Time for a Māori adventure. And an introvert club. 😉⛵🤿🏃🏽♀️
Kia ora e te whānau,
Nau mai, hoki mai ki Te Arawhata—the adventure edition!
This whole process of learning about and strengthening our connection with te ao Māori is often called a ‘haerenga/journey’, but this week we’ve been thinking… maybe ‘adventure’ is a more apt description.
Everyone in New Zealand has ‘adventurer’ in our DNA, nē?
When you think of how and why you or your ancestors landed ki kōnei/here, can you feel it? That pool of māia/courage and tug of curiosity? Course ya can. That’s why you’re reading this pānui/newsletter.
Today we have four amazing Māori arts, media, and event picks to celebrate the adventurer in all of us. Expect lessons in wayfinding, breath holds, an argument against long runs with romantic partners, a new club for introverts, and more.
First up, let’s ngutungutu/gossip in talk of the tāone.
- Tickets are officially out for Te Mana o ngā Wāhine (an epic one dayer to help wāhine activate their potential).
- Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust is asking you to help bring the world record for largest haka home.
- Anyone can now look up how any address in Aotearoa moved out of Māori control through this eye-opening interactive mapi/map.
- Prize for the most entertaining Olympics coverage (voted by us) goes to Te Aorere Pewhairangi.
- Toi Māori Aotearoa has opened an online store full of prezzy gold.
- The secondary schools haka theatre show ‘Autaia’ is back in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Learning how early Māori built waka and applied their deep knowledge of ngā whetū/the stars to navigate to Aotearoa blew our Ngāti Nerd minds. Watching Sir Heck Busby, a literal—and we’re in te ao Māori so of course, metaphorical—bridge builder, whakahaumanu/revive these practices after they were lost for 600 tau/years truly lit something within. It’s a must-watch fam.
Find it: on the NZ Film Commission website I Time: 1hour 34mins I Cost: $8 to rent $20 to buy I Credits: directed by Toby Mills and Aileen O’Sullivan.
Going from break-ups in no-go areas of the Saharan desert, to hāora/oxygen emergencies in the Himalayas, to whānau health scares, I hit my physical limits just listening to this īpāho/podcast. And though some of us might choose different ara/paths, the mindset techniques Lisa shares here so generously can be applied to any adventure in life e hoa mā. Prepare to froth.
Find it: on Spotify I Time: 1hour 10secs I Cost: free with your account I Credits: Julian Wilcox interviews Lisa Tamati for Indigenous 100.
Low’s quest across old Māori trails to witness ancient sites and feel their wairua is a great reminder to get off our nono/butts and out into te taiao/the environment if we really want to connect with the whenua/land. It’s also a ruddy entertaining read for wintry Sunday arvos where we’d rather sit on them (and there’s nothing wrong with that!).
Find it: at good book stores I Time: 364 pages I Cost: $40 I Credits: written by Nic Low, published by text publishing.
If you don’t have anyone to show you the ropes, getting into spearfishing and freediving can be pretty up there on the intimidating scale. That’s exactly why legend Renee Taylor (Ngāti Ranginui) runs these workshops. Nō reira/So… if the idea lights up any iota of hiahia/desire within you wāhine mā… THIS IS YOUR TOHU/SIGN TO GIVE IT A GO!
Find them: on the Salt Aotearoa website I Time: from 2 hours to a day to a camp I Cost: from $120 I Credits: run by Renee Taylor
The verdict is back and it seems most of us are keen to hear about more epic Māori events in our regions!
While we navigate our way through the quite frankly, terrifying, ‘adventure’ of Meta’s support process to set that up (do a karakia for us please), we thought this piece could be a timely reshare to help you prepare for actual adventures at all the cool Māori events you’re about to know more about.
Introverts: prepare to be seen, extroverts: to get an exclusive insight into life on the other side.
I’m an enthusiastic person. I get excited when I see Māori events; wānanga, kapa haka, markets, sports events—I’m keen.
And yet, STILL, ia wā, ia wā/every time I find myself nervous—uncharacteristically concerned over every little detail and its chances of causing my death via embarrassment—the night before.
Is this skirt long enough to ensure 0% flash potential from mattress level? Can I trust the Google Maps traffic time? Should I clean my car in case the person parked next to me notices the dog hair? Which version of my pēpeha should I use? How can I bribe my way-more-versed-in-all-things-Māori cuzzy to come with me?
Right on cue, the little voice at the back of my hinengaro/mind pipes up, telling me that I don’t have to go, that it would be easier to pull out, and anyway, the back cupboard in the garage really needs a clean out…
There are two main reasons I get like this;
#1 I’m a reconnector; I’m still learning tikanga and te reo Māori and I definitely still get things wrong.
#2 I’m introverted; I’m at my best socially in small groups where I can dip out for a quick recharge by myself. By and large, Māori events involve a large crowd, in one space, for a long time.
I know many of my Tāngata Tiriti mates go through something similar (but different but similar) too. I see ya e hoa mā.
There’s no sugar coating it; when you’re introverted and still learning about te ao Māori, awkward and uncomfortable situations WILL occur at Māori events.
I’ve stumbled over my pepeha and later realised I said something wrong. I’ve had to stealth swallow mouthfuls of food after forgetfully jumping the karakia. I’ve chuckled along with a crowd in reaction to something said in te reo Māori and then had to admit to my Pākehā friend I didn’t really know what it meant. I’ve felt claustrophobic in conference rooms. I’ve been scolded on the marae for forgetting koha and once for walking on without being called (though that was a certain aunty’s fault who told me it was sweet). I’ve sat down or stood up at the exact wrong moment in powhiri and whānau church services and I ALWAYS emerge completely drained of energy.
Not exactly a great sell for our new events focus huh… but here’s the point—even with that horrifically awkward list of experiences, I’m still coming out on top.
I’ve made lifelong friends. I’ve had deep conversations with legends of the Māori world that I’m sure they forgot in a second but I will remember forever. I’ve heard stories, learned concepts, and discussed notions I would not have encountered otherwise. I’ve developed confidence presenting my pepeha, following karakia, and chiming in for waiata tautoko. I’ve laughed until my puku hurt, sat in awe, felt the unique wairua of different crowds and contexts and experienced the most intense moments of culture belonging.
And, if you keep showing up, you will too.
Let’s do it together, nē?
This can be the start of a secret ‘Te Arawhata Introverts Club’. Meet ups will take place in back left corners or the kai table of any Māori event.
Keep an eye out for me. I’m planning on going to a lot more in the second half of this year and am always keen for a quiet kōrero—pr equally to stand next to each other and not kōrero.
See ya out there e te whānau 😉.
That’s us e te whānau. We hope this newsletter helped you to learn from, connect with, and just ruddy well enjoy te ao Māori today.
Hei ā tērā wiki/Till next week!
