Baptist Women New Zealand is an advocacy group within the Baptist churches of New Zealand that aims to see all women thriving in Baptist church life.
Shared with thanks to the current Board members of Baptist Women.
“I call to the deep hurt of the past and present. To the depths where it is beyond repair. To the depths where is it impossible to reach out for help. To the depths where tears have fallen to waste. To the depths where dreams have been buried along with pain.”
Image: Ruth Clarke and Fa’ailoga Lautua
These words are from the lament given by Baptist Women New Zealand in front of delegates on the first night at our Baptist National Hui this year, acknowledging the experiences of some women in our movement over the years. Spoken in te reo Māori, Samoan and Tongan, the lament was followed by responses from three women addressing the past, the present and the future, while more women gathered on stage in silent support of their sisters.
In 2019 and 2020, a series of forum were held with women from the New Zealand Baptist movement of churches. From those forums it became evident that, on many occasions over the years, our women were not treated well. The impact of this was significant and many women carried deep hurt.
One outcome of these forum was the undertaking of qualitative research asking women who were previously Baptist why they were no longer part of our movement. This research resulted in several one-on-one meetings between these women and our National Leader.
The women told of being treated with dishonour, disrespect, misogyny and prejudice, making them feel inequal and marginalised. The acknowledgement noted that, “We realise that many of these things continue to be a reality for some women.”
It continues, “Today we – the Baptist Union of Churches of New Zealand – acknowledge that this behaviour is not acceptable, and it is with sorrow and remorse that we recognise the pain caused to these women.”
The lament was translated into te reo Māori lament and given by Ruth Clarke of Arotahi, into Gagana Samoan by Fa’ailoga Lautua of Grey Lynn Baptist Church, and into Tongan by Iunisi Katoa of Fairfield Baptist Church.
Click here to access the video or watch below. You can follow along with the full script which is below the video.
He Uhunga a te reo Māori | Lament in Te Reo Māori
E noho an au (I am sitting)
i te poo uriuri (in extreme darkness)
i te poo tangotango (in the darkness/black)
i te poo te kitea (binding darkness)
ko roimata, ko huupee (tears and snot)
ngaa kaiutu (are my repayment)
ki taku hokinga maumahara noa e (for remembering)
Ake Ake Amine
Lament in English
From Te Kore, the void, a state of seemingly nothingness, there is grief, loss, pain and hurt. There is dishonour, disrespect, inequality, and marginalisation. This space is hidden away from all eyes because it is dark and lonely.
I call to the pain of loss. The loss of marital relations, family relations, children and trusting relationships. The loss of identity, calling, and direction. The loss of stability, leadership and purpose. The loss of life, of hope, the loss of dreaming.
I call to the deep hurt of the past and present. To the depths where it is beyond repair. To the depths where is it impossible to reach out for help. To the depths where tears have fallen to waste. To the depths where dreams have been buried along with pain.
I call to the women who carried this pain, loss and hurt. To the women who bravely continued to keep surviving despite the darkness of hurt overshadowing them daily. To the women who loved loudly but were not accepted. To the women who were overlooked because they were women.
I call to this pain, this loss, this hurt, this darkness and acknowledge this has been the experience for some women in our Baptist churches.
Today we acknowledge the importance of lament and healing together.
O le Auega | Lament In Samoan
Mai le lalolagi o faigata ma le leai o se mea, le gaogaoii o manatu ma lagona, ua soloatoa ai le manatu faapitoa ma le faamaualuga. O se tulaga ua foliga mai ua leai se alofa, leai se amanaia, leai se aoga, ae lotolotoi ai le faanoanoa ma le talitualimaina. Ua leai se feavata'i ma se fefa'asoaa'i o lagona ma manatu. Ua leai se feofoofoa'i pei ona masani mai ai le tuagane ma le tuafafine I totonu o mafutaga fa'aleaiga, fa'alenu'u aemaise le faakerisiano. Le mafutaga e tasi le aluga, tasi le ieafu e pei ona molimau mai ai le muagagana o lo'o pepese ma alalaga ai si a ta aganu'u, " O le ioimata o le tama lona tuafafine" po'o le "O le mea uliuli i le mata o le tuagane lona tuafafine".
