this issue
Sterling Maxwell | Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Konohi, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine
Kimihia Garcia-Grace
10 Language & Love
Shay McEwan | Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki, Te Whanau a Kai, Ngāti Pāhauwera
Pā Harakeke
Harris Puanaki-Devon | Te Arawa Whānui, Tūwharetoa, Te Rohe Pōtae, Te Awa Tupua, Ngāti Toa, Kāi Tahu
15 TOI | Taramainuku
Marama Salsano | Ngāi Tuhoe, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Wairere ki Waikato
William Koko | Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga, Ngāiterangi, Kāi Tahu, Olosega, Sili, Taputimu
17 Maramataka o te Wiki nei
Hemi Pinfold-Whanga | Ngāi Tūhoe, Waikato-Tainui
18 Tēnā, tūkuna te hunga taiohi kia tohe, kia haka, kia puawai
Taipari | Te Whānau Moana, Te Rorohuri
Rosa Schooner-Hibbert | Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Awa
22
Ka Whaiwhai Tonu Review
Keiha Nicol | Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Mahurehure, Te Uri o Hau 23 TOI
Amiria-Rose Monga | Ngāti Whatua, Te Uri o Hau, Kuki Āirani
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EDITORIAL TE AO MĀRAMA
Poipoia te kākano kia puāwai
Issue edited by Te Rātā Campbell He uri tēnei nō Te Rarawa me Te Aupōuri. I tipu ake i te Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa.
He uri tēnei nō Te Rarawa me Te Aupōuri. I tipu ake i te Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa.
Tuituia ngā taura kahika
Tuituia ngā taura tangata
Tuituia ngā taura o Te Tumu Herenga Waka
Kei ngā karangaranga maha, kei ngā mana nui, kei ngā mauri tiketike o te motu, tēnā koutou. Ka paoro taku karanga pōwhiri mai i te maunga o Whakakoro ki Ahumairangi, nei he mokopuna o te Nōta e tuku reo matakuikui atu ki a koutou katoa. Kia puāwai ai te pā harakeke whānui, me rangaranga ngā tini rau o te motu e tātou, kia matomato ai. Kia matomato te reo Māori. Kia matomato te iwi Māori. Kia matomato te ao Māori. Kia matomato Te Tumu Herenga Waka
Kia ora! I am so excited that you’ve picked up this magazine! My name is Te Rātā Campbell, and I am this year’s Āpiha Tūmatanui (Public Communications Officer) of Ngāi Tauira, the Māori Students Association of Te Herenga Waka.
That means I have been gifted the absolute privilege of guest editing an edition of Salient for Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori. This magazine is something really special, this is Te Ao Mārama. Te Ao Mārama means the ‘world of light’. This is a reference to a story very important to Māori: our creation story.
Māori traditionally believe that first was the thought, then the spirit, and finally manifestation into matter.
Te Kore, Te Pō and Te Ao Mārama. Simply, Te Kore was a void, a nothingness, yet full of energy and pregnant with possibility.
Te Pō, the Night. This night was intensely dark, deep, and long. It was a period of time that was that of the unknown, the intangible, unseen, and unknowable.
Te Ao Mārama is the light that slowly manifested in darkness, a world of knowledge and understanding.
This is expressed in the whakataukī “Poipoia te kākano kia puāwai/Nurture the seed so that it may flourish”. The seed planted in thought may flourish into matter.
For this week’s edition of Salient, the name Te Ao Mārama reflects what this magazine means to tauira Māori at Te Herenga Waka. It represents our revitalisation. The return
of Māori culture and language to the light, to our people, and to the world.
Te Ao Mārama, Poipoia te Kākano kia Puāwai . I think this theme is perfect for this year’s issue as it relates to everything we do. All things stem from a nurtured seed. We were once seeds within our mother’s whare tangata, our families nurtured by our tīpuna and from the seeds of our māra, our tamariki from the aroha grown in our hearts. The seeds of our culture and reo flourish within us as we embrace each other in all that we do as Māori.
I see Te Ao Mārama as fresh nourishment, feeding our connection as tauira Māori to Te Ao Māori. Te Ao Mārama is a sign of growth and health for tauira Māori at Te Herenga Waka. It is an outlet in which tauira Māori are free to express themselves and see the expression of their peers, in te reo Pākehā and te reo Māori. Thus we see our culture and language flourish, and we send our invitation to the other tauira of Te Herenga Waka to come into our world and thoughts, even if just for this moment.
Thank you to all the people who made this year’s Te Ao Mārama happen. To the Salient team and Te Komiti Whakahaere for their ongoing and endless love and support. To this year’s contributors, the writers and the artists, for their amazing content. And to this year’s translators (and for the support of Vini Olsen-Reeder) for making this available in te reo Māori. For those of you reading this, thank you for allowing me to share this with you. I appreciate you all so much. You have helped nurture the seed, and now we can flourish together.
Slay, Te Rātā
Tiwhatiwha te pō, tiwhatiwha te ao! Whakaeke mai tō roimata, tō hūpē, i ngā mate o te wā nei.
Tēnei te parekawakawa te tohu o te mate, ki te hunga kua whetūrangitia ki te pō haere, e oki, Tae noa mai ki ngā matatini kua hau mai ki uta ki te whare wananga, kua wehe rānei ki tai, kia tangi kau atu mātau ngā waihotanga ō rātau mā, He rurutu roimata tā te manawa e. E tangi hotuhotu ana te manawa, te pātukituki o whatumanawa kia rongo rawatia te ao. kei te mōteatea tonu te ngākau, e korengarenga ana a hirikapo i te mahara. Kia rangonatia i tōna ahua, i tōna aroha anō hoki.
E rangi e, kingī ō te kotahitanga ō ngā iwi tēnei ō iwi e haku nei e rere ko hūpē nei kia koe kua hoki atu ki ngā rārangi kingī ō te pō, nō reira e rangi takato koe i tō tupuna Taupiri kūao ki tō whaea ki ō tupuna taha hei okinga whakamutunga, E ara te arikinui Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō e noho koe i te torona tapu hei pitau whakarei mō te ao katoa rire rire hau pai mārire.
Ka rewa a Pōhutukawa ki te pae. He tohu maumaharatanga ki a rātau mā kua whetūrangitia He karanga tēnei ki a koe e te whetū, tīrama mai. Tīrama mai kia hura ngā mata o ngā tūpuna. Tēnei te Whakarahia a mahara ki ngā tauira, ki ngā kaiwhakaako ō muri o te herenga waka.
Nau mai e Koanga e, ngā rito hou te haere mai nei, ngā oriori o te wao te rongo atu. Ko tēnei te wā kia whakarite i a tātau anō. Kia ea ai ngā mahi i tūmanakotia i te anamata, me mihi kā tika. Me tuku mihi ki ngā rangatira, ngā māreikura o mātau kua whakatakoto i te ara hei hīkoi mā mātou. He reo tēnei hei whakamana i a rātou kua poipoia i ngā kākano, kia puāwai a tōna wā.
E moe, e okioki, tukuna mai te mana ki a mātau kua waiho nei ki te kawe i tō tātau whare ki anamata.
Ka huri,
KO WAI
KO WAI
Sterling Maxwell | Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Konohi, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine
I have made many decisions in my lifetime. Twenty-two short years, yet so many choices. Countless missteps, both minor and major, all of which cast shadows over my journey onwards. Like a map of mistakes, each one leaves its mark on the path ahead. I have driven straight ahead instead of turning right. I have chosen him over her. I have stepped on landmines and thrown wrenches in the work. I have built houses on sand and sailed off-course. I have opened Pandora's box and I have dropped the ball. I have spilt ink over white pages and laid seeds in a barren land. I have let opportunities slip away, wasted potential and fallen short. I have failed. I have failed. I have failed.
They look at me and I smile, because what else am I to do? I am a hero to them. But to myself, I am my own worst villain. The weight of these failures is crushing at times. Like carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders—I can’t shake it off. My successes and accomplishments seem futile. The achievements feel hollow, tainted by the disappointment I see in their eyes. “You’re not good enough”, “it was only by luck”, and “you don’t deserve it”, must sit on the tip of their tongues. I could have done better. I should have done better. I am not worthy. I am not worthy. I am not worthy.
Ko wai au? I am worthless.
I am trapped in a prison of my own making, a place both invisible and inescapable. The bars are made unbreakable, forged by my own self-doubt and strengthened by every negative thought and the overly critical voice floating in my mind. The walls, paper-thin, yet indestructible, are constructed from the constant lies I have accepted as the truth and the fears that have come to define me. In this prison, time stands still. The clock ticks slowly, each moment stretching into an eternity. The darkness is palpable, a heavy fog that obscures my vision and my hope. The air is thick with the weight of my own self-criticism, making it hard to breathe, hard to think, and hard to escape.
