are now destroying the once pristine oceans around these tropical islands that make up the 900+ islands..

    
Aotearoa: ..when I was old enough to remember’ 4yo-13 year old, We’d drive back here with my family, dad Arthur and my mum Joy, my 4 siblings back in mid-1960’s-1980’s life there is relaxed, slow & abundant.. with plenty of kai moana gathered by my dad (local diver), plenty of hungi’s, gathering for events at the marae, lamb’s tails cooking & that distinct smell of ‘burning wool, up the air’, I remember eating ‘paua, kina, crayfish, snapper..
It was always a very long productive day on the boat scuba diving/ spear fishing..

  I love the ocean, connect to it, respected it’s constant change & dangers, and, I’ve always been a passionate advocate for ‘Water’, loved this journey.. 

My childhood journey as a protege scuba diver with my dad, AAotearoa:.. my dad & my uncle/s would always do a “karakia” to bless our activities for this day.. -we always returned tired, but with a blessed abundant catch.. ready to share our catch with the Opoutama whanau..

I have been raised by the water’s here, protected by the ‘wairua’, guided by the ‘tipuna’.. 

Today, I am proud to say, Water Is My Life, and let’s protect what resources we have left..
I endeavour, to return home to Aotearoa from Oz, where I have lived for many years..returning to learn the ‘traditional Māori ways of wairua, te reo Māori, Rongomaiwahine te iwi, Waipiata te awa’ and return to help keep our traditional lands sacred & protected.. 

Arohanui e Para Siempre