Beauty is... by Maureen Taane
Kia ora koutou – he uri o Tainui ahau, nō Ngāti Maniapoto.
Ko Maureen Taane tōku ingoa, he wahine kaipakihi Māori ahau.
He mihi aroha kia koutou katoa!
When I think about beauty and what is beautiful in my life, I think first of my whānau and friends, and secondly of Papatūānuku and the natural world around us.
I’m lucky enough to have people that have my back as fiercely as I have theirs.
This has been the most challenging decade of my life, personally and professionally.
We’ve operated stores in four locations, in the aftermath of a natural disaster, through the chaos of demolition and rebuilding, mourned with our city after a terrorist attack, and worked tirelessly to survive during a pandemic. We’ve had to dig deep.
We’ve navigated through my cancer diagnosis and recovery, threats to the well-being of whānau members, and the grief and loss of several precious people, including the pou tokomanawa of our lives, our Pāpā Uekaha.
Beauty is sometimes just survival.
Our Pāpā often spoke about beauty. To him, one of the most beautiful things in the world is showing manaaki – caring for and loving people without judgement and a reciprocal relationship with Papatūānuku.
It’s a view that’s helped me navigate many roadblocks, including the recent challenges of running a business in accordance with traffic light protocols that didn’t always sit well with ourselves and others.
Maintaining lines of clear communication while upholding the well-being of your people and customers – it’s a form of manaaki that’s similar to parenting.
Beauty can be an uncomfortable topic to talk about – kāore te kūmara e kōrero ana mō tana reka – a kumara does not speak of its own sweetness. But if you bring it back to a place of love, it’s much easier.
What is beauty if not an expression of love?
To me, a person that is beautiful is one who stands in their own power.
The daughter who brings her considerable skills to the table to fight for equity and justice.
The sister with the sparkling energy flow, who uplifts and inspires others with her honesty and truths.
The brother with an insane musical gift who also shares the grit and backbone required to get there.
The partner who elevates your well-being as their top priority, as well as the maara outside.
The friend who is a sister and is there before you even realise you need her.
The Māmā who supports you unconditionally and leads with aroha.
The Pāpā who continues to hold you with love from beyond the physical realm.
A whānau who tries to live in the light – Nāku te rourou nāu te rourou ka ora ai te iwi – with your basket and my basket, the people will live.
I look for beauty – and find it – in acts of service and love.
Beauty is reciprocity and kindness and organising resources to assist others.
Beauty is sometimes not pretty at all.
Sometimes beauty is rage and action in the face of injustice. Standing up and speaking truth to power.
Beauty is summoning courage when your instincts are to flee.
Beauty is opening your eyes to a new day when it’s easier to keep them closed.
Beauty is sometimes deeply complicated or as simple as picking up a feather that has drifted down in front of you. Seeing a rainbow out your office window, the sound of tamariki playing outside. The perfect avocado and the chirp from your cat when you walk in the room.
A slice of sunlight on the floor and the sense of a presence that’s just gently there.
Beauty is goodness; however it finds you.