Te Ahi a Mahuika
In the Wairau, Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu Trust has been working with MSD to deliver Te Ahi a Mahuika, a five-week wānanga for wāhine Māori. And whānau, we have been blown away by the connections made and paths forged.
The wāhine at Te Rae o Karaka.
Co-designed with the participants and co-ordinated by Kaitūhono-a-hapori Sharlene Maniapoto and Maria Moka, Te Ahi a Mahuika is our response to ensure services are fit for purpose for Māori.
Te Ahi a Mahuika – the fire of Mahuika – refers to Māui’s kuia and the keeper of fire. Like Mahuika, the wāhine taking part in the wānanga are keepers of their home fire; they are the nurturers of their tamariki and their dreams are important.
“Te Kotahi aims to support wāhine Māori to remember their value as wāhine Māori, and this wānanga is an extension of that,” says Sharlene. “We aim to support them to embrace their skillsets and allow themselves to focus on their pathway, their moemoea, their tamariki and their mokopuna.
“We have found that the first two weeks were really about everyone building rapport and trust, before opening up to the group and sharing their own lifestory. Since then the group has built a real ‘sisterhood’, getting together at each other’s houses to practise kapa haka, sharing transport and generally looking out for each other.”
Held three times a week, sessions have covered mau korowai, kapa haka, P.A.T.H (Planning Alternative Tomorrow’s with Hope) Plans, a workshop with MSD Work Broker Nina Huria-Bryce and Programmes Manager Melanie Walker, a session with Kirsten Nalder of Kainga Ora and a trip to Te Hoiere. The wāhine have also worked on the composition of their own pao and learned about the history of Parerārua, the wharenui at Hauhunga Marae where the pōwhiri was held, from Te Kotahi Kaitūhono-a-hapori Tina Joseph. This was followed by a special trip to learn the history of Waikawa Marae before continuing on to Te Rae o Karaka (Karaka Point).
We have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these wāhine and learning alongside them. Graduation day at the end of April will no doubt be an occasion filled with pride, but also a little sadness that it is time to say goodbye.
Nā Mahuika, ko Taranga, nā Taranga ko Māui ... na Mahuika te ahi ... tahuna te ahi ā Mahuika, kia mahana, kia haumaru, kia ora
(From Mahuika came Taranga, from Taranga came Māui ... from Mahuika came Fire. Light the fire of Mahuika within you, be warm, be safe, be well)
