Kia ora Whanau,

It’s that time of the year, Hine Takurua spreading the coldness of winter around. I think I’ll get the hot water bottle out for a long few months ahead.

Anyway, I’ve got a kaupapa that I’m working on and want to invite you to be part of it even though I’m behind schedule with the date which is only just over two weeks away.

Sat 25th June I’m planning a Taiao Wananga at Waitangi Marae 10am to 4pm. It’s open to the public.

I’m organising a forum tent with a Matauranga Maori panel to help create healthy conversations, Q&A sessions and cultural knowledge exchanges.

Spaces will be provided free of charge to info stalls for Conservation groups such as Climate activists, water and landcare specialists. Pest control, native tree nurseries. Garden growers and food sovereignty teams. I want our local kaitiaki to really promote their practise so people learn from the best on how to not just talk about it but take real action by getting out there and doing it.

Carvers, weavers, mirimiri and rongoa areas will be available.

The kitchen can have Rewana and fried bread bake offs with prizes for the winner of the best crowd pleaser. In that area we’re encouraging fruit preserve sessions and kombucha workshops.

We’ve locked in a digitising taonga presentation and feedback generator to share opportunities in the tech space to store cultural data and develop indigenous stories and content for learners to access online

To keep things interesting, we may conduct a random survey of opinions around the construction of a kainga plan to enable a 100% eco community for example with mud housing, non-flush toilets, locals benefiting off agriculture and marine harvests, underground Kai storage facilities, grey water wetland systems and the implementation of circular principles to treat renewable energies and waste as resources, just like nature.

Ka pai. That’s a quick run-down. As I said it’s leaving things to the last minute, but I know you’ve got lots to offer with all your mahi so would love to have you join us. If you can confirm within the next 24hrs that you’ll be a kaupapa presenter that’ll be great as I want to pump a panui out this Saturday to inform our community of our awesome event that will happen in two weeks time.

Puanga Matariki is having its first national celebration this year Fri 24th June so we are pulling this Taiao Wananga together on Sat 25th June to line up with what’s happening throughout the country. We’ll be representing the North. We are inclusive, our door is open for anyone to participate so please spread the word if you know whanau who want to run activities. I’m even considering online forums via zoom etc as social media can be utilised these days as effective tools. If that’s an easier option then let me know.

Thanks. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Mauri ora

Ngati Kawa