HE POROPORORAKI KI A BRIAN (Farewell Brian)
"KUA HINGA TE TOTARA,
HAERE TE ARIKI NUI,
HAERE, HAERE, HAERE"
The mighty tree has fallen,
Farewell to our International President,
Thrice farewell...
The difference between being a Chairman and being a Leader is that the former is in charge, delegates, commands etc, but a leader is up there right upfront, inspiring and uplifting us.
Brian Field was such a leader. By example he was a person capable of doing work in our craft to the highest standards. Through his leadership and the warmth of his humanity he brought out qualities in those he led, such that we were able to do much better in many ways, because of that leadership.
My first contact with Brian was only three years ago, when I asked him to write to past New Zealand Chapter President, Roger Carter, thanking him for his services to the Guild. Not only did Brian recognise him with the Presidential Award, but through the magic of telecommunications, he presented the Certificate to Roger, who was 12,000 miles away.
Shortly after this, my wife, Carolyn, visited England and Brian hosted her and my daughter, Clare, at Maldon. It was a day that they will treasure forever. He was gracious, an excellent host showing them that part of England, which meant so much to him.
Brian wrote to me on a number of occasions, encouraging me to keep going at times when my efforts to get the New Zealand membership together was wilting.
On arrival in England in August last year, I met Brian for the first time at an Essex Branch meeting. He was unwell then and had made a special effort to be there to meet me. Typical of him, he greeted me in Maori: "Kia Ora", meaning, "Good health, All the very best". He then apologised to me that it had been his wish to visit New Zealand to meet all the Chapter members, but it was not to be. This had obviously upset him very much.
I then observed something, which happened each time that I saw him at Guild meetings, he started showing Terry Barnes some aspect of knotting. Within minutes there was a group of members around him, learning from the master. No fuss, no noise, just a quiet gathering, snowballing within that certain aura that all great leaders posses.
In January this year, Europa Chan took Carolyn and I to Maldon to spend part of a day with Brian. He was not well, but after taking his morphine dose he spent three hours with us, both at his home and down at his beloved river harbour.
On the way down to the hard, I asked him why he chose Maldon to settle. At the time I thought that he hadn't heard my question. Brian showed us around some of the Thames River barges, climbing up the steep gangways, slowly, but with great determination.
He then took us to the shore-side pub, where he shouted* us lunch. Whilst I was taking a few photographs of our party in the pub, a wonderful smile came over his face when he noticed me looking out at the beautiful scene of the river, the birds and a fleet of sailing vessels. "Now you know why I came to Maldon!"
When I last visited Brian in hospital two weeks before he passed away, we spoke about the far-flung organisation, which he led. He asked that if any member had something personal that they had made, he would appreciate holding it. It is so like that wonderful man to want, at the last, to keep in touch with us all. When we parted, he gave me that most wonderful smile that only he was capable of sharing...
Thank you, Brian for your warm humanity, for the ability to make us feel of worth and to make those of us from the other end of this globe feel part of the International Guild of Knot Tyers.
"HAERE TE ARIKI NUI.
HAERE KI TE REREINGA WAIRUA, HAERE KI TE HAWAIKI NUI,
TE HAWAIKI ROA, TE HAWAIKI PAMAMAO,
HAERE, HAERE, HAERE"
(TO OUR INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT. FAREWELL, THRICE FAREWELL.)
* Shouted = Brian paid for our lunch.