A HEALING JOURNEY George and I have been part of the Indigenous Ancestral Healing Collective since 2020. The collective includes two tribal coalition directors, two Alliance staff (from Turtle Island/USA), along with Indigenous people from Kānaka Maoli (Hawai’i), Māori Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Aboriginal (Australia) representing subject matter experts, professionals, academia, radio broadcaster, artists andContinue reading “Indigenous Anthology”
Category Archives: Wairua
Shapeshifting in the Journal of Critical Psychology
Have you ever worked on something for so long it seems like it might never arrive – like an overdue baby that’s got to come out sometime right? My friends and I – Rachel and Ali have been working hard / shapeshifting in the background to get this publication live. And now it is! AndContinue reading “Shapeshifting in the Journal of Critical Psychology”
Ira Tangata, Ira Atua
As a child growing up I would stand on maunga that surrounded my whare and imagine I had the mana to control the elements – change the direction of the winds – declaring to Hineomairangi and Tāwhirimātea to heed to my words. After my karanga I would listen for the tree to chatter, birds toContinue reading “Ira Tangata, Ira Atua”
On this mother’s day
I wrote my poem below after I read an article about a māmā whale, grieving the death of her calf, in her own way. Tai te Kahurangi Wahine tangi haehae, he ngaru moana, e kore e mātaki As I read the words “she was a mother, who happened to be an orca” I know, IContinue reading “On this mother’s day”
My conscious puku
Wairua We are not our body, mind and experiences we are wairua – consciousness. I see the universe as a projection of our stories, our pūrākau – a trillion stories, connected like synapses in the brain creating electric static, vibrating power to life all at once. The static projecting out every individuals perception of theirContinue reading “My conscious puku”
Protected: Digging Deep
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Protected: Te ipu ā Ranginui
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
That space between cells speaks
The lessons of tīpuna imprinted within, without, through and in between. That space between cells speaks without words, screams with emotion. I feel more deeply when I am still, calm and grounded. Tangaroa-a-mua I have consciously and unconsciously observed and felt maramataka – Māori lunar calendar. I come in and out of the awareness ofContinue reading “That space between cells speaks”
Aro ki te wairua o te hā
This statement is deeply important to our whānau it embodies what we strive for everyday. What it means to us is the acknowledgement, responsibly and action of aroha beyond human form and knowing. We understand that Aroha is one of the most emancipating values, not in a loving, romantic kind of way but freedom, toContinue reading “Aro ki te wairua o te hā”
Kirimoko – Blood & Bone Holder
Kirimoko. The seen face of life, land, space and love. Skin breathing. The breath of our bodies, protection, oxygen, our blood and bone holder. An expression of self, relationships. To stand out or fit in? Ink holder, cells and whakapapa. Skin protected. We cover it in creams, lotions, make up, chemicals, shave, shape it, pierceContinue reading “Kirimoko – Blood & Bone Holder”
Our home birth
Initially home birth was not my first choice; I wanted to give birth in a birthing centre. I did not want the mess at home, worry about cleaning my whare, having to cook my own kai. I wanted to be looked after, thought of, wanted my baby and I to be safe. These ideas wereContinue reading “Our home birth”
Feel the burn
Its been two years since my submission and it still burns. Not so much a raging fire but the embers are still hot. I wrote this poem after submitting my PhD. I watched a video on inspiring wahine. When I watched it, it sparked something in me. She said “the world is waiting for you to setContinue reading “Feel the burn”
Raranga, raranga taku takapau: hapū ora for tamariki
Our research project’s name, Raranga, raranga taku takapau: hapū ora for tamariki, comes from an ancient karakia used during the birth of Tūhuruhuru the son of Hineteiwaiwa (the atua of childbirth and te whare pora – the house of weaving). It refers to the weaving of a ceremonial whariki (mat) for birth and serves toContinue reading “Raranga, raranga taku takapau: hapū ora for tamariki”
Whakaroau
In this moment our kurī Poki was injured so I put her in this pull cart and off we went to the beach. She was soooo happy that she could come with the whānau and wasn’t left out. This moment was perfect in every way. She was in pain but right here she was contentContinue reading “Whakaroau”
The Struggle for Ihumātao
It was a privilege to Chair the session with Pania Newton for this awesome kaupapa on Te Tiriti based futures + Anti Racism 2020. I learnt that occupation of land transformed a movement – The SOUL protest caught the attention of a nation and the world. The people came in their masses and stayed. IhumātaoContinue reading “The Struggle for Ihumātao”
Healing our Spirits
Gawuwi gamarda Healing Our Spirits Worldwide. We met on the country of the Cadigal peoples of the Eora Nation. The conference brought together Indigenous peoples from around the world to gather and celebrate the power of our knowledge and our wisdom, to share our stories, truths, histories with pride and purpose and to embrace spirit.Continue reading “Healing our Spirits”
Wairua and Birthing
Pregnancy and birth are key times in the lives of mothers, babies and their whānau. Some whānau have the resources and life contexts that enable them to understand and experience pregnancy and birth using Māori concepts, