Kaumātua Kōrero
Mark Sisley
Ko te kai a te rangatira he ako, he whāngai, he whakatauira.
Anei te tino tauira e whakaako ana i te tauira hei oranga mō te āpōpō.
Mark Sisley | Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa
In Te Teko, there’s a man whose hands tell a story of dedication, respect and mastery. For more than half a century, Mark Sisley has been on a mahi mīti journey – a journey that has seen him transform from an eager apprentice to a master of his mahi.
Anei te pūrākau o Mark Sisley, he kōrero mō ōna wheako, mō ōna pūkenga, otirā me ōna mahinga kai mīti ki te rohe o Mataatua. I roto i ōna wheako, kua whakamana i a ia i ngā akoranga o ōna tīpuna me tōna whānau kua tautoko i a ia.
Tuatahi, he kitenga akoranga, ā, ka puta he hua.
Picture a young Mark, watching the skilled hands of his big brothers at a slaughterhouse at Military Road and his māmā and kuia along the Rangitāiki River. His first introduction to the mahi he would come to know so well, despite not liking it to begin with.
Mā te kimi ka kite, mā te kite ka mōhio, mā te mōhio ka mārama.
Challenges, mistakes and setbacks – physically and mentally – were all part of the journey. Seeking knowledge, learning and discovering were all part of his journey too.
All of it, worth it for Mark.
Mea rawa ake, ka whakaharatau a Mark i ngā whakaritenga kai ki te taha o ōna mātua kēkē a Gordon rāua ko Bully Pryor. Nā rāua i whāngai ētahi akoranga me ētahi pūkenga ki a ia.
At 16, Mark faced a moment that would shape his future. His uncle Gordon, recognising the spark of potential in Mark, pointed to a cow at the marae. “Grab one of my knives and skin it,” he said, his voice a mix of challenge and faith.
As Mark’s hands moved, another uncle’s doubt shut this down, “you don’t know what you’re doing, put that knife back.”
In that moment, as Mark set the knife back, he made a silent vow – to master this mahi, to honour the teachings of his uncles, and to become a man worthy of their trust.
But mahi mīti, Mark learned, was about more than just skill with a blade. It was about respect – respect for the taiao, the ngahere, the animals, and the ways of his tīpuna. As he ventured into the ngahere on hunting trips, Mark absorbed these lessons.
The idea of parading a kill through town, through a takeaway drive-thru, or hanging it from a bridge for all to see is something Mark is disappointed in and reflects on what would have happened if he did that.
Ināianei, he whakaako i ōna pūkenga mīti.
Kei āna ringaringa ngā wheako maha. He rangatira a Mark i roto i ēnei momo mahi. Kua kitea e te mārea o Mataatua ī ōna mahi rangatira, ka mutu kei te kite i ōna ake tikanga me tōna ngakau nui ki tēnei kaupapa.
Hei tāna, he waihotanga tēnei taonga hei whāngai i te whānau, i ngā marae kia mau ki ēnei pūkenga, kia whakamahia e rātou mō ake tonu atu.
He ngakau nui tōna ki te whāngai ōna mātauranga me ōna wheako. I Ruaihona Marae, tū ai tētahi wānanga ki te taha o Te Puna Ora o Mataatua, i tiaho ōna karu ki te kite atu i ngā rangatahi e mahi ana i ngā mahi.
Using engaging teaching techniques, like music, laughter and fun, Mark’s teachings are not just about knife skills, he teaches life skills too. He encourages whānau to let go of ego and to live with mana and does so in a way that tauira are open to learning to ensure the teachings are accepting.
His journey – from a young boy with a borrowed knife to a master nurturing the next generation – is a reminder that true mastery is not just about skill, but about heart, respect, and commitment.
I te ao o te mahi mīti, ka whakarite a Mark Sisley kia mau tonu ki ngā pūkenga me ngā uara i akona e ia e ōna matua kēkē, hei manaaki, hei tautoko hoki i tōna hapori mō ngā reanga kei te heke mai.
