(The Return Home)
It was recently, during the drawn out process of relocating to New Zealand from the UK, that I came across an article which informed me that I was part of a huge migration, and that upwards of 50,000 kiwis (and counting) had chosen to return to these shores over the past few months.
As the article went on to suggest, this is a unique phenomenon. The return of a vast swathe of people, equipped with global expertise and experience, which is likely to have a significant impact on the short and long term future of New Zealand.
There has been speculation on the nature of this impact. The ramifications are not universally positive. For example, the effect this is having on the property market is plain to see, with returning expats keen on purchasing a house and home driving up house prices, perpetuating the difficulties faced by local first-time buyers to take their first steps on the housing market ladder. However it is clear that this also presents a remarkable opportunity for Aotearoa.
Clearly, a huge imperative for many returning home have been personal reasons. In my case, I had a strong desire to leave the UK, a place overwhelmed by the restrictions and challenges presented by the Covid pandemic. I was motivated by desire to create a life for my family, and a childhood for my two young children, which was reminiscent of my own. I was also motivated by a desire to live a life congruent with who I am, who I have and wish to become.
And yet, there is a calling beyond this. A growing sense that I needed to come home. To return to the land of my birth, in order to be offer my gifts and contribute something of value to the country of my birth.
It is here, beyond the personal, that the opportunity of this mass migration presents itself. Once the dust has settled, once each of us have established our home base, we have an opportunity to ask ourselves:
What am I here for? How can I make a difference?
and more specifically,
What part can I play in the emergent future of Aotearoa?
The truth is, us emigrants/returnees are in a unique position to ask ourselves these questions. For many of us making the journey home, we have already gone through a process of uprooting. We have faced and overcome many challenges. We have tackled emotional, physical, logistical and financial challenges to pack up our homes and families, secure and board our flights, navigate through isolation and quarantine, all before tackling the challenges of setting up new lives, homes, schools, work on the other side of the world.
In doing so, we have already stepped out of our comfort zone. We have thrown everything in the air, and been forced to spend time in uncertainty, in the unknown, before all the pieces fall to land, and fall into place. Perhaps with a few pieces still missing. In this time, We have an opportunity, before we establish our new lives, to consider what this new life could look like. How we can make changes which encourage a sense of alignment, congruence, and service to a life we dream of living, and a world that supports this.
With this comes an invitation to ask ourselves, what are our greatest gifts? How can I make a difference? Where can I make a difference?
The team of five million
There is respect (and in many cases, envy) for the way in which Jacinda Adern, her leadership team, and the entire nation has responded to the challenge of this global Covid pandemic. At the outset, Adern made the call to ‘go hard and go early,’ and made a plea for the nation to come together in support of a united cause, as a ‘Team of 5 million.’ It’s a position which has reaped extraordinary benefits.
And yet this is just the tip of the iceberg – simply the most recent illustration of an empathic yet decisive leadership style which Adern has come to exemplify, which is garnering plaudits worldwide not just for Adern, but for Aotearoa in general.
Make no mistake, the eyes of the world are on Aotearoa right now.
Just think of what’s possible if we continue on the path we are on: harnessing the energy of this team of five million, augmented by the arrival of a ‘task force’ of 50 thousand, all of who could make a significant contribution to the future of this country, providing a blueprint for how we can come together in this time of change to create a life and a world of greater alignment and congruence.
It’s vital here to acknowledge the spirit and principles of Te Ao Maori which are gaining more prominence and (in my view) transcending mere lip service to find their rightful place in the wider national consciousness. Principles such as:
Manaakitanga
Being kind to one another. Caring for another person’s mana.
Whanaungatanga
The importance of the relationships between people and all living things.
Kaitiakitanga
Custodianship and guardianship over our natural environment.
Tino Rangatiratanga
The right to self determination, the right to make your own decisions.
Mauri
Life force and the interconnectedness of all living things.
These are principles which tap into the roots of our shared humanity. They are tools that can help us to navigate a way forward, in times of uncertainty. How would it be, if we as a nation truly embodied these principles? What echoes could that send across the world?
I recall the words expressed by James K Baxter:
“When these things are done, the soul rises to the surface of the friend’s face, like a fish to the surface of the water, and the soul is always beautiful. When Maori and Pakeha do these things together, the Double Rainbow begins to shine.”
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The Double Rainbow – What is your vision for Aotearoa? The Double Rainbow is a place to share your vision for this country, to connect and collaborate with others, and play a part in bringing it to life.