Te Kāhui Kahurangi
Our Treasured People
Our Shining Stars
At our 2023 Orthopaedic SET Selection matua Ken Te Tau, our Māori Cultural Advisor, provided the name: ‘Te Kāhui Kahurangi’ - ‘Our Treasured People – Our Shining Stars’ as a name for the SET Selection Applicants. Accordingly, matua Ken stated that the term ‘Applicants’ does not properly describe this gifted and intelligent cohort that tirelessly studies and vigorously strives to advance their careers in Orthopaedics. Further, the term ‘Applicants is not a very captivating and mana enhancing personal identifier for the beauty of who they are, what they mean to their whānau, and what they bring to their communities.
This Māori proverb says: Ahakoa he iti, he pounamu – even though it is small, it is greenstone. For NZOA this means that each and every ‘Kahurangi (Applicant) is unique and like pounamu, regardless of size or small statue, is of immense value to us.
Kahurangi is the name of a light green, translucent variety of greenstone without flaws or spots - a highly valued variety.
Kahurangi also means: prized, precious, honourable, distinguished, treasured possession.
There is another Māori proverb that says: ‘He kahurangi ia, he matahīapo i te iwi - She/He is a darling, a treasure of the people’. This is an apt reference for our ‘Applicants’ who we regard as our treasured people.
The final Māori proverb is one that urges us to pursue our treasured aspirations: ‘Whāia e koe te iti kahurangi; ki te tuohu koe me he maunga teitei’. However, it concludes by saying ‘if you falter let it be only to insurmountable difficulties.
Te Kāhui is a word that refers to ‘a constellation or a group of stars’,
Matua Tim Gregg concluded the SET Selection mihi whakatau with the words; “He aha te mea nui o te ao? Māku e whakaae, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata – what is the greatest thing in the world? I agree... it is the people, it is the people, it is the people”.
In conclusion, ‘Te Kāhui Kahurangi’ means ‘Our Treasured People, Our Shining Stars’.
Nāku noa nā Ken Te Tau