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Kia taiao te mouri tāngata whenua ki kaipakopako - Kurataio 2023
The kaitiaki and toa taiao of Taranaki awa and whenua came together to connect, share and learn at the second Kurataiao Taranaki hosted by the PKW Trust, Te Rau Manawaora.
More than 150 people attended the three-day wānanga at Muru Raupatu Marae, Kaipakopako, which included seven speakers, a panel debate, te reo workshops and group discussions.
Founded and facilitated by PKW’s Puna Wano-Bryant, Te Rau Titikura, GM Shareholder Engagement and Tonga Karena, Te Rau Whakaihoiho, Kaitiakitanga Strategy Manager, the event is a chance to find mutual accord in a common kaupapa; the health and sustainability of our natural world and resources, te oranga o te taiao.
“Our people have been kaitiaki of the taiao for generations, and before human existence there were atua, kaitiaki taniwha, mouri kōhatu, and so we are the current manifestation of that responsibility, as kaitiaki,” says Puna.
“Taiao is the one place where contention over rights and interests, geopolitical and whakapapa distinctions that shape our perspectives, are removed, emboldening us to work together to look after the natural resources that are essential to us as a people.”
“At the PKW Trust, we wanted to provide an opportunity, a space, for those taiao teams from all iwi and hapū around the maunga to come together to understand each other’s responsibilities and share the privilege of caring for our taiao.”
Keynote speaker Hana Rāwhiti-Maipi delivered her motivating and stirring address ‘Māramataka Māori and Mana Motuhake, a Taiohi Voice’ on the first day of the event. Hana is named after her whaene, prominent Māori activist and leader Hana Te Hemara, and her appearance was a return to her marae for her.
The other keynote speakers were Tina Porou (Te Mana o te Wai —Te Hira Pūao the Movement), and Dr Billy van Uitregt, (Mātauranga Pākehā is there such a thing?)
“All three gave a powerful kōrero, which was illuminating, affirming and challenging by turn,” says Puna. “They really helped the wānanga to ask ourselves the question of what do we need to do culturally to strengthen ourselves, so we can face the challenges of the deluge of legislation that impacts the integrity of our collective Treaty settlements and ongoing Treaty rights.”
The immersive three-day event followed a framework of three pou taiao / cultural eco-systems:
Kia Taiao te Kura referred to the environment and the learning cycle that creates a body of knowledge sourced, nurtured and challenged through a Taranaki Māori lens.
Kia Taiao te Reo asserted the need to normalise Te Reo Māori, particularly reo o Taranaki me hōna tikanga. It addressed the need to practise the use of te reo o Taranaki in interactions with the natural world to embrace the revitalising of identity and culture.
Kia Taiao te Mouri Tāngata Whenua acknowledged the importance of the concept of ‘mauri’ and how critical it is in informing how we as Taranaki Māori approach the different domains of our taiao.
Kia Taiao te Kura Ko te kura i takea mai i ngā kōrero o Kurahaupō waka, ko te whāingaroatanga i te kura kia mou. I huaina ai te tupuna nāna i hautū mai te waka o Kurahaupō - ko Te Maungaroa, hei tā Tonga Karena, Te Rau Whakaihoiho, Parininihi ki Waitōtara ngā kōrero e whai ake nei.
“Nā te roa ōna ki te whai i te kura, ka mau i a ia te kura. Ka rukuhia ki roto i te pō, nō te pueatanga ake ki runga ka mau i a ia te kura, ka mau i a ia te ingoa ko Te Moungaroa kia hāngai ki te ingoa o te waka o Kurahaupō. Ka rukuhia te pō, ka mau i a koe te kura.
“Nā, he aha te mahi o Kurahaupō? He mau mai i te kura nō Hawaiki, otirā ko te whāingaroa kia haria mai ki Aotearoa, engari ka pakaru ki Rangitāhuahua, i puta i te kōrero whakawai he waka pakaru ki te moana, he kura mai tawhiti, ko te taenga atu o ēnā uri i tō rātou pikitanga ki Aotea me Mataatua. Ka tae ētahi ki Whangaparāoa ka kitea e Te Moungaroa kua kapi katoa te motu i ngā uri a Toi – ngā tāngata whenua i tērā wā.
“Katahi ia ka whakawhiti mai kia puta rānō mai ki tēnei taha o te motu ki Taranaki nei, engari ka tino whakakanohi ia ki te hunga i whaiwhaiātia, i mākututia rānei te waka o Kurahaupō e pakaru ai ki Rangitāhuahua me te kī, “Kāore i mau i a koutou te kura? Ko ahau te Kurahaupō, nā, ka huri ko ia tonu te kura, nō reira koia rā te tikanga – kia Taiao te kura, he kura te taiao, he kura e rokohina ake ana e te whāingaroa o te tāngata kia mau ai i a ia te kura pērā ki Te Moungaroa.”
Kia Taiao te reo kei te hāngai tērā ki ngā mahere, ki ngā rautaki whakarauora reo e kaha kauhautia nei e Dr Ruakere Hond, arā, kei waho noa mai i ngā kura auraki nei ko te hōrapa tika e whāngai ai te reo ki ā tātou tamariki – kei roto i ngā kōhanga, i ngā kura kaupapa ki ngā wharekura tētahi wāhi nui ki a rātou – i tua atu i ērā wāhi, hoki rawa atu ki te kāinga, ki ngā whānau, ki ngā mahi ki te māra, ki ngā karapū hākinakina, aha rānei, me reo Māori i ērā wāhi.
“Kei te hāngai tā tātou tāhuhu kōrero ki ēnā rautaki whakarauora reo a Ruakere – kia Taiao te reo. Kia kaua noa iho e waiho mā ngā kura te reo e ako – engari kia puta tonu ki te taiao ki reira ākona mai ai te reo – kia reo te taiao.”
Plans are already underway for the next Kurataiao which is taking place on 25-27 September 2024 in South Taranaki, when the weather is warmer and more taiao teams can attend.
“Our vision for Kurataiao Taranaki is to be more than a conference; we want it to be a movement and a source of support for our taiao into the future,” says Puna.
“Here in Taranaki, we have seen more people on the ground in the taiao space not only working for local and central government, and councils, but in the iwi and hapū space too.”
“There’s more resource now to support our people on the ground in formal recognised roles as kaitiaki. We want Kurataiao Taranaki to grow and become a well-supported community in its own right with the full ecosystem of kaitiaki comprising of healers, creatives, gardeners, growers, hunters, fishers, technicians, planners all working together.”
“Mā te ringa raupō, mā te ringa raupā te taiao ka ara.”
Kurataiao Taranaki speakers
Liana Poutū, Te Rau Toi Tauira, Chair PKW Trust Opening address
Hana Rāwhiti-Maipi Māramataka Māori and Mana Motuhake, a Taiohi Voice
Tina Porou Te Mana o te Wai—Te Hira Pūao the Movement
Debbie Ngārewa-Packer Seabed Mining the Taranaki Context and Iwi Activism
Dr Billy van Uitgret Mātauranga Pākehā is there such a thing?
Sarah Mako RMA Reforms Tiriti window dressing?
Tonga Karena supported by Tihikura Hohaia Te Whakahī Waiata Taiao, waiata composition for the taiao
Te Reo Wānanga – Te Ātaarangi
Dr Ruakere Hond and Hawaiki Tamati
Tautohetohe Debate Panel
Tuhiao Bailey, Dr Josephine Sullivan, Puna Wano-Bryant vs Dion Luke, Mananui Ramsden, Dinnie Moeahu Climate Change is the world’s problem not a Māori problem.
