103 days ago

Poll: Have you ever had a scary flight?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

A plane flying from Christchurch to Wellington on Sunday had smoke billowing out of the engine and upon landing, passengers had to open the emergency exit and jump out. Have you had any scary flying experiences?

Image
Have you ever had a scary flight?
  • 53.3% Yes!
    53.3% Complete
  • 46.7% No, it's always been smooth flying
    46.7% Complete
1027 votes
More messages from your neighbours
1 day ago

What's your favourite Christmas song?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

There's new ones every year, some become classics and some are not so good. What do you consider your favourite Christmas song.

And more importantly, what song would you ban? Share below!

Image
1 hour ago

Te Pūrākau o Raukura me te Rama o te Whakapātaritari - Day 27

Kiran Reddy from Mount Eden

The Story of Raukura and the Lamp of Detachment

In the serene valleys of Aotearoa, a young wahine named Raukura lived among her iwi. She was known for her tireless dedication to her kawa and tikanga—the sacred customs handed down by her tūpuna. She worked on the marae, tended the whenua, and performed the karanga with a voice that resonated like the winds of Tawhirimātea. Yet, in her heart, Raukura felt a longing.

One night, under the light of a full moon, Raukura sought the guidance of her kaumātua, Matakite. He was a tohunga of deep wisdom, known for helping others navigate the wairua realm.

“E Koro,” Raukura said, “I fulfill all my responsibilities to the iwi, but I still feel bound by this world. How can I find peace and freedom in the embrace of Io Matua Kore when my journey ends?”

Matakite smiled knowingly. “Raukura, come to the whare tīpuna at dawn. Bring nothing but your open heart.”

The next morning, Raukura arrived. Inside the whare, a single lamp made of carved pounamu glowed softly. Its flame flickered, yet remained steady.

“This lamp,” said Matakite, “is your mahi, your duties, and your attachments. Your task is to keep it burning, no matter what happens. But remember, the flame is not yours to own.”

Raukura nodded and embraced her new role. Day by day, she cared for the lamp, ensuring it burned brightly while continuing her mahi—weaving cloaks, planting kumara, and guiding her younger whānau in karakia. As time passed, she began to take pride in how brightly the lamp shone, believing it reflected her worth.

One stormy night, a strong gust from the mountains of Tāwhirimātea blew through the whare. The flame flickered and went out. Distressed, Raukura tried everything to relight it, but the damp air and her trembling hands made it impossible.

Exhausted, she sat beside the extinguished lamp, her heart heavy with shame.

At dawn, Matakite entered the whare. Seeing Raukura’s sorrow, he asked gently, “E hine, why do you grieve so?”

“Koro,” Raukura replied, “I have failed. The flame is gone, and I could not keep it alive. I have dishonored my tikanga and my purpose.”

Matakite sat beside her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “E moko, the lamp was never yours to hold forever. Its flame, like all things in this world, is impermanent. You have misunderstood its purpose.”

Raukura looked at him with tearful eyes. “Then what was the lesson, Koro?”

“The flame represents your attachments,” Matakite explained. “Your mahi and tikanga are sacred, but if you become attached to the outcomes of your actions, you lose sight of the eternal. True peace, te rongo, comes when you serve with aroha, but without clinging to success or fearing failure. Your ultimate purpose is to let go of all attachments and keep your heart fixed on Io Matua Kore, the source of all life.”

Raukura listened deeply, and understanding dawned in her heart. She began to see that her role was not to control the flame but to nurture it while it lasted, and then release it when its time had passed.

From that day forward, Raukura lived differently. She continued her mahi with devotion, but she no longer tied her self-worth to the outcomes. Whether the lamp burned brightly or dimmed, her heart remained steadfast, her thoughts centered on Io Matua Kore.

Years later, when Raukura’s time came, she lay peacefully, surrounded by her whānau. As the final karakia was sung, her last breath carried the whisper of Io Matua Kore’s name. Her spirit soared, free from the bonds of the material world, reunited with the eternal light.

Moral of the Story:

In life, we must fulfill our tikanga and mahi with dedication and aroha, but without attachment to the results. Everything in this world is temporary, like the flickering flame of a lamp. True peace comes when we let go of our attachments and fix our hearts on Io Matua Kore, the eternal source of life. When we embrace detachment, we can find liberation in this life and beyond.

4 days ago

⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️

The Team from SPCA New Zealand

It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:

👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️

Image