A Monthly Newsletter of Kāi Tahu news, views and events.
Manu tukutuku were created at the Tamariki Day, facilitated by Liz Brown, at Ngāti Moki Marae on Tuesday 24 January. The rūnanga mōkihi was launched on Waikēkēwai Creek later in the day. The brilliant weather encouraged a massive turn out of participants including a group from the University of Canterbury, who were on hand to assist.
Liz Brown showing a manu tukutuku.
Tamariki launching the mōkihi.
Whānau with their manu tukutuku.
What wonderful weather we were gifted with for our mōkihi wānanga on 30 September. This was our first tamariki day at Taumutu without our kaumātua Rose Brown present, but we felt she was there with us ensuring we had the best of conditions for our mahi. We were ably lead by Joe Wakefield with a support crew of Jodi Cameron and Maatakiwi Wakefield. He mihi nui ki a koutou.
There were 35 tamariki who worked diligently on producing small replica mōkihi – this required a lot of patience and perseverance. However, the results were awesome, ka mau te wehi! A small crew produced a large mōkihi which we aim to take on the water at our next tamariki day, so don’t forget to join us Taumutu whānau. [Read more…]
In early July, Ngāi Tahu Whānui ki Tāmaki Makaurau held our annual mōkihi building wānanga at Arataki Visitor Centre near Titirangi in the Waitākere Ranges. Like last year, this was made possible due to the warm invitation of Riki Bennett and Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland Council), who did most of the promotion and administration and provided the venue and facilities. This wānanga was part of the Auckland-wide Matariki celebrations. [Read more…]
Mōkihi or mogi were an essential means of transport for early Māori travelling the waterways of Te Waipounamu. Our oral traditions tell us that mōkihi, constructed from raupō and kōrari (plant materials known for their buoyant properties), have been used on our waterways for centuries, and rock art drawings in archaeological sites near the Ōpihi River confirm this. [Read more…]
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. [Read more…]
Over the weekend of 9–11 May, 28 rangatahi and supporters gathered for a mōkihi and taiao wānanga at Karanga Camp, just west of Auckland. The aim of the project was to foster cultural connection and identity, participation in Ngāi Tahutanga, and a greater understanding of some of the values, beliefs and cultural practices of our tīpuna.
On Friday evening one of our esteemed kaumātua, Kukupa Tirikatene, taught us about Māori spirituality, about Io and ngā atua, our part in the natural cycle, and how our caring for the environment flows into the way we care for our manuhiri, our visitors. He also taught tikanga marae, kaupapa, and the symbolism of some of the carvings and parts of Ngā Kete Wānanga Marae. We also learned hīmene, a whakamoemiti, a whakataukī, some expressions in te reo, and about the concept of tapu. Riki Bennett later enthralled us with his performance of, and fascinating kōrero about, taonga Pūoro, treasured Māori musical instruments. [Read more…]