Mōkihi wānanga
In early July, we were fortunate to be provided the opportunity through Riki Bennett and Te Kaunihera o Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland Council) to hold a mokihi/mogi wānanga at Arataki Visitor Centre in west Auckland, as part of the Auckland-wide Matariki celebrations.
This was part of the kaupapa of ‘sharing of knowledge’ and revitalisation of traditions/cultural practices of Matariki.
Nei rā te mihi no te ngākau ki te iwi o Te Ākitai Waiohua, hoki ki te iwi o Waikato, we wish to acknowledge the mana whenua /people of the land from which the raupo for building these mokihi was harvested. He mihi nui hoki, a big thank you also to the Auckland Airport staff members who helped with much of the harvesting.
The raupō for building the mokihi was kindly gifted to us at the Waitangi 175th anniversary celebrations in January 2015 in Auckland, by a roopu made up of Riki Bennett, Rewi Spraggon, Pita Turei, and Taiaha Hawke who were performing Ngā Pakiwaitara o Tamaki, Stories of Tamaki at that event. No reira, he mihi nui ki a koutou mo tēnei tautoko.
Approximately 25 participants, about half of whom were Ngāi Tahu were involved in the learning and building process throughout the day. The wānanga began with a karakia by Papa Bones Rissetto, then relevant mihimihi (greetings/acknowledgements) by Jonathan Sargisson, followed by a waiata and everyone taking part in whakawhanaungatanga by introducing themselves/doing a short mihi.
Bones and Jonathan gave a brief korero about the historical background of mokihi and then the skills demonstration and mahi of constructing ngā waka began.
Antony Thorpe (who studied mokihi at university and learnt from Ngāi Tahu kaumātua including Papa Bones) and his young whānau came along to help out and we had quite a few tamariki, some rangatahi as well as pakeke and kaumātua involved.
It was awesome kotahitanga with everyone working well together to produce a three person mokihi waka and a smaller christening mokihi.
We formally gifted the larger one to Te Kaunihera o Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland Council) and the Arataki Visitor Centre as a tohu of our gratitude for their awesome tautoko of the event. We carried the big waka up into the main part of the visitors centre to go on display.
Ka nui te mihi (anō) ki Te Kawerau a Maki mo to koutou manaakitanga ki a mātou. It meant a lot to us to have the blessing of Rewi Spraggon and the tangata whenua, Te Kawerau a Maki for this event and in general for our ongoing Ngāi Tahu events in their rohe: west Auckland and the Waitakere Ranges. Nō reira, ngā mihi nō te ngākau ki a koutou.
Papa Bones brought his usual high level of enthusiasm, knowledge and skill to teaching this kaupapa, as well as harvesting the harakeke flower stalks and leaves ready to take out there on his trailer. Papa you are a continual inspiration. Acknowledgments also go out to Maha Tomo, our official photographer for the day and to Mereana Robinson-Silbery and her sister Elizabeth Robinson for working wonders in the wharekai and present a stunning kai for everyone for lunch.
Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou ngā kaimahi katoa. He mihi nui hoki ki Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu mō ta rātou putea tautoko ki tēnei kaupapa. A big thank you to Te Rūnanga and the Ngāi Tahu Fund for contributing funding towards this event. Thank you also to anyone else I may have neglected to name here who contributed either directly or indirectly towards making this wānanga a success. Nō reira, ngā mihi nui, ngā mihi nō te ngākau ki a koutou katoa. Nā Jonathan Sargisson.
Whānau who attended the mōkihi wānanga.
Whānau testing out the mōkihi.
The Thorpe whānau and Leo Wilson.
Jonathan Sargisson holding harakeke for the mōkihi.
Papa Bones christening the waka.