Ua i ai le manatu faapito, le tutusa ona fai ni faaiuga, atoa ma le manatu fa'atauva'a armaise le olopalaina o le faaaloaloalo. O nei mea uma o loo natia I le vaai ona o le pogisa ma le fa'atauasoina o mata I le mea moni ma le faamaoni ma ua peisai ai ua ta'atia mai o se nu'u tu'ufua e leai ni tagata o toe nonofo ai. Ou te faaigoaina lenei lalolagi, o le lalolagi o tiga ma faanoanoaga. O le lalolagi ua leai se faamoemoe ola, po'o se lumana'i manuia e maua ai.
O mafutaga faaleulugalii, o so'otaga faaleaiga fapea sootaga ma nai fanau. O le leiloa o le faasinomaga poo le valaauina, aemaise o le ta'ita'iga o se mafutaga poo se ekalesia. Ua leai se mautu o ni ta'ita'iga poo ni fa'amoemoega i se manuia o se faalapotopotoga.
O le ola ua leai se faamoemoe, poo se moemitiga faivavale ua leai sona taunuuga. O le loloto ma le matautia o le tiga ma le matuitui o mea sa tutupu i le tuanai faapea le lenei vaitaimi, o se mea e le mafai ona toe faaleleia pe faigofie ona toe faafoi mai. O se ipuvai ua masa'a ua le toe mafai ona toe faamaopopo mai. E le mafai foi ona faasaoina pe a manaomia se fesoasoani. Le mafutaga na afua ona maligi ai loimata ma taotaomia ai lagona tiga ma moemitiga faaletagata.
Talofa I nai tina o e sa le amanaiaina ma talitualimaina, o e sa latou tauaveina mai nei lagona tiga. O lagona o le vaai maualalo, ma le manatu fia viia. O nai tina sa faaauauaina pea le soifua faatasi ma nei lafona manatu faamaina. E ui Ina matuitui ma oona le pogisa o tiga o loo faamalumalu mai ma ufitia ai lo latou soifua galulue I aso uma, ae sa saili pea ma loimata. Tina e leo tetele a latou galuega ae ufiufi i le alofa ae lei taliaina. O tin e lei amanaiaina so latou leo ona o tamaita'i.
O nei tiga, faanoanoaga ma mafatiaga, ou te ta'utino ma faailoa atu ma lou agaga faamaoni, O loo aafia ai nisi o tina ma tamaitai I totonu o a tatou Ekalesia Papatiso. Ua taotaomia ai lo latou aia tatau e faaleo I totonu o ekalesia. Ma o le aso, ua tatou ioieina ma tatou faailoa atu ai le taua o lo tatou galulue faatasi I le loto e tasi, I le manatu e tasi atoa ma le faamalologa e tasi.
Ona o Iesu.
AMENE.
Tangilaulau Lea Faka-Tonga | Lament in Tongan
Mei he ma’oma’onganoa, ‘ikai ha momo’i mo’ui, ko ha tu’unga ‘o e mole ‘a e
‘amanaki ‘o hange kuo ‘osi kotoa, ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e ‘oiaue, ‘a e mole, ‘a e mamahi mo e
faingata’a’ia. ‘Oku ‘i ai ‘a e ma, ‘a e ta’e faka’apa’apa, ‘a e filifilimanako mo e
tukuhifo. Ko e feitu’u eni ‘oku tu’u fufuu ‘o puli mei he vakai he ‘oku taumu’avalea
mo ‘ikai ha ‘amanaki’anga.
‘Ou ui ki he mamahi ‘o e mavae. Ko e mole ‘o e ngaahi fetauhi’aki fakamali, ngaahi
va fakafamili, fanau mo e ngaahi fefalala’aki fakatauhi-va. Ko e mole ‘a e ‘amanaki,
vokasio mo e ‘alunga. Ko e mole ‘o e taukei, mafai mo e taumu’a. Ko e mole ‘a e
mo’ui, ‘a e fakatetu’a, ko e taumu’avalea ‘a e mo’ui.