Ko wai au? I am a prisoner to my own mind.
Ko wai koe?
You would never notice what they see. Only taking in the negatives and not the overwhelming positives. Their young minds have had a front-row seat at your game of life ever since they were born. A chance to watch and learn. Yet, you don’t notice what they see. Blinded by the bars of that damned prison that barricades you from seeing the truth. You don’t notice the way their eyes fill with admiration or the words of praise that fill their young vocabulary, because of you. They have watched you at your highest point from afar, but they have been right in front of you at your lowest. They have seen you stumble, trip and fall face forward into the path you’re weaving for yourself. They don’t fully understand the darkest part of your world yet and you can only pray they never have to find out.
Ko wai koe? You…you are still their hero.
They just hope one day you can be your own.
They do notice. They do see the truth. They see the good in you, the beauty and strength that breaks through the cracks of your self-doubt. They watched you love and care, both for them and others. They watched you inspire and they became inspired, because of you. Like a seed that has been nurtured and loved, they have watched you grow and blossom into the person you are today. They have watched you stand back up when you were knocked down. They have loved you, not in spite of your flaws, your failures, your disappointments and your worthiness, but because of them. They have loved you because you are real; because you are authentic. And as they envision their future and imagine the attention turning towards them, they love you because they realise that once upon a time, you were them and one day they will be you.
Ko wai koe? You are them. And they are you.
Where To From Here?
words by Kimihia Garcia-Grace
Low-hanging branches brush into Ata’s face as he crawls up through the forest that covers the hills. By this point, his forearms are sore, his pants are torn at the knees, and his nice white flannel shirt is stained red. He’d take it off if not for the snapped tao sticking out of his midsection, catching on the brush and causing more jolts of pain. As if it hadn’t done enough. Worst of all, Ata’s white Air Forces may as well be brown now. He’d just got them last week and hadn’t bought lunch for months, just to afford them. What a waste.
Finally, the ground starts to even out a little, and Ata rolls onto his back to breathe. He started up this hill because he thought he’d be able to see his surroundings from the top, but the trees totally choke out the sky. Nothing to be seen but two pīwakawaka flirting on the lower branch of a rewarewa. Ata really wishes he had some water. Or a pack of gum. He tried to eat a random leaf earlier, just to distract himself, and the bitter taste still swirls around his mouth. Ata considers where to go next. On his left the hill seems to go back down. It’d probably be easier on his body, and odds are there’s a stream somewhere down there. But if he slips and starts rolling downhill, the end of the tao lodged in his guts somewhere is probably gonna fuck him up even more. He gets back to his hands and knees and heads in the other direction, up yet another hill.
It’s approaching evening when the trees start giving way to the orange-tinted clouds. After a particularly steep section, it feels like Ata’s reached the crest of the hill that seems more like a mountain. Approaching the edge of a clearing, he fumbles around and finds an old branch about as big as he is. Standing is a pain with his roughed-up legs, but he manages to limp forward using the branch as a support. When, at last, he breaks free of the treeline, Ata comes face to face with an ancient wharepuni sticking out of the hilltop. The wood is battered, and the right side seems to sag into the ground, but Ata is amazed to find the thatch roof intact.
“How the hell did you get here?” he wonders aloud, his voice ragged.
Ata has to crawl again to get through the low entrance, kicking his muddy shoes off behind him. He’s disappointed to find the interior is just a floor of packed dirt, not even a woven mat or leafy bedding to rest on. He sits with his back to the left wall and
hangs his head. He’d love nothing more than to sleep for about 12 hours right here. Instead, he reluctantly brings the old branch to his side, stripping it of its twigs and bark. He manages to snap pieces from the thinner end of the branch, leaving it around the size of his arm. With the other end, he digs into the floor on his left side, making a shallow pit where he deposits all the bits of branch.
His phone and wallet are long gone, but from his back pocket, Ata takes a lighter and a packet of rolling papers. He takes a second to thank his vices before carefully spreading the papers at the bottom of the woodpile and setting them alight.
It takes quite a bit of prodding to get the fire going, but as the remaining twilight gives way to night, Ata’s grateful for the small bit of warmth and light. The pain in his torso seems to lessen as he sits completely still, leaning his shoulders and head against the wall.
Then, the very moment Ata starts to consider falling asleep, a shrill voice calls out to him, “Boy, that looks nasty.”
His eyes jump to the entrance, where he finds a weka peeking its head into the whare. It tilts its beak at him and scurries on inside. Ata can only cough as the weka comes up close to him and starts eyeing up his wound.
“Nasty indeed. I’m impressed you climbed all the way up here,” it says. Or not that it says, but rather that Ata hears that shrill voice in his head speaking to him as the weka chitters.
The weka gives a cautious peck to the area where the tao pierces his skin, and Ata yelps as a jolt of pain runs through him.
“Sorry, sorry.” It says, though it proceeds to hop on Ata’s stomach to inspect the top of the wound, the light pressure still causing a throbbing pain. It pokes its head under Ata’s shirt.
“Yup, that’s nasty alright,” it says, its head popping back out.
Ata hardly registers the feeling of its small feet as it treads up to his chest, where it settles down. It’s surprisingly warm.
“Now, how did a nice-looking boy like you get in this state?” it asks.
“What... even... are you?” Ata replies. His throat feels like it’s filled with thorns.
“Nuh uh, I asked first. You answer my question, don’t worry about me.”
“I... ran into... some trouble.” Ata feels uneasy as he looks into the weka’s beady eyes, which stare
back into him expectantly. “Picked a little fight. Some guys, they liked to... mess with me.”
The weka cocks its head. “And did you get back at them?”
Ata coughs out a chuckle. “Got my ass beat.”
“Hmph,” the weka pecks at his pecs, “with a chest like this, I thought you would’ve got some good hits in.”
“I never really fought before. And they had a spear.”
“Right. That does seem unfair. Still, you can’t go roughhousing with some tough guys like that. Now look at you. What a shame.”
“Yeah...” Ata hangs his head. The weka still stares at him. “But I don’t regret it.”
“Oh?”
“I can say I went out swinging. I actually... stood up for myself, at least.” Ata feels his body loosen as he speaks, his chest easing as he takes ever shallower breaths. “Hey, bird. What’s gonna happen to me now?”
“Well, you’re almost there anyway. Why spoil the fun?” The weka gets up and hops off Ata’s chest. “Don’t drift off yet though. I’ll be right back.”
Ata watches as the weka scurries out of the whare into the night. The fire beside him has already started to dwindle away, yet he doesn’t feel it getting any colder. His entire focus is on keeping his eyelids from shutting completely.
Thankfully, the weka returns quickly, with a walnut shell clutched in its beak. It climbs up to Ata’s collarbone and sticks out the shell, filled with some sort of liquid, towards his mouth.
“Open up, but don’t swallow,” it says.
Ata does as he’s told, letting the liquid sit in his open mouth. The liquid tastes faintly like a potato. The weka tosses aside the shell and sits back down on Ata’s chest.
“You came to this place a little sooner than you should’ve. And yet, you find yourself at peace with the choices that led you here. Some of us would consider it foolish. I see that as noble,” says the weka. “You can spit it out now.”
Ata manages to let the liquid dribble from his mouth. “Thanks, bird,” he says. He feels his mind-numbing, the walls of the whare seeming to disappear despite the remaining firelight. He no longer registers the pain from his wounds or the ache of his muscles. Just the soothing warmth of the weka as it looks deep into his drooping eyes.
“Rest easy,” it says.
Embracing te Reo Māori Together: A Journey of Language and Love
Shay McEwan | Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki, Te Whanau a Kai, Ngāti Pāhauwera
Teaching someone a language isn’t just about words; it’s about weaving a deeper connection to culture, identity, and the future. For Tom and I, that language is te reo Māori. What began as a casual curiosity has blossomed into a heartfelt commitment to fluency, driven not only by the desire to communicate but also by the dream of one day passing on this invaluable heritage to our future tamariki.
My partner, Tom, a Pākehā man who works in Cyber Security, and I, a Māori woman studying Education and History, both grew up barely understanding or knowing much te reo Māori. For him, it was due to his life in Ashhurst, a predominantly Pākehā area, and for me, it was due to my family growing up in a time when they were forbidden from speaking the language, so they couldn’t pass it down or try to learn later on.
Our journey into te reo Māori started with me wanting to connect closer to my culture; for him, it was a way to support me on my journey. We began with simple greetings and phrases—a playful "Kia ora!" here and a curious "Kei te pēhea koe?" there. Tom is eager to learn and embrace each new word with enthusiasm, his genuine interest kindling my own passion for the language.
