Mōkai

This patu, named Mōkai, was presented to Lincoln University on the occasion of signing a '100-year- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Taupō dairy company Miraka in December 2020. The news story is featured here.

"So my simple invitation to Lincoln is to take Mōkai with you and ‘charge’ it up – make it part of your processes, ceremonies, events, conversations/kōrero, reflections and story-telling. Let people hold it to lend energy to it and borrow energy from it. We encourage you to hold
and share it as often as you can. Hand it on to your successor and share the stories of its origins and its adventures. As it charges and over time, say 50-100 years it will start to lend its own energy to the University – it will have acquired the authority of age, the patina of wisdom and the association with great people and events. By that time Mōkai will have become an artefact embedded in the history and culture of the University – it will hold all those stories, memories, and records of people and place. By that time it will be charged, alive with stories, and imbued with mana.

We named the mere Mōkai for three simple reasons – it recalls the place where Miraka stands. Mōkai is also a term of endearment often associated with a favourite child, or companion animal. Finally, it relates to the concept of indebted servitude – the requirement to work selflessly for a higher cause. We thought the name apt as our offering to your University. 

Mōkai was carved by Keiron Toa (Te Āti Awa, Pukerangiora hapū, Waitara). The stone is greywacke (ōnewa) and was gathered from the Taranaki region. We wish you well and we are proud to be the first story, along with you, associated with Mōkai.

He toi whakairo, he mana tangata."

Murray Hemi
Kaitiaki o te Ara Miraka
www.miraka.co.nz
December 2020

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