‘Ou ui ki he mafatukituki ‘o e kuohili mo e lolotonga. Ki he ngaahi loloto ‘oku ‘ikai ha
toe malava’anga, Ki he ngaahi ma’olunga kuo siva ‘a e ‘amanaki ki ha toe hufanga.
Ki he ngaahi tuliki ‘oku lau’aitu pe ‘a e ngaahi lo’imata. Ki he ngaahi
ma’oma’onganoa ko e loto kuo kavea toofaa he mamahi.
‘Ou ui atu ki he kau fafine na’a nau fataki ‘a e ‘uu ni mamahi, mole mo e kafo ko
eni. Ki he kau fafine na’a nau tuiaki loto to’a ki he ngata’anga neongo ‘a e taulofu’u
‘o e po’uli looloo na’a ne kapui faka’aho kinautolu. Ki he kau fafine na’e vivili ‘e nau
‘ofa ka na’e fakatale’i. Ki he kau fafine na’e tapalasia koe’uhi pe ko e ha’a fafine
kinautolu.
‘Ou ui ki he mamahi ni, ki he mole ni, ki he kafo ni, ki he puputu’u ni, pea u
fakamo’oni ko e ngaahi ‘alunga eni na’e fou mai ai ‘a e ni’ihi ‘o ha’a fafine.
Ko e ‘aho ni, ‘oku tau tu’u ko e fakamo’oni ki he mahu’inga fakatou’osi ‘o e
tangilaulau mo e fakaakeake.
Response 1: (Past) – Read by Susan Osborne, President
Ecclesiastes 3:7 …. a time to keep silence, and a time to speak
In 2019 and 2020, a series of forum were held with women from the New Zealand Baptist movement. From those forums it became evident that, on many occasions over the years, our women were not treated well. The impact of this was significant and many women carried deep hurt.
One outcome of these forum was the undertaking of qualitative research asking women who were previously Baptist why they were no longer part of our movement. This research resulted in several one-on-one meetings between these women and our National Leader.
We – the Baptist Union of Churches of New Zealand – acknowledge the grief, loss, pain and hurt that Baptist women in our movement have endured.
We acknowledge you. We validate you. Your stories are with us.
Response 2: (Present) – Read by Rachel Murray, Regional Leader
Ecclesiastes 3:4 …. a time to lament and a time to cheer
Regrettably, on many occasions, the attitudes, behaviours and actions of people within the Baptist Churches of New Zealand have worked against the best interests of women. Many times, our leaders and churches have treated women with dishonour, disrespect, misogyny and prejudice, making them feel inequal and marginalised.
We realise that many of these things continue to be a reality for some women.
Today we – the Baptist Union of Churches of New Zealand – acknowledge that this behaviour is not acceptable, and it is with sorrow and remorse that we recognise the pain caused to these women.
We acknowledge you. We validate you. Your stories are with us.
Response 3: (Future) – Read by Tanya Lameta, BWNZ Chair
Ecclesiastes 3:6 …. a time to hold on and a time to let go
We acknowledge the people who have given credence and affirm the voices, the leadership, the sermons and God’s calling of women within our Baptist churches. We acknowledge the women who are standing here, those who will be watching this recorded segment, and those who are not present.
We appreciate that this acknowledgement alone cannot erase the damage that has been done, and that many women affected are no longer part of the Baptist movement. Our hope is that it will serve as a small step toward bringing healing.
As a movement, let us commit to pursuing positive change for a future where women are truly valued, honoured, respected, and given full and equal opportunity to participate in the Kingdom of God and His mission in the world.
As David calls to the Lord in Psalm 139, we too ask the Lord to examine our hearts and reveal any offensive ways within us. Lead us along the right path for our women of today and tomorrow.
We acknowledge our past. We validate our present. We are the stories of our future.
Article header image:
Back L-R: Ruth Clarke, Iunisi Katoa, Fa’ailoga Lautua
Front L-R: Rachel Murray, Jane Cong Ye, Ann Yee, Rachel Roche
Image credits: Mike Crudge
