ABSTRACT

These words of wisdom are well known to our Ma¯ori people (Ma¯ori are the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand) and are used to express the sentiments of my journey into social work. These words have their source within a Ma¯ori worldview and are part of our transmission of knowledge and values which can guide us in our lives and within our work. I have chosen this ‘whakatauki’ (saying or

proverb), as it acknowledges the contributions of all those people who have helped to shape my practice and from whom I have learned so much. I continue to be inspired and motivated by the valuable work of Ma¯ori and indigenous practitioners in the reclaiming and evolution of indigenous frameworks, practice and literature. It is hoped that sharing this story will give insights and a perspective to be considered in social work with other cultures.