Editorial by Sarah Beattie
Every now and again, if you’re lucky, life brings you moments that stay with you for a long time.
Meeting the parents of little Rangatira-Elias Taki in Logan’s Neonatal Unit 2N was one of those moments for me.
I was invited to attend the 100 day ‘birthday’ of Rangatira-Elias, the first baby to celebrate this milestone since the unit moved to its new location earlier this year.
The beautiful baby boy, who was born prematurely at just 26 weeks old, was admitted to 2N after spending 80 days in the Mater NICU.
Entering the room, I felt an instant energy shift. It was the kind of feeling I wish I could bottle up and share - a love that radiated from both new parents Uenuku and Waretini, enveloped baby Rangatira-Elias and bounced off those lucky enough to be nearby.
For the next little while I witnessed the delicate moments of connection that occur inside the newborn bubble. I watched the ‘dance’ of two new parents moving in sync to support each other while tending to their son.
Rangatira-Elias, calm and content, had a nappy change, chugged down two bottles of milk, and was dressed in his best Michael Jordan gear ahead of the photoshoot. Throughout, his doting parents shared their pregnancy journey with me – a rollercoaster of intense emotions, ending in the arrival of their little ‘chief’.
Such care was taken of this little warrior who they had fought so hard for, creating a poetic paradox. The gentlest of touches from both parents paired with strength and pride of their Māori heritage. Both parents, tough and resilient, melted into tenderness and vulnerability whenever their attention turned to their son.
Waretini shared the importance of honouring his ancestors, as he wrapped little Rangatira-Elias in a Tiki blanket (the Tiki representing protection to the Taki’s). Symbolic cultural patterns had also been drawn on the room’s whiteboard by Rangatira-Elia’s Nanna during a visit from New Zealand.
When I asked Waretini about his hopes for his son, he said he wished for Rangatira-Elias to have his mother’s kindness and his father’s confidence, but most importantly, that he knew he would be supported in whatever path he chose, as long as he was happy.
The love surrounding this young chief is something I wish for every child, and I am deeply grateful to the Taki family for allowing me to share in their joy as we celebrated 2N’s first 100 day birthday.