As we delved deeper, we discovered the cultural richness within the language. From the symbolism of whakataukī to the profound meanings woven into pepeha, each lesson became not just a linguistic exercise but a profound exploration of identity and belonging. Tom, with his attentive nature, absorbed nuances eagerly, recognising that language is more than just a means of communication—it’s a vessel that carries the wisdom and traditions of generations.
Our journey hasn’t been without its challenges. Pronunciations that twist the tongue, grammar that dances to its own rhythm, and the vast ocean of vocabulary—all presented hurdles that tested our dedication. Learning te reo Māori together has become an adventure, a journey of discovery that strengthened our bond and deepened our commitment to each other, and our future.
Looking ahead, we envision a future where our children will inherit not only our love but also our commitment to te reo Māori. We dream of reading them stories steeped in Māori legends, singing waiata that resonate with the spirit of Aotearoa, and passing down traditions from my culture. Our journey towards fluency isn’t just about us—it’s about nurturing a legacy that bridges past, present, and future generations.
Teaching Tom te reo Māori has been more than a linguistic endeavour; it’s been a testament to the power of love, curiosity, and cultural appreciation. It’s embracing a language that embodies resilience, respect, and reciprocity—a language that enriches our lives and strengthens our connection to each other, and to our community.
In the end, our journey towards fluency in te reo Māori is a journey of hope—a hope that our dedication today will blossom into a future where our family speaks with pride, understanding, and fluency. With each new word learned and each milestone achieved, we move closer to realising our dream of raising children who are not only fluent in te reo Māori but who also carry forward the values and traditions that make this language a treasure worth cherishing.
Together, hand in hand, we continue our journey— guided by love, inspired by culture, and united in commitment to te reo Māori.
Kia Puāwai te Pā Harakeke
Harris Puanaki-Devon | Te Arawa Whānui, Tūwharetoa, Te Rohe
Pōtae, Te Awa Tupua, Ngāti Toa, Kāi Tahu
Tāne te wānanga
Nāu rā te karanga
Mā te hiringa i te mahara
E tūtuki ai
Engari i mahue
Atu nei rā ai e koe
Ko ngā whakawhiunga o wehe
A tauiwi e
Ka rewa ko ngā Toa
Te ope tauā o ngā hoa
Nāna te reo i ora
I puāwai ai
I hanga i ngā whare
O te mana motuhake
Te Huinga Rangatahi
E mihi nei e
Nō reira e ngā rahi
Hāpai ake ngā mahi
Kua whakatauirahia mai
E ngā iho pūmanawa
Tomo mai ki te whare
O mana, ō ākonga mate
Anei Te Huinga Tauira
E mihi nei e
Ka huri ki ngā Api, ngā Kapu, ngā Ruka, ngā Rangi
Te Ngoi o te manawa
Te Haenga o te marama
Te Ata-i-ngā-rangi-kaahu
Hei whakaRata i te Matiu
Kei ngāi wānanga
Tēnā koutou
Hutia te rito o te harakeke, kei whea te kōmako e kō? Kī mai ki ahau, he aha te mea nui o te ao?
Māku e kī atu, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata. (Pull out the shoot of the flax bush, where will the bellbird sing? Say to me what is the greatest thing in the world? I will say the people, the people, the people.
From the rope that hauled up the North Island, to the piupiu adorning our kaihaka, to the woven walls of our wharenui, our pā harakeke symbolise the unequivocal strength of Ngāi Māori. The shoots represent our youth, the inner leaves represent our parents, the outer leaves represent our elders and the roots represent our whakapapa.
With roots older than the footsteps of our tīpuna and whakapapa longer than that of our uri whakaheke, the intergenerational knowledge intertwined within our pā harakeke represent not only our past, but also directs us into our future.
The tumultuous upheaval of our social, political and cultural landscapes in 2024 have had detrimental consequences which continue to perforate our Māori communities, our pā harakeke. However, as Māori it is important to remember that we are more than our colonisation, and the adjudications and statistics that have been superimposed over us through foreign laws.
Therefore, this piece is a celebration of Māori tertiary education, a reflection on the legacies of those who paved the way for Te Mana Ākonga, and the importance of pā harakeketanga.
Titiro whakamuri kia haere whakamua (Looking backwards into the past, to go forwards into the future).
Te Mana Ākonga is an outcome of the international protest movements of the 1960s, a decade that saw mass movements for feminism and black liberation, and against US wars. This period signalled an era of societal change in the wake of the world wars. These movements permeated throughout the Pacific and eventually arrived in Aotearoa.
Universities are supposed to be the critics of society, however, as Māori, we were often the victims of said critique. Universities and tertiary education
ahuatanga
were powerful tools of colonisation, employed to disseminate racist propaganda in order to further perpetuate Māori oppression. From universities came racist literature which published that Māori were unintelligent, unmotivated, unhealthy and unsuccessful. However, they failed to see that Māori were unwavering, unforgettable and most importantly, undefeatable.
The reign of colonial education systems and colonial supremacy began to erode as Māori entered into tertiary education. This was the birth of the pā harakeke of Te Mana Ākonga.
Ko te waka hei hoehoenga mō koutou i muri i a ahau, ko te ture. Mā te ture anō te ture e āki. (The canoe for you to paddle after me is the law. Only the law can fight the law).
This whakatauāki is from Te Kooti Arikirangi, and notes that Māori need to utilise the tools and systems which were weaponised against us in order to benefit our own. This was recognised by our predecessors, who fought for the right of Māori to succeed in higher education.
The Te Mana Ākonga anthem, written by former Tumuaki Te Wehi Wright, acknowledges some of the iho pūmanwa who have contributed to Māori culture such as Tā Apiriana Ngata, Ruka Rangiāhuta Broughton, Kuini Te Atairangikaahu and Matiu Rata.
The gateway to tertiary education for Māori was the polytechnics, as they offered an alternative route to tertiary education other than universities. Polytechnics specialised in skills-based teaching, which benefitted Māori as they migrated into the cities during mass-urbanisation, in order to support the labour backbone of the economy. However, this exposed the poverty of Māori education in the tertiary curriculum, as Māori content was not taught at the time.
As Māori eventually progressed from the polytechnics and into the universities, this movement ignited a wave of decolonisation within tertiary education. The fight for equality led to the establishment of our Māori tertiary protest groups, namely Ngā Tamatoa and the Reo Māori Society.
Succeeded by them were our Māori Students’ Associations from each university. Te Rōpū Māori from the University of Otago, Te Akatoki from the
University of Canterbury, Te Āwhioraki from Lincoln University, Ngāi Tauira from Victoria University, Te Waiora from University of Waikato, Tītahi ki Tua from Auckland University of Technology, Ngā Tauira Māori from University of Auckland, and Te Tira Ahu Pae from Massey University.
Our ancestors fought for a language they did not get to speak, for classes they did not get to attend, for us to attend the very universities which persecuted and excluded them. They did not get to reap the fruits of the seeds which they planted, they missed out on the flourishing of their own pā harakeke. Therefore, the fight for our pā harakeke is a never-ending journey, and it is our role as members of our pā harakeke to ensure that it continues to flourish.
Ki te kāhore he whakakitenga ka ngaro te iwi (Without foresight or vision, the people will be lost).
The importance of a collective vision was highlighted by Kingi Tāwhiao, our second Māori King. In the same way that our mats are woven, many individual strands combine together to form a collective. The collective vision of Te Mana Ākonga is a decolonised, barrier-free tertiary education system which honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
At the end of last year, we were presented with a question from a kaumātua: what happened to the protesting tauira Māori?
What happened to the marches from the top of the North to Paremata? What happened to those who collected 30,000 signatures for te reo Māori? Are we too comfortable conforming to Pākehā paradigms of consultation, limiting ourselves to boardrooms, offices and council chambers?
Te Mana Ākonga comes from grassroots activism; therefore, to honour our history, we have returned to our roots: Māori protest. Unapologetically we have
stood in support of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Palestine and all other indigenous students throughout the world. We have targeted Māori student housing, Māori homelessness and the winter energy subsidy, as well as the public transport subsidy. And we continue to advocate against all judicial and legislative avenues of the Government, which continue to undermine our mana Māori motuhake.
The theme of our Te Huinga Tauira this year is ‘Toitū Te Tauira Māori’. Our theme recognises the inherent strength required by Māori students to contribute to a system which has taken so much from us, in order to ensure that our future generations do not endure the same struggles that we face—just as our ancestors did for us.
For too long, generations of Māori families have been deprived of the right to tertiary education, a perceived public good that purports to support all. Our future pā harakeke will boast lineages of Māori scholarship that are so deeply entrenched that the first in-family graduate will be the exception, not the norm.
