The Whakauae team recently gathered to celebrate Te Tau Hou Māori (the Māori New Year) at Rātā Marae, the historic resting place of tupuna Utiku Potaka and the southern boundary of his Rangitīkei whenua. June 2024 was especially significant as it marked the second year running that the team had met at the Whakauae papakāinga, in the rohe of Ngāti Hauiti, to celebrate Puanga.
“Ko Puanga te kairūri i te tau tawhito, ko Matariki te kaihuaki i te Tau Hou” - Puanga draws the line to end one year, Matariki opens the door to the new year.
The above whakataukī guided the celebrations, reminding us of the cyclical nature of time, the importance of both endings and beginnings, and the need to make the space for both.
Candace Sixtus (Te Āti Awa), our new office manager, and Dr Logan Hamley (Ngāti Rangi, Whanganui), who is joining us as a senior researcher, were warmly welcomed onto Rātā Marae by Whakauae Director, Dr Amohia Boulton and Luke Enoka.
As night fell and ngā whetū began to claim their place in the sky, the team gathered within the tūpuna-lined walls of Rātā Marae. Stories and kai were shared; watercress from ‘the secret spot’, and our favourite rīwai, whataora. Along with Kiri Parata, who had come all the way from Australia’s Sunshine Coast to join us, we began to draw out the learnings and reflections of the past year and shared dreams for the upcoming Tau Hou Māori.
On our second day together our Pou Tikanga, Pā Utiku Potaka shared the aspirations of Ngāti Hauiti, taking us around future development sites above the Rangitīkei Awa. Under the radiance of Puanga, we entered Rātā Marae as colleagues and departed once more as a whānau. The shared experience of Te Tau Hou Māori strengthened our bonds and filled us with renewed wisdom and aspirations for Māori health equity guided by our Ngāti Hauiti whānau.
The Whakauae team recently gathered to celebrate Te Tau Hou Māori (the Māori New Year) at Rātā Marae, the historic resting place of tupuna Utiku Potaka and the southern boundary of his Rangitīkei whenua. June 2024 was especially significant as it marked the second year running that the team had met at the Whakauae papakāinga, in the rohe of Ngāti Hauiti, to celebrate Puanga.
“Ko Puanga te kairūri i te tau tawhito, ko Matariki te kaihuaki i te Tau Hou” - Puanga draws the line to end one year, Matariki opens the door to the new year.
The above whakataukī guided the celebrations, reminding us of the cyclical nature of time, the importance of both endings and beginnings, and the need to make the space for both.
Candace Sixtus (Te Āti Awa), our new office manager, and Dr Logan Hamley (Ngāti Rangi, Whanganui), who is joining us as a senior researcher, were warmly welcomed onto Rātā Marae by Whakauae Director, Dr Amohia Boulton and Luke Enoka.
As night fell and ngā whetū began to claim their place in the sky, the team gathered within the tūpuna-lined walls of Rātā Marae. Stories and kai were shared; watercress from ‘the secret spot’, and our favourite rīwai, whataora. Along with Kiri Parata, who had come all the way from Australia’s Sunshine Coast to join us, we began to draw out the learnings and reflections of the past year and shared dreams for the upcoming Tau Hou Māori.
On our second day together our Pou Tikanga, Pā Utiku Potaka shared the aspirations of Ngāti Hauiti, taking us around future development sites above the Rangitīkei Awa. Under the radiance of Puanga, we entered Rātā Marae as colleagues and departed once more as a whānau. The shared experience of Te Tau Hou Māori strengthened our bonds and filled us with renewed wisdom and aspirations for Māori health equity guided by our Ngāti Hauiti whānau.
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