When I became a minister,
I never thought
I'd be clearing unsettled spirits.
I travel long distances across Ngāti Porou.
But despite the challenges
I'm committed to my work
until God calls another.
Our reading today is from Ecclesias.
To every thing there is a season
and a time to every purpose
under the heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die
a time to plant
and a time to harvest.
A time to cast away stones
and a time to gather stones together.
A time to get
and a time to lose.
A time to weep
and a time to laugh.
a time to keep silence
and a time to speak
My name is Te Raunikau Stainton.
The name Te Raunikau originates from the scriptures
when Jesus rode a donkey through Jerusalem palm fronds were laid before him to mark his way.
I was born in Rangitukia.
My mother was Te Hoangaro.
My father was Kawa Kaa.
The story goes that when I was being born
I didn't want to come out.
My mother nearly died in childbirth.
When I was three months old
I was taken to live with my grandmother.
It was a good time.
I grew up with lots of love.
I was shown affection
everyone cared for me.
My grandfather was Ringatu.
Right up until he died
he never converted to the church.
I am the minister here
I'm the minister for Hicks Bay.
Women face many challenges in this role
because men still
don't like women holding positions of power.
It's like on our marae
they won't accept it.
Even though in Ngāti Porou
women have speaking rights.
But men are the be all and end all.
At least that's what they think.
But there've been occasions where we've had visitors
and there are no speakers,
and so I must stand and welcome them.
I'm happy to perform this duty.
But I will say,
oratory strengthens a woman's mettle.
When I was first called upon to be the minister
there were many elders here.
The minister was from Kauaetangohia.
His name was John Waenga.
He was near retirement
he wasn't being reimbursed for travel.
It's a long trip to come here from Whangaparaoa.
Fuel costs were high then.
He said the community needed to find a minister
because he'd been given a date to retire.
Afterwards the elders met
the men and women of that time
they declared I was to be their minister.
I responded: 'You need to be careful about who you select as a minister.
I'm a married woman
and my husband expressed views
that were hardly Christian.
So it would be a difficult role for me to accept.
Well the elders turned to me and said:
'There's nobody better than you.'
I went home. I was quite anxious
because I knew how my husband would react.
He could be quite stubborn.
My husband was Manu Te Uenuku Stainton.
He's from Hicks Bay.
He was a farmer.
When I married my husband
I learnt how to do everything
to section off paddocks
to improve the soil structure
purchase dry stock
inspect rams to breed with ewes.
I was also the second driver for the truck.
He did not want me to become a minister
but I told him, whatever's upsetting you
keep it to yourself, don't put it on me.
This is my time
if I want to be a minister I will.
I left him to stew over it.
But I had to consider
how are we going to live under the same roof?
It's no good for us to continue to argue.
I told him I've spent many years
helping you in your work
now it's my time.
So that's when I started as a minister.
It hasn't been an easy road.
There's nobody to show you the ropes
and ease people like me into the role.
There's no money in this work.
It was Archbishop Reeves that formalised
the 'ministers for the people' scheme.
It meant they wouldn't have to pay salaries.
The Māori synod has no money
and that's created a certain amount of hardship.
That's our burden to bear.
Sometimes we receive offerings from families.
Sometimes we don't get a cent.
But you carry on regardless.
We're at the mercy of the people
as to whether they pay, or not.
I never envisaged
I'd be called upon to bless sacred sites.
I had to clear a forestry site.
Workers were seeing things others didn't.
Naturally they were scared and downed tools.
I decided to meet with the staff
have a blessing for the staff
and then we went to the site.
There were major battles from here to the Waiapu
and from Waiapu to the other side.
Some of those battles continued
all the way to Tolaga Bay.
They fought over land.
Then there were those who tried to claim ownership.
Everyone was fighting.
A week later, the workers returned
they're still working now
that's good.
It was a steep learning curve for me
I'd never done that before.
Later I thought, they are departed souls lost in battle
no last rites were performed.
Unlike today we observe proper rituals for our dead.
That's when I developed protocols
and that includes teaching others
what needs to be done.
It's not easy
but it's the right thing to do.
Because it's our boys that are working in the forests
so us elders need to be aware
of their working environment on these lands.
The paper work is easy.
That aspect of the job is fine
but attending gatherings from here to Torere
it can become overwhelming
because of the distance.
Another part of my job includes going to burial grounds
eroded by strong winds from the east and west.
The soil has eroded exposing human remains.
These human bones are from a cemetery
where families have buried their dead.
But they didn't consider what would happen with the soil.
In Horoera along the hills there is a lot of erosion
the sand is swept away exposing the remains.
I get a phone call to come and lift the tapu
and reinter the remains
so yes, I bless the area.
Initially I thought: 'This isn't for me.'
But I reassessed:
'You're the minister in this district.
You can't say oh I don't want to do that
when the phone rings, of course you go.'
Don't drag your feet
but go with grace.
That's what's expected of me
to look after the people
that's why I was nominated for an honour.
I'm not the type of woman
to elevate myself to the top of the mountain.
I don't seek accolades.
So thank you all for being here
They've seen what I do.
They considered my work
and sought this honour.
But that was their own initiative
and I thank them.
It's been a great day
thank you all for coming
a wonderful day
I thank you all, indeed.
But personally
I'm not comfortable with these accolades
because that's not why you do this work.
You do it because it's your job
get the job done.
Working in the Ministry is much easier.
We've done the hard yards.
We've been to the top
we've been to the bottom
the whole shabang.
Women have done it all
so I have no concerns.
To every thing there is a season
and a time to every purpose
under the heaven.
A time to be born
and a time to die
a time to plant
and a time to harvest
A time to get
and a time to lose
A time to weep
and a time to laugh
a time to keep silence
and a time to speak.
A time to love
and a time to hate
a time to embrace
and a time to refrain from embracing
These are the words from the Holy Bible for us all.
I have many identities
I've been treated with dislike and distain.
It's like racism.
It's the world Māori were a part of.
If someone labels me: 'Lee Smith is Gay.'
I say: 'I'm not.
I am just a man.
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