The end goal of Te Mana Ākonga is to not exist anymore. To have empowered our students so greatly that there is no need for advocacy because tertiary is truly equitable. One day, there will be cohorts of Māori students entering Universities unaware of an exterminated predetermined fate, with the only worry that they carry being which of the plethora of degrees will they choose to flourish in.
Stand strong te reo Māori, stand strong Te Tiriti o Waitangi, stand strong te iwi Māori,
And forever and always, Free Palestine
Kia tau iho te tōmairangi a te wāhi ngaro ki runga i a tātou katoa
Breaking Down the Boundaries: The False Separation of “Māori” and “Pasifika”
words by William Koko | Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga, Ngāiterangi, Kāi Tahu, Olosega, Sili, Taputimu
In 1769, at Tūranganui-a-Kiwa, the usual European trade goods from the Endeavour were overshadowed by large sheets of tapa bought from Tahiti. This preference highlights an existing series of connections within the broader Pacific rather than the simple "first-contact" scenario. As communities interacted with Tupaia and Cook, they drew on pre-existing narratives of connection and exchange. Cook wrote of the "extraordinary fondness" for tapa; a dynamic he found notable, but perhaps didn't fully understand.
Despite these connections, the colonial and national narratives in New Zealand have often positioned “Māori” and “Pasifika” as distinct groups. This approach simplifies the complex dynamics witnessed by Cook. Is it time for us to dismantle these strict boundaries and accept that we are more than just “Māori” or “Pasifika”?
The term “Māori” originated during colonial times. One of the earliest documented uses in its modern sense, appears in the diary of Captain Hemleman, an Akaroa whaler, who referred to “Mowries” and “Mouries” while describing the activities of local Kāi Tahu.
More recently, the New Zealand government created the umbrella term “Pasifika” to describe growing communities of migrants representing the Pacific diaspora. Albert Wendt has noted on numerous occasions that there is no such thing as a “Pacific Islander” until one arrives at Auckland airport.
Both terms were unfamiliar to the people they labelled and were done for the colonial aspirations of the New Zealand nation-state. Our communities now use these terms to create binaries that never existed, drawing a line between "relatives" throughout the Pacific.
The term “Māori” might suggest a singular identity rooted solely in Aotearoa, but it is crucial to remember that this identity is deeply intertwined with the broader
Pacific. The shared whakapapa originates with our tīpuna migrating in waves from Hawaiki. In Hawaiki, waka were constructed, launched, and navigated across the ocean, over vast distances and through various islands. We are people of the waka, tracing our lineage and stories across the vast expanse of Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa. Acknowledging this broader history not only enriches our understanding of our identity but also honours the vibrant history of the Pacific.
My family history reflects this interconnectedness. My great-grandparents, Joseph Horomona and Emma Mitchell Koko (Ngāti Kahungunu), migrated to and settled in Tutuila. Joseph and Emma are interred next to Marist Saint Francis Elementary School in Leloaloa, American Samoa. Generations of my “Māori” whānau are now based in American Samoa and continue to move throughout the Pacific.
In a modern commercial sense, informal trade in the Pacific continues despite the strict borders of modern states. In Sea of Islands, academic Epeli Hau'ofa retells the story of an old Tongan friend from Berkeley. Every few months, he buys thousands of dollars worth of kava in Fiji and sells it in California. He also brings T-shirts to students and relatives in Tonga and returns with seafood for his family.
I am asserting that “Māori” and “Pasifika” identities transcend these false boundaries. When tangata whenua saw the tapa on Cook’s and Tupaia’s ship, their response was one of recognition and reconnection. For us, these moments of reunion with the broader Pacific uphold the traditions established by our tīpuna when they navigated their way to Aotearoa generations ago.
By challenging these imposed boundaries and embracing our shared Pacific identity, we can honour the true nature of our interconnectedness and foster a more inclusive and accurate understanding of our heritage.
Maramataka
words by Hemi Pinfold-Whanga (Ngāi Tūhoe, Waikato-Tainui)
Kia ora and welcome to your guide through the Maramataka, starting the 16th of September 2024.
Tūrei: Turu
Mane: Atua
Whakahaehae
Ah, Monday—a day to kia tau like a pro. It's medium energy, perfect for admiring te taiao and showing a bit of aroha to Papatūānuku. Why not swap that disposable cup for a reusable one and caffeinate with a conscience e hoa mā?
Tuesday's cranking up the energy. It’s like the universe woke up and chose ‘high productivity’! Today is a meke day to stop procrastinating and bust out your assignment at the library or get the bros together for some korikori tinana at the rec centre. Supporting your mates and smashing goals—that’s the tahi.
Wenerei: Te Rākaunui
Pai kare! It’s full moon time—high energy alert! Wednesday’s here to help you shiiiiiiine. Get productive, whether it’s in the library, korikori tinana, or belting it out like Pere Wīhongi at haka practice—you will definitely make the most of Te Rākaunui.
Taite: Rākaumatohi
Thursday’s keeping the high vibes flowing. Finish those assignments, start at that club you’ve been dreaming of, or get into some mahi māra. With all this energy e te whānz, why not go for a quick hīks up Mt. Vic?
Paraire: Takirau
Wrapping up the week with a gentle breeze of medium energy. Take a breather e te whānz! Celebrate the week that has been with some cheeky inus at your favourite bar (Rezzies anyone?) or catch up on that Netflix drama you’ve been meaning to watch.
Chur!
Tēnā, tūkuna te hunga taiohi kia tohe, kia haka, kia puawai
I tū mai te whakataetae kapa haka ā-motu mō ngā kura tuarua, me te nui kē o ngā tohe tōrangapū i hakahaka, i pāterehia atu e wērā rangatahi. Haruru pai te Whare Miere nā te pātere o ngā rangatahi ki Whakatū, ā, ko tētahi kaitōrangapū matua kua kakati e te wero o te hunga taiohi, ko Shane Jones.
Ko tōna, me waihō te ao tōrangapū ki te hunga pakeke, nā, me waiho ngā tamariki kia haka hei tamariki. Kia kaua nōki ngā kaiako e pēhi ō rātou ake whakaaro ki ngā tamariki. E ai ki a Jones, mēnā koinei te taumata o te kapa haka, he nui ake ngā hua a te AI pea mā te hunga kaiutu tāke.
Ki ōku nei whakaaro, e mōhio pai ana te hunga taiohi ki te ao tōrangapū. Ko te kōrero rongonui a HanaRāwhiti Maipi-Clarke tērā mō te “reanga kohanga reo,” ka tika, ko tōku reanga kē tēnā.
The Kohanga Reo movement is inherently political as a response to te Reo Māori dying due to Pākeha politics. Consequently, the seeds sown from that movement, the “Kohanga Reo Generation,” are born, nurtured, and grown politically and, thus, are aware from the womb of the struggle for Māori Liberation. Te piko o te māhuri, tērā te tupu o te rākau.
Waihoki, he takahi nui tēnei i te mana o ngā rangatahi. We know that rangatahi are more than capable of understanding politics—history proves this. From the young students at Freyberg High School earlier this year, to the Ngā Tamatoa activist group, even back to the young Eruera Pare Hongi, the “scribe” of He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tirene. With young Māori being genuinely represented in Parliament by the likes of Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke and Tamatha Paul, and in this day in age where everything is so accessible online, how could we not be engaged?
Anō hoki, ko te ao haka tētahi o ngā tino taonga e whakaatu ana i te ihi, te wehi, te mauri me te mana o te ao Māori. Ko ngā kaitito, ko ngā kaiako o te ao haka tērā e whakarīrā ana, ao te pō, pō te ao, mō ngā rangatahi te take; he ringa raupā, he pukumahi, he taonga nā te aroha e kore rawa e tāea ana te tāruatia e te AI. Ka pā atu ēnei taonga ki ngā take katoa mai i ngā rā ō mua ki ēnei rā tonu, nō reira ka tika koinei te wāhi pai kia tohe atu ai i ngā momo kaupapa e tāmi ana i te ao Māori. Kāore he wāhi tū atu mō te hunga rangatahi kia puāwai ā-tinana, ā-wairua, ā-hinengaro hoki.
Ki a au nei, he tohu pai tēnei mō te puāwaitanga o tō tātou āpōpō. Kei te tahatū o te rangi tēnei ao hou mā te ao Māori, nā, ko te hunga rangatahi tērā e kukume ana te pae tawhiti hei pae tata.
We are the seeds born from greatness, seeds our tūpuna fought to sow and nurture. I believe the path to a brighter āpōpō starts with our rangatahi being engaged in their own futures today, so that they may continue the fight for our future kākano—kei pīrau ngā pitomata i ruia mai i Rangiātea.
Ko tāku, tēnā, tukuna ko te reo taiohi kia tohe, kia haka, kia puāwai.
Nā Taipari Taua, Te Whānau Moana, Te Rorohuri
A response to this paru government and their colonial way
Rosa Schooner-Hibbert | Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Awa
MOVIE REVIEW Ka Whawhai Tonu
words by Keiha Nicol
These words rang out across the quiet battlefield at the apex of the famous battle of Ōrākau, the last stand of the Waikato Wars… These famous words, belonging to the renowned Chief Rewi Maniapoto, were at the heart of this film, which brilliantly brought us back to that terrible moment in time.
1864, the final year of the Waikato invasion by the Colonial Government and British Crown, saw the unjust persecution of those iwi aligned with the Kīngitanga within the Waikato District. Following several battles, the remaining Waikato Kingites were joined by Ngāi Tūhoe and Ngāti Raukawa fighters set on making a defiant stand against a Colonial force more than four times their size. Their stand at Ōrākau is known famously today as Rewi’s last stand. This is the context for a movie directed by Māori, in Te Reo Māori, as a reminder of the history of Māori.
From the start, I was blown away by the reo, the kākahu and the abundance of mataora on screen. The reo, the people and the setting drew me into the trenches at Ōrākau, where most of the film was based. These things set the scene for the battles and the increasing tenseness in Ōrākau as they ran out of ammunition and water. Everything in this story showed the depth and diversity of the people fighting for their tino rangatiratanga and whenua.
Not only did the movie tell the story of Ōrākau, but it added to it to make us feel in the moment. The tamariki were at the centre of this movie, and were involved with everything— from the preparation of cartridges and karakia, to the actual
fighting itself. They were relatable, having interactions with rangatira wahine Turama and Rewi that reminded me of tamariki with their aunties and kaumātua, and they had complicated relationships with their whānau. But of all the relationships in this movie, it was their friendships that shone the brightest, bringing hope and a wholesome touch to the film. Having tamariki as the main characters for me changed the focus from the fight to the people, and these two kept getting more interesting as the movie went on (no spoilers)! Most of all, these two and their friends represented the next generations that continue to fight and resist for what is right.
For me, this film was not only a reminder of the sad history of this time and place but also a reminder of the struggle to fight for our tino rangatiratanga, our mana motuhake and our Māoritanga. The fight by those who fought and died at Ōrākau showed both the defiance of our tipuna and the aroha they had for each other. Not only were they fighting an impossible battle, but the main characters also fought to do it the right way. Those same issues are still relevant, but the tools for colonisation have changed from muskets and swords to pen and policy. We continue to face policies that strip away our reo and our tino rangatiratanga and degrade our whenua and awa. The intent behind these policies is disguised by politeness and politics, but like our tipuna we are adaptable and determined. We only have to look back to our tipuna for answers such as the tono laid down by Rewi at Ōrākau:
“Ka whawhai tonu mātou, Āke!, Āke! Āke!”
Nei au ka noho ki te māhau o tōku whare o te Tumu Herenga Waka.
Ko wai rā, ko wai rā te tipuna kei runga ko Kupe. Uhia mai ki roto ngā tipuna nō ngā hau e wha o Ngāi tātou.
Ka hoki mahara ki ngā ra o Ruka rāua ko Pāka, nā rāua i para te huarahi ma mātou, hei whai kainga rua ki roto i tēnei ao hurihuri, kia mau ki ngā rākau a te Pākehā he hoa hāere mō te iwi māori. Koinei te tāhuhu whakairo mō ngā waka tauira kua ū ki ngā one haumako o Te Herenga Waka marae.
kaupapa o te huinga tauira i te mea ka kitea inaianei, he kaupapa whakakotahi i ngā tauira Māori kei ngā whare wānanga. He mahi tautohetohe, he mahi kapa haka, he mahi hākinakina ka mutu he whakawhiti whakaaro me te wānanga i ngā take nui o te ao Māori e puta ai te ihu o te iwi. Ko te reo Māori tētahi kaupapa kei te pane o ngā ngutu.
Nā whai anō ka hua ake tēnei kaupapa o te Salient. He maheni reo Māori e whakatairanga ana i ngā kaupapa whānui mā te reo Māori hei pānuitanga mā te ao. Kia horapa, kia māhorahora te reo.
I te tau 1965 i timata te rōpu o Ngai Tauira. I taua wā ko te ingoa ko te karapu Māori. I puta te whakaaro ki te whakatū rōpū motuhake i te huinga tauira i tu ki Tamaki i te tau 1955. Kāore i tino tawhiti rawa te
Nō reira e te tī, e te tā nau mai, ruku mai i ngā wai hora kai o Ngāi Tauira. Whitiki!
Mind Your Tongue!
He kaha tā tātou whakaaro ake ki te ako i te reo Māori, engari tēnei mea te ako – he wāhi kotahi noa iho tērā o te huhua o ngā kaupapa me whakatutuki e ora ai te reo Māori o te tangata.
I tua atu i te ako, me mahi te tangata e tahuri ai te reo o ōna rā, kia mimiti ai te kōrerotia o te reo Pākehā, kia tīkina atu ko te reo Māori hei kawe i ngā mahi o ia rā, o ia rā. Me pēhea kē hoki e taea ai te pērā? Ko te haere ki te karaihe te whakahoki i te reo Māori ki te pene, āe rānei mā te karaihe e whakahoki te reo Māori ki te arero?
Tahuri mai ki tētahi kaupapa hou nei ko Mind Your Tongue! te ingoa. He kaupapa i whakaarahia ake e Vini Olsen-Reeder hei āwhina i te tangata kia tahuri ngā tikanga reo o te kāinga. Nau mai a tini, a mano, ki tēnei kaupapa e whakahoki nei i te reo Māori ki te mata o te arero! tinyurl.com/Mind-Your-Tongue @mind.yourtongue on insta
Ko wai mātou:
Ko Ngā Rangahautira te rōpū mō ngā tauira Māori o te ture ki Te Herenga Waka. Ko tā Te Kooti Arikirangi kōrero e ārahi nei i a mātou, 'mā te ture anō te ture e āki”. Ko te whāinga matua o Ngā Rangahautira, ko te poipoi, me te raupī i ngā tauira Māori o Te Kauhanganui Tātai Ture ki Te Herenga Waka. Ka tutuki ēnei whāinga mā te whakaoho, me te whakaara mai anō i ngā tikanga a kui mā, a koro mā e noho muna ana ki roto i wā tātou tauira mohoa nei. Ko te manako ia, mā ēnei tikanga te rangatiratanga o te tauira e whitawhita mai anō, ā, kawea ai ērā pūmanawa me ērā āhuatanga puta noa ki ngāi Māori whānui, te haere ake nei.
Te whakapapa o Ngā Rangahatira:
Ngā Rangahautira’s beginning was in the small number of Māori law students that would informally come together before there were enough students to create a group. As the number of tauira Māori at the law school increased in the early 1980s, so did the formality and organisation of the group that would later come to be known as Ngā Rangahautira.
The Māori law students’ study group was established in 1982 by Tā Justice Joe Williams, Ani Mikaere, and Toni Waho. They ran formal weekly study groups at Te Herenga Waka for stage-one Māori law students. This occurred every year, which increased the student pass rate incredibly.
In 1988, Pā Moana Jackson, then working at Te Herenga Waka, acted on a request by tauira at the time and approached one of the kaumātua at Ngā Kaiwhakamārama i Ngā Ture (Māori Legal Service) for help with a name for the Māori Law Students’ rōpū. The kaumātua who gifted the name was Hōhua Tūtengaehe from
On a surface level, ‘Ngā Rangahautira’ means a group in pursuit of knowledge. The deeper meaning of our ingoa is about empowering ourselves within a system which fundamentally disempowers Māori. This is a reflection of our commitment to uplift te ao Māori within the kāwanatanga legal system.
Kei ngā mana, kei ngā reo, kei ngā ihorei o Te Ao Māori, tēnā tātau katoa!
Ngā Taura Umanga (NTU) was established in 2006 to encourage, support, and advocate for the needs of tauira Māori studying any commerce paper— no, you don't have to be doing a BCOM to be a part of NTU :)
In the past, we've coordinated social and professional development kaupapa to support tauira during their time at Te Herenga Waka and prepare them for the workforce. We have attended Ngā Kaitatau Māori o Aotearoa (The National Māori Accountants Network), organised study wānanga, Te Reo Māori classes, CV building workshops, and our illustrious Tātai Hono event. Tātai Hono is a professional networking evening with lots of kai, inu, and inspirational kōrero that offers a space for tauira to connect with and listen to Māori professionals from various careers talk about their experiences of being Māori in business.
For the past couple of years, tauira engagement has been a challenge, and our association has been relatively dormant. Given the importance of all Māori associations at Te Herenga Waka and the rich history behind our associations, there is a desire for us to reignite the movement that is Ngā Taura Umanga, allowing us to continue advocating for tauira Māori studying commerce. Stay tuned to our socials if you're keen to be a part of the new and improved NTU... More information on how to join our association or become a member of the komiti whakahaere will be coming out soon!!
