EVENT
Ngā Taonga o Puhiwai Rangi – Wānanga Rongoā
In Wharekaho, Hauraki, the legacy of Puhiwai Rangi — a sperm whale gifted to Ngāti Hei in 2022 — continues to inspire new learning and cultural practice. On 10–12 May 2024, Ngā Tūmanako Whitianga Charitable Trust hosted a two-day wānanga where 53 participants, including 20 rangatahi, explored the traditional use of hinu parāoa (spermaceti) in making pani and rongoā rākau. Guided by mātanga Blake Te Kata, Jaycee Tipene-Thomas, and Ngā Manu Taupunga, tauira engaged in hands-on learning that connected marine taonga with the health of our ngahere.
Over the course of the wānanga, tauira rendered hinu parāoa, crafted taonga puoro from bamboo and uku, painted with kōkōwai pigments, and created pani “Aurora,” named for the southern lights that appeared during its making. The sound of kōauau and pūtātara carried through the day, while karakia, and shared kai grounded the learning in tikanga. The kaupapa wove together mātauranga Māori, environmental guardianship, and collective resilience, honouring both Puhiwai Rangi and the whakapapa that binds tohorā and kauri.
For many, the wānanga was more than technical skill — it was an awakening of identity, belonging, and responsibility as kaitiaki. Generations sat side by side, tamariki experimenting with pigments, rangatahi building confidence through taonga, and pakeke reconnecting with ancestral knowledge. The wānanga created a safe, nourishing space where learning was joyful, reflective, and transformative.
Feedback from reports
Pakeke described feeling “like a kid again” exploring mahi toi, inspired to learn more about their own hapū tikanga, and eager for more mātauranga Māori in kaupapa led by Māori. Many valued the calming presence of the ahi, the nourishing kai, and the chance to forge whanaungatanga across generations. The desire for more wānanga of this kind was strong, alongside calls for marae-based accommodation, and deeper exploration of Kauri Ora. Above all, feedback showed gratitude for the opportunity to connect with Puhiwai Rangi’s legacy through rongoā and mātauranga.
