The value of maths

Essential in so much of what I do! The application of maths has supported my endeavours through all my projects and writing.  In research terms, this application is referred to as quantitative data. At the start of my manuscript, I had envisaged that most of my writing would apply a qualitative approach which is techniques used for documenting ‘human stories’ within daily life.  

However, as I progress what is emerging from my research/writing on the lives of father’s Kowhaea (mother) and Tupuna Wahine (grandmother and great-grandmother) is what is evident in the dates that define their lives. What are they telling me? To answer this, I needed to apply quantitative techniques and figures. 

By doing so has been enlightening, thought-provoking and confronting. More importantly, the need for a specific chapter leading into the actual “tale/s” about these three women. Their influential thread/s passed down that may emerge, in the shaping of father's formative years as I explore further.

For example, the three women ascendants in father’s Whakapapa, average lifetime was 40 years of age. His mother Keita died at age 46.

When I reapplied the maths to five of Keita's six daughters their average lifetime was also 46 years one generation on.  At the top end of that maths equation was daughter Atarangi (Ada) who lived till 74 and Keita's youngest daughter Rihi (Lizzy) died at 32 years of age. This is mirrored in the literature of their times.

In the context of this manuscript, these insights provide opportunities to link or establish a framework to gain a sense of father’s “truth”. They are telling statistics on a small but meaningful sample!

Raising my awareness about names and places over the last 2 months enables me to locate or align Father’s recordings and Aunty Rita’s letters to their whakapapa (family tree). More importantly, to join the dots as I travel this path of writing.

Reflection on the lives and times of these women and the journey it is taking me on is a privilege. 

Go well in the forthcoming week.

The art of listening, deeply

In the last two days, I have applied this practice in two very different contexts. The first was with  Leadership WA alumni member by, ‘answering the call’. This means you have been recommended or introduced as a possible mentor or have had compatible experience that another is moving towards.

Rekha and Viti 

Yesterday Rekha and I applied my mentoring with co-design facilitation. One of the elements in this process is to know what questions to ask and then ‘listening deeply’ whilst she is ‘telling her story’ or providing a slice of another.  The fun side of this process is the drawing or descriptive responses that emerge and inform. The most satisfying, for both, is how those very simplistic drawings inform and bring clarity. Invariably, ‘Lightbulb moments’ for the storyteller!

Scrolling paper frame

That evening I received a call from a cousin, Kate Aspinall in New Zealand. I had sent off an email with numerous questions in relation to my manuscript. Kate responded by phoning me, which I was grateful for. The nuances of a one to one conversation can never be written, or the exploration of a topic being discussed.

‘Listening deeply’ requires going to a level that tempers the desire to interrupt or bring forth an opinion because by doing so disrupts the speaker’s fullness of what they have been asked to share or wish to say. In this case, the knowledge of Kate’s Whakapapa (Family Tree) which she has been working on for many decades. What a wonderful call it was and once again the generosity of others to validate or add to the “Semi-autobiographical tale”, I am writing is valued.

More importantly, hearing the nuances of advice provided in another's points of view, on what is right in an interracial context and what is not!

May it be a restful weekend.

Standing on my grandparents block in Pakanae in 2003

Who would have thought when the above photo was taken on one of our trips to the Hokianga, that all of what is currently taking place in my writing, would come to be. It was not even on the radar back then. I am standing on the knoll of the hill above the area where Keita and Tere’s family home was located below.  

When this photo was taken I was in deep thought. I had just been shown the area where father’s mother had given birth to her children, in a tent not far from where I was standing. More will be written about this in the book. Later I sat nearby and took in the panoramic views of the Hokianga Harbour and the hills behind. Obviously, views were not in grandmother Keita’s mind while giving birth to her children. The resilience of these women!  I clearly recall a wave of admiration arise and at the same time, a wave of sadness. Grandmother seemed so close, yet so far.

On the other side of this tale, is the unexpected! Yesterday, I received a message from niece, Kiri. Aunty Robin is looking for any photos of Pop and his siblings? I texted back and said, excuse my ignorance but who is Aunty Robin? The next 24 hours turned into an Aladdin’s Cave of photos and messages exchanged. So, a new cousin I have met, through the wonders of technology.

Robin turns out to be one of Dan Diamond’s daughter, my father’s eldest sibling. This is the first time I have seen a photo of Uncle Dan and been in actual contact with one of his children. Well, so I thought? In our exchange of photos, I included one I was not sure of who the couple were photographed with my father. I had my suspicions but reframed from saying. Yes, it turned out to be Robin’s younger brother, Mervyn who has sadly since passed away.  

It is like a spider’s web discovering which piece of the family tree connects to the other and how!

Trust you have a great week.

Another piece to the tale

What is so enjoyable about researching for a manuscript, in this instance, is who emerges along the way and the gems offered or pointed out. Cousin Susan Keys and I have been in contact in more recent times.

During our conversation, Susan mentioned I have two (2) copies of the book Kohukohu, by Eric Anderson.  She also mentioned there is a section on Frederick Maning (which is her great-great-great-grandfather) and his purchase of Kohukohu in 1834. She then offered me one of her copies?

I am grateful for her generosity.

Yesterday I received the above book and have immersed myself in its content and pictures. This book provides a wonderful insight into the daily life of communities and industries in the Hokianga from 1850’s to the earlier 1990’s. This extends beyond GGGF Maning’s ‘…semi-autobiographical Old New Zealand classic.’ (Anderson 2007, Pg. 5) This book provides information during the period father and his siblings would have experienced in their formative years.

My father Robert Tohu Diamond (Taimona) was born in Pakanae in 1916 and was the 11th child of, Tere Hohua Taimona and Keita Hauraki Maning. Keita had a daughter Sue prior to her union with Tere. They went on to have thirteen children of which my dad was the 4th youngest.

The book on Kohukohu provides material that ideally suits the sociological imagination framework I spoke about in my earlier posts. I can now take some of fathers recording and immerse them into that period in the Hokianga. This I am looking forward to!

During father’s later years he and I headed back to the Hokianga for a visit.  On the way, we stayed with his niece Cheryl in Whangarei. While there, she invited three (3) of dad’s nieces around who lived in the area.  He had not seen them for many decades.  It was fascinating observing him in the company of his four (4) nieces, all in their 60’s. Invariably, those questions and discussions were around the Hokianga.

That evening Kiwi, one of his nieces asked if she could head North with us. What a bonus that turned out to be as she spent her formative years in the Hokianga and was a source of knowledge throughout our trip.  It certainly opened conversations beyond what dad and I would have had. 

Heart-warming to drive these two around while they reminisced about each location we visited. Music to my ears! I will write more details about this trip in my book.