Whakapā mai:
Pukamata (Facebook): Ngā Taura UmangaVUW Māori Commerce Student's Association
Īmēra (Email): ngatauraumanga@gmail.com
Nāku noa
NGĀ
TAURA UMANGA
Te Herenga Waka
Victoria University of Wellington
Māori Students’ Commerce Association
I te tau 1969 i whakaritea ngā tauira o Te Whare Wānanga o Wikitōria he rōpū e tautoko ana, e whakawhanake ana i te reo Māori ki te whare wānanga, ā, ko Te Reo Māori Society tērā.
I te takiwā o te tau 1971, ka puta te kōrero a te kaumātua o te Kotahitanga a te Ouenuku (Joe) Rene o Ngāti Toa Rangatira, mō te reo ki āna tauira. He kaumātua ngākau nui ana ki te reo Māori o Te Whare Wānanga o Wikitōria, ka wero atu ia ki ngā tauira.
“E tama mā, e hine mā. Tērā te atua e pātai mai ki a koutou, I pēwhea e koutou te reo rangatira i hoatungia nā e au, ki a koutou”
E ai ki a Te Kapunga Dewes, nō muri mai i tō rātou rangona i te wero, ka heke te werawera i āna tauira kia tū pakari te rōpū o Te Reo Māori Society, te rōpū ā-motu rongonui. Ko ngā tauira o Te Whare Wānanga o Wikitōria ngā kaiwhakahaere, ā, ma rātou te kaupapa nei e whanake. Ka noho te kōmiti hei matakahi mō ngā kōkiritanga kia ākona whānuitia, kia puritia, kia whakamanaia hoki te reo Māori i ngā tauira o te whare wānanga me te motu whānui.
I te tau 1972, ka hui tahi Te Reo Māori Society me Ngā Tamatoa, ngā ropū reo Māori o Te Whare Wānanga o Wikitōria me Te Whare Wānanga o Tāmaki Makaurau ki te wānanga mō te reo Māori ki ngā kura. I te marama o Mahuru ka whakatakoto te petihana ki te whare paremata kia whakamanatia te reo Māori ki ngā kura. Ka neke atu i te 30,000 ngā ingoa i haina i te petihana.
Te Mana Ākonga
Kei ngā tini whenuwhenu, kei ngā aho manomano, kei te kāhuinga waka, nei mātou ko Te Mana Ākonga e tuku reo hihiri atu ki a koutou katoa.
Ko Te Mana Ākonga ko te rōpū tauira Māori ā-motu e tū ana hei māngai mō ngā hiahia me ngā wawata o ō mātou ake tauira kei tēnā whare wānanga, kei tēnā whare wānanga.
Ko ngā uara tuku iho o Te Mana Ākonga ko mana whakapapa, rangatiratanga, hiranga, tauutuutu, aroha, kanorau me mana ākonga. Ka ārahina mātou i runga i te ara tika e ngā uara nei.
Ka tūtaki mātou ki ngā momo poutokomanawa o te ao mātauranga, pēnei ko Te Kāwanatanga rātou ko Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga, ko NZQA, ko Hato Akoranga me ētahi atu.
Anō, ka whakamaheretia e mātou ngā Hui Kaiārahi - he hui hei whakakotahi i ngā tumuaki nō tēnā nō tēnā kia wānanga ai. Whaihoki anō, ka whakatūhia e mātou te hui ā-motu ko Te Huinga Tauira.
Mēnā he pātai, tuku īmera mai ki tumuaki@temanaakonga.org.nz
Nā mātou, me ngā mihi mākoha o te wā, Te Mana Ākonga
ART EXPLANATIONS
Cover (Front/Back)
Hemaima Keane
Poipoia te kākano, kia puawai’
We chose this whakatauki to honour and celebrate the opening of the Living Pā at the end of this year. To represent the hard work and dedication of generations of tauira Māori, that has resulted in Te Kawa a Māui, Ngāi Tauira, Te Hōhaieti o te reo Māori, Ngā Rangahautira, Ngā Taura Umanga, and the Living Pā. We have a strong history here at Te Herenga Waka, and the identity of Te Tumu Herenga Waka continues to grow and evolve, with every one of us nurturing the seeds of growth.
Page 15
Marama Salsano
Mixed Media
Taramainuku
Ko Marama Salsano ahau. He uri tēnei nō te whānau Akuhata ki Ruatoki, te whānau Ruru ki Te Karaka ki Te Tairāwhiti, te whānau Tautau ki Mangatuna ki te Tairāwhiti, te whānau Ngahiwi/Pene ki Hukanui. Ngāi Tuhoe, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Wairere ki Waikato ngā iwi. To me, the theme ‘Poipoia te Kākano kia Puāwai’ not only resonates as a reminder to look to te taiao, but also to nurture the seeds of greatness we were born with, easy to forget during times of grief. Yet, when we look to the skies, the star of Taramainuku, Te Waka o Rangi, and Te Kupenga a Taramainuku are reminders that our lives endure. We are all born with seeds of greatness, and when it is time for us to soar in Taramainuku's net, greet our kuia Hinenuitepō, and be strewn across Ranginui's chest as stars, our multicoloured, multifaceted seeds of greatness will continue to shine in the skies and in our mokopuna. The two paintings imagine Taramainuku’s journey on Te Waka o Rangi as he gathers our tīpuna before scattering them across Ranginui, thus highlighting the generative and circular nature of life for mana whenua here in Aotearoa. The pink and purple painted upoko whakairo depicts Taramainuku during our dreamtime state—when the dreams of our loved ones are sometimes dark, sometimes silly and whimsical, and sometimes messages from beyond. The multicoloured painted upoko whakairo of Taramainuiku reflects the colours of earth, sky, and sea at sunrise—when light pierces the darkness signifying a new day, new beginnings, hope for the future, and understanding that although our loved ones have passed, we will be okay.
Centerfold
Te Huihui o Matariki
Photography
Untitled
Page 23
Amiria-Rose Monga
Art
Ko Amiria-Rose Monga tōku ingoa. He uri tēnei nō Ngāti Whātua, Te Uri o Hau, me ngā Kuki Āirani hoki. I tipu ahau ki Tāmaki-Makaurau, engari, ka haere mai ki Te Whānganui-ā-Tara kia ako ki Te Herenga Waka.
At the mention of nurturing a seed, these images sprang to mind: a tree planted by water and a mustard seed. The Bible is not short of references to seeds, crops, and messages about how their circumstances impact their growth. This artwork is inspired by the Parable of the Sower, Matthew 13:1-23, where a farmer plants seeds in four different types of soil, growing in four different ways. Seeds fell along the path, and others fell on rocky places with shallow soil, some fell among thorns, and others on good soil. This story emphasises the importance of having a good foundation. The seed here is God’s Word.
Page 28
Terran Philippi
Digital Art
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Moketapu te maunga
Ko Raukawakawa te moana
Ko Whakatu te marae
No Te Whanganui-a-Tara au
With this art piece, I wanted to illustrate the implications that a multicultural upbringing can have on an individual. Born in Te Whanganui-aTara, I whakapapa to both New Zealand Māori and European ancestors and am also German. For me, like many others, it is difficult to find balance. The matatu was gifted to me by my aunty, Tracy Pātete, and represents me and my journey.
Ko Terran Pātete Philippi au
Generation Kāinga:
Rangatahi Building a Regenerative and Resilient Aotearoa
Te Mana Ākonga’s collective vision is a decolonised tertiary education system where ākonga Māori, whānau, hapū, and iwi aspirations are reflected and realised. We believe that through collaboration, activism, working with Māori and upholding our values—Rangatiratanga, Mana whakapapa, Hiranga, Tauutuutu, Mana Ākonga, Aroha and Kanorau—we have the right solutions for this.
Recently, we had one of our quarterly wānanga, Ngā Hui Kaiārahi, and had the honour of hosting Pūrangakura as a part of our partnership in Generation Kāinga in Dunedin, from the 30th of June to the 2nd of July.
Pūrangakura is an independent Kaupapa Māori research centre that is led by Rangatira. “Our work focuses on providing research and supporting development that enhances who we are and how we want to live as Māori— protecting and nurturing our taonga (treasures) to support intergenerational well-being for Aotearoa. Our work seeks to be transformative for our communities, who we believe will always lead the most meaningful change”.
Generation Kāinga, in which Te Mana Ākonga is a rangatahi partner, is a rangahau based on rangatahi building a regenerative and resilient Aotearoa.
Our vision for Generation Kāinga focuses on enabling rangatahi to transform the future of kāinga through indigenous collective and participatory processes of reimagination, resilience and regeneration—so that Aotearoa is ‘the best place in the world’ for rangatahi and their whānau to live.
Student housing is an issue at the forefront of Te Mana Ākonga’s mind, especially under a government that is providing benefits for landlords and those minority of the wealthiest people. Hosting Generation Kāinga at our wānanga meant that we were able to share the struggles, specifically around student housing. We visited some of the student housing, and showed our research team the realities students are living in.
As one of the multiple rangatahi partner organisations in this rangahau, it can sometimes feel like a very privileged
position we sit in as students. We have access to education, informing us how we can let our voice be heard and how we can impact change—information that is often not shared with the most vulnerable people. It leaves us after this wānanga considering how most of us, as tauira, are manuhiri on ancestral grounds of others tipuna—and questioning how we are protecting this whenua and leaving it better. It also leaves a pertinent reminder to our students that, back home in our communities, we are the ones who have access to the voice of the whakaaro and the mātauranga to make a different path. How do we extend these arms like olive branches to those most harmed, for our people and broader Indigenous whānau everywhere?
Some takeaways from this wānanga:
• The state of Rangatahi homelessness in Aotearoa for Māori is one of the worst in the world.
• There are up to 30,000 homeless rangatahi in Auckland alone
• Rangatahi leadership was enabled by the development we have had internally as Te Mana Ākonga, and the support and trust of our pakeke to let us do our thing.
• Rangatahi doing introductions meant getting pakeke to do things they may not remember as fun: riffoffs and dancing, mixed with laughter and hakas. There were learning opportunities when going on a tour, and there was sadness and reflection—on the state of student housing, and in remembering our whanaunga lost at significant tohu.
• Rangatahi spoke their truth of our kōrero, and pakeke saw us. It was beautiful to hear the reactions to our kaupapa; most beautiful of all was the leadership of our youngest rangatahi.
• This rangahau is an opportunity for rangatahi to have our say in what is next. The most crucial part is making sure we hear all voices from all experiences and communities
• Wānanga is needed on how we reach the most vulnerable rangatahi and how we can utilise our privileges if we genuinely believe in a decolonised future of Aotearoa
Rosa HibbeRt-scHooneR | te aRawa, ngāti wHakaue, ngāti awa
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori:
Reflections on Personal Significance
There are plenty of reasons I could list as to why Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is important. I could write about how the freedom to speak our reo was stolen from our tūpuna, and how those attitudes are being reflected in the words and actions of those in power today. I could talk about the fight for revival—the Kōhanga Reo movement, the kia ora controversy, the Waitangi Tribunal claim that led to Māori becoming an official language in the Māori Language Act in 1987, or even the significance of this week to the very home of the magazine your reading.
After all, it was Ngā Tamatoa, Te Hohaieti o te reo Māori and the NZ Māori Students Association that presented over 30,000 signatures to parliament that created Māori Language Day (14th September). All of these would be stand-alone reasons - that you should already know about, but this pūrongo will focus on more personal reasons.
My tūpuna was one of many that lost our reo while it was being suppressed in kura in favour of English. This prevented my kuia from learning, and then my dad, and eventually my younger sister and I. It was not just the loss of knowledge that stopped my tūpuna from passing down our reo but the fear of societal rejection and the goal to protect our whānau from racist and harmful treatment. This was also around the time we lost our strong connection to our marae and iwi, as the denial of identity came with the denial of my tūpuna right to speak and hold this taonga.
If you grow up outside of Te Ao Māori or distanced from that part of your identity, it can feel like something is missing, so when something comes along that connects you to that, it's a great feeling, even if that something is not the best situation, or accesses Te
Ao Māori through a pākehā lens. Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, along with Kapa Haka and maybe a marae trip, is one of the first Māori things tamariki are introduced to when living outside of Te Ao Māori; it's not always a great introduction, but it’s important, particularly for what is considered the lost generation.
For me, Kapa Haka was my introduction in primary school, but Te Wiki o te Reo Māori was one of the first kaupapa I got to take the lead on while being old enough to fully appreciate it, one of the first times I felt I could loudly and confidently claim to be Māori. Te Reo Māori and its revitalisation as a whole hold a special place in my and many people's hearts, me and my kuia learnt somewhat together at the same time. While I wish it had never been taken to begin with, I find warmth in the fact that we have come together in different ways to preserve it. That is why it is important to me.
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori has been a celebration of a taonga since 1972, before te reo Māori became an official language in Aotearoa. A recognition of this as a revitalisation effort and, in turn, to those involved in its creation is incredibly important to me, and it should be to you as well. While I am speaking of Te wiki o Te Reo Māori specifically in this pūrongo it is a part of a much broader movement which should also be acknowledged, as well as the people who fought for us to have our taonga rightfully back with us. Whatungaronagro te tangata, toitū te whenua.
In 2024, Te Wiki o te Reo Māori runs from September 14th to 21st—that's this week! The easiest way to celebrate is to kōrero Māori! (Better yet, kōrero all year round).
asHleigH Putt-Fallows | ngāti wHātua, ngāPuHi-ngāti Hine, tūHoe
Mō te āpōpō
Tēnā koutou e te hunga kaipānui,
Tau atu taku manu ki runga i te pinakinakitanga o maunga Tawhitirahi
Tau ana te titiro ki ngā au moana, ki ngā mau o te whenua, ki ngā ara tawhito i ahu mai ai ngā tūpuna
U ana ai te waka o Kurahaupo
Tere whakarunga i nga wai rere o Te Awapoka
Whatiwhati o parirau ki Pukemarama
Tauhokai iho ki Te Kao
Tatu atu ra ki Potahi e āhuru ai te iwi o Te Aupōuri I ōna pārae, ōna māniania, ōna awaawa, ōna maunga
Tāhorahora ana te huanui hei hīkoi mā tātou
Kei runga ko te whetū hei arataki
Kei raro ko te tapuwae hei whai
Pātōtō ana te manawa kia whiwhi
Ka puta ka ora, ki te whaiao ki Te Ao-Mārama!
‘Poipoia te kākano, kia puāwai’ is a whakataukī that speaks to the importance of nurturing the seed, so it can blossom. A motif that is unmistakably embedded in te ao Māori, both in a literal sense of kaitiakitanga and in a metaphorical sense of whanaungatanga.
In 2020, the Ministry of Social Development released a report named “Poipoia te kākano kia puawai: Family structure, family change and the wellbeing of tamariki Māori”. Linking the whakataukī to the future prosperity o tō tātou tamariki.
A key finding of the report was that “Diverse family trajectories are linked to poorer cognitive and socioemotional outcomes of tamariki Māori, but they are not the main driver.” Rather, they recognised other factors to be more central to cognitive and socioemotional outcomes of tamariki Māori. Arguably most importantly, greater cultural connectedness is associated with promoting socio-emotional childhood development. The authors of said report recommended “the value of researching and differentiating the links to family and child wellbeing experienced by tamariki Māori, since there are potentially unique dimensions of wellbeing that are more important to Māori which may be overlooked when we do not create Māoriled and Māori-centred policy.”
This notion of creating Māori-led and Māori-centered policy has been intentionally ignored, yet again, with the proposed changes to the Oranga Tamariki Act 7AA. I am terrified of the irreversible effects that this bill will have on our tamariki. I know that many of you will share this whakaaro or worry about the complete disregard of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its values. With the census data being released, we now know that the Māori population is now estimated to be at 904,100. As a young and fast-growing population, arguably now more than ever, we need to protect tō tātou tamariki. E ai ki ngā kupu a te māreikura a Whina Cooper, “Take care of our children. Take care of what they hear. Take care of what they see. For how the children grow, so will the shape of Aotearoa.” Koinei te wā hei tū tātou ki te kotahi.
Growing up disconnected from my whenua has meant that a generation of my whānau have been without their reo, without diverse connections to te ao Māori, and without an opportunity to puāwai in their Māoritanga. That is not a future I envision for my tamariki and mokopuna, nō reira, me tūhono anō au ki tō mātou Te Aupōuritanga. Mō tātou, ā, mō ngā uri a muri ake nei.
lucy scHRadeR ManueRa | te auPōu
The Living Pā
He
pā mataora. He pā kaiao.
He
pā
anamata / A thriving community. A living lab. A bright future.
Planning for the revitalisation of the reawakening of the mauri of Te Tumu
Herenga Waka and the opening of the new Living Building is well underway. There is a lot to do to properly facilitate customary rituals and manage people’s expectations. Significantly, the opening is this wonderful opportunity to reaffirm our relationships with mana whenua, alumni, and our wider community and to celebrate all we have achieved.
At a dawn ceremony on the 6th of December this year, we will open the Living Pā, a building that champions people and the whenua. The occasion is open to all, and we are anticipating well over 1000 whānau and guests.
Still, after the opening we will have just opened a building—more work is yet to come. We cannot stand back and say, ‘Green building, make it happen’. We will all have to make it work. The Living Pā’s mission Mō te āpōpō—For a better tomorrow. We must all share in this dream for a better world with better people to make the vision of the Living Pā bloom.
The idea of authenticity within the space is one of the things we do think about. The concern is
being overwhelmed by people who want to behave transactionally. People who want to book or hire the space because they see it as another building to go to. As a Māori marae and teaching community, our priority is to operate in a tikanga way internally and to be known for our authenticity.
The marae’s purpose and the Living Building’s architecture will need to be re-translated for people to accentuate the message that this is not just a standard building. We will have to learn a bunch about ourselves and educate our people too. We need to think through how we are behaviourally based around tikanga and doing the right thing, in this new space. But we must also not stress too much. The reopening of our marae will be a time of celebration, and it is everybody’s responsibility to uphold the standards of the Living Building and the banner of our marae.
Nā
Rhonda Thomson (Ngāi Tahu)
Pou Hāpai and Co-project Manager the Living Pā
RHonda tHoMson | ngāi taHu
pages designed by Hemaima Keane
Which native bird are you? Personality quiz
Te Waikamihi
What’s the first thing you do when you get home from uni?
a) Relax, self care, hot shower vibes.
b) Straight to the fridge, hanging out with flatmates, video games.
c) Talk to no one, get into bed & watch something until 3am.
d) Start on assignments, plan out the rest of the week.
e) Sesh (gym, etc..)
What’s your favourite card game?
a) Presidents & assholes
b) Snap
c) Poker
d) Uka
e) Memory
What’s your favourite swimming spot?
a) Wharf
b) Beach
c) Waterfall
d) River
e) Lake
Tūī (mostly A’s)
Tūī birds are known to be chatterboxes and embody playfulness. Other people typically see you as being very confident, charismatic and excellent at bringing people together. Similar to the way tūī pollinate flowers, you can spread ideas far and wide by being captivating and talking with enthusiasm.
Tūī can also be aggressive and fight to keep other birds away from their feeding tree when they sense competition. You’re usually a cheerful person but you’re not afraid to speak your mind and call out other people’s bullshi*t if you think it's necessary.
Favourite part of the hakari? (feast)
a) Fried bread
b) Cream paua
c) Steam pudding / custard
d) Hāngi
e) Boil up
What’s the most important part of your morning routine?
a) Skincare routine
b) Coffee
c) Lunch prep
d) Exercise
e) Make bed
How would your friends describe you?
a) Bubbly, well-spoken, assertive.
b) Inquisitive, mischievous, intelligent.
c) Wise, mysterious, observant.
d) Leader, high achiever, confident.
e) Quirky, adventurous, cute.
If you were a bird what would you eat?
a) Flowers
b) Window wipers
c) Mice
d) Other birds
e) Native fruit & plants
Kea (mostly B’s)
Kea are the only alpine parrot in the world and also ranked amongst the smartest birds in the world. They are notorious for being inquisitive, mischievous and highly intelligent. If you stop to look at kea they will not hesitate to jump all over your car and even hitch a ride. Other people typically think of you as being cheeky, witty and having lots of friends. You probably enjoy problem solving activities like puzzles, card games and board games. Your aunty would say you’re a ‘nanakia’ or ‘haututu’ and you have a thing for tearing apart cars.
Rūrū (mostly C’s)
People consider you wise & well respected. You don’t say much because you prefer to observe and listen, but you’re always taking notes. Rūrū are smart and move silently through the night sky. You prefer not to tell people about your hopes and dreams and would rather focus on achieving them. Although ruru are often thought of as being cute, they are highly skilled hunters of the night and shouldn’t be underestimated. You have a strong intuition about people and it's usually always right.
What is your biggest weakness?
a) Jealousy
b) Impulsiveness
c) Anti-socialness
d) Perfectionism
e) Coordination
Favourite movie series?
a) Harry Potter
b) Pirates of the Caribbean
c) The Matrix
d) The Hunger Games
e) Grown Ups
Ideal NZ road trip destination?
a) Te Kaha
b) Fiordland
c) Camping in Te Urewera
d) Queenstown
e) Stewart island
Kārearea (mostly D’s)
The bold and decisive kārearea are typically dominant leaders. You are hardworking and determined to succeed not only for yourself, but for your whānau. You prefer your environments to be tidy and well-organised and you value having a routine. Sometimes being a perfectionist can get the better of you and you have a hard time accepting failure. Despite this, you like the feeling of overcoming challenges and believes it makes you stronger. You’re always put in the front row for kapa haka and you’re probably the favourite mokopuna too.
Kākāpō (mostly E’s) Ko te kākāpo te manu anake ko ia tāna ake momo i te ao. I te nuinga o te wā e omaoma haere ana rātou i te oneone o te ngahere, ā, hei te pō ka piki i ngā rākau. Ko tā ētahi atu he katakata, he ātahu koe, engari tūmataiti nei ka kitea tō āhua motuhenga ka hāneanea koe. Pērā tonu i te kākāpō, he pīwari e manawanui ana ki a Papatūānuku, ā, he pai ki a koe te tirotiro haere i te ngahere. Kaingākau koe ki ngā mea kākāriki katoa arā ngā rākau, ngā pītoa, te kawakawa, me ētāhi atu o ngā otaota rongoā. He wā ōna ka rorirori, ka pōrangi hoki, engari kē koe he koi.
Lambert | Ngāti Awa, Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi
IWI-READS
Rangitāne
Tini whetū ki te rangi, ko Rangitāne ki te whenua. Thats all.
Ngāpuhi
You’re like the Dothraki, there’s a bagillion of yous and you’re highkey scary lol.
Ngāti Porou
You cannot deny that Paikea is THE ULTIMATE BANGA.
Ngāti Kahungunu
Kahungunu had 8 wives, maybe that’s why they play up.
Ngāti Toa
I was taught if I don’t have anything nice to say don’t say it.
Kāi Tahu
If you steal another whale, I’ll call 911.
Waikato
What a flex being able to host 10,000 people. People only go there for your one-year immersion course.
Taranaki
Aroz to you all because every person that I have met that hails Taranaki is actually really nice.
Te Arawa
There’s something in the air in Rotorua (besides sulphur), because how can you lift, backflip and knee drop in one item? It’s not the Olympics.
CONTRIBUTORS
GUEST EDITOR
Te Rātā Campbell
ART
Hemaima Keane
Marama Salsano
Amiria-Rose Monga
Terran Philipps
Te Huihui o Matariki Chi Huy Tran
TRANSLATORS
Cynthia WiRepa-Kingi
Taipari Taua
Taini Tomoana
Harris Puanaki-Devon
Arapera Tapiata
Ashley McGregor
Ataraira Cameron
Lily-Belle Pohatu
Amiria Hynes
WRITERS
Sterling Maxwell
Kimihia Garcia-Grace
Shay McEwan
Harris Puanaki-Devon
Rosa Hibbert-Schooner
Hemi Pinfold-Whanga
William Koko
Tuia Tapuke
Taipari Taua
Keiha Nicol
Te Waikamihi Lambert
Taini Tomoana
Ruby Stuart
Hemaima Keane
Rhonda Thomson
Ashleigh Putt-Fellows
Lucy Schrader Manuera
Amiria Hynes
Cynthia WiRepa-Kingi
Kaea Tibble
Keyarnah Millner
Third Row: Ngan Dang (she/they, Staff Writer Intern) ; Monisha Dahya (she/her, Podcast Intern) ; Darcy Lawrey (he/him, Online & News Intern) ; Prunella Azzahra (she/her, Design Intern) ; Cedar Porteous (she/her, Staff Writer Intern) ; Ducky (Phoebe's Dog)
Second Row: Office Ghost (she/her) ; Phoebe Robertson (she/her, Editor) ; Te Huihui Tran (he/him, Te Ao Māori Co-Editor) ; Ashleigh Putt-Fallows (she/her, Te Ao Māori Co-Editor) ; M&M (Ash's cat) ; Guy van Egmond (he/him, Contributing Writer) ; Jia Sharma (she/her, Music Editor); Mauatua Fa'ara-Reynolds (she/her, Staff Writer) ; Henry Broadbent (he/him, Sub-Editor)
Front Row: Teddy O'Neill (he/it/ia, Speaker of the House) ; Ava O'Brien (she/her, Distributor) ; Ethan Rogacion (he/him, News Co-Editor) ; Dan Moskovitz (he/him, Chief Reporter) ; Will Irvine (he/him, News Co-Editor) ; Kate Seager (she/her, Designer)
