Reclaiming the sacred: reconnecting with land and culture

Ātihau-Whanganui Incorporation is taking a new approach to connecting whānau more closely with their land and developing a uniquely Awhi way of doing business. Moana Ellis finds out about the critical relationship between reconnecting with land and reclaiming culture.

Shareholders have been experiencing a taste of things to come in a winter initiative designed to draw whānau back to traditions associated with the land, its bounty and each other.

Ngā Iho Kai o Te Tau is a series of gatherings co-hosted by ĀtihauWhanganui Inc and iwi entities to revive traditions associated with land and food resources. Twin inaugural events were held in June in Ohakune, co-hosted by Ngāti Rangi, and in July in Whanganui, co-hosted by Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui.

Held in the chill of mid-winter, the events were organised to align with Puanga, the New Year - for Māori, traditionally a time for reflection, planning, whakawhanaungatanga and social occasions aimed at strengthening alliances and forging new relationships.

Above: Ātihau-Whanganui Incorporation Board member Che Wilson addresses the gathering to celebrate Punaga.

Board member Che Wilson describes Puanga as an important season for building connections.

“The stars are aligned over these months for getting together, forging new relationships, and lifting each other’s spirits through connecting and strategising for the year ahead.” Ngā Iho Kai o Te Tau is a first step toward re-establishing lost connections with land, traditions and ceremony.

“Iho is another word for describing a line of descent from Atua, and another word for mouri. For Ngāti Rangi up here at the mountain, Tūnui-ā-Rangi, a short rainbow, is the mouri or kaitiaki that looks after our food resources.”

Ngā Iho Kai o Te Tau calls on the different energies of the seasons, celebrated through hākari feasting. Importantly, this is also reciprocal - as food comes out of the oven, the steam goes up as an offering in acknowledgement and thanks.

“As we start to clean up our rivers and land, we need to start calling the food back by reviving the ceremonies around kai. It’s a precursor to returning to some of the sacred aspects of land and living, so that our food and resources become abundant.”

“Over time, as we re-learn these things, our families from different blocks will be able to carry out these practices and we’ll start once again to observe and understand the knowledge that is there to read in the wind, the stars, the clouds, the flowering, the birds.”

“We’ll regain our ability to hear what the land is saying. In 20 years’ time it will be just part of what we do.”

This process has already begun, Che says.

“We’re recording these things and taking note - gathering empirical data to ensure we work well with the land so that we’re producing in a legitimately Awhi way. It’s pretty exciting, because deliberately reconnecting to our land will start a snowball effect.”

“As we reconnect with the land we reclaim our culture; as we reclaim our culture we reclaim our distinct way of doing business, and our practices will reflect who we are.”

For Ātihau-Whanganui Inc leadership and management, Ngā Iho Kai o Te Tau was also an opportune time to draw in whānau shareholders and their wider iwi for an inside view of the organisation’s business developments.

Showcasing the latest high-end Awhi brands, chief executive Andrew Beijeman updated shareholders on the story behind three products: Ruapehu Angus Beef, Awhi singlesource lamb and Awhi single-harvest mānuka honey.

The quality beef product launched in February has been on the menus of five-star eateries like Fish at the Hilton, Woodside and Sky City, where the Awhi paddock-to-plate philosophy, environmental practices, and core values are recognised. The lamb currently goes into the United States in small volumes as an upmarket product, with its singlesource status a unique selling factor.

“Awhi single-source lamb is marketed on each animal being traceable to one of our farms or partner farms where it was born and raised. It’s our first year marketing this product - we haven’t finished 12 months yet - and it was great to be able to introduce our shareholders to this premium-value product.”

Awhi has also been building a strategic relationship with My Food Bag and its just-launched Made range of ready-made meals.

Whānau at the Ngā Iho Kai o Te Tau events also got a sweet taste of Awhi’s own mānuka honey brand - not yet for sale, but about to be launched to exclusive markets following a research mission to the United States. The single-harvest mānuka honey, collected only once a season, also champions the ethical farming practices that are a point of difference for high-end consumers.

“Taking honey only once a year is better for the bees,” Mr Beijeman said. “The ethical treatment of our bees is part of the Awhi story that is now being told around the world.”

That story focuses on the connection Awhi has with whenua, and its commitment to the way people, animals and land are cared for.

For Che Wilson, the Awhi commitment is critically linked to cultural knowledge.

“Basing our practices not just on western knowledge but tūpuna science as well will give us an edge that no one else has, because we’re talking to our whenua.”

“We need more land whisperers – people who can hear, read and talk to the land. The more we become connected to the land, the more we will understand when the land needs resting.”

Ātihau-Whanganui Inc Chair Mavis Mullins says Ngā Iho Kai o Te Tau continues the drive toward achieving business goals for the Awhi brand.

“That includes purposefully reaching out to our whānau shareholders and strategic business partners to strengthen our organisation and stakeholder relationships, and bring our people with us.

“It is also important to connect with our wider iwi entities, many of whom are going through Treaty settlement processes. Going forward, we will need to pull together because we all work for our people. There are opportunities to do that together.”

The celebration of Puanga is a lovely time to touch base with each other and build relationships, she said.

“We were so proud to share our premium products with our whānau and give greater insight to our people about what we’re doing. It was a lovely event and I’d like to think we’ll do this with our iwi entities on an annual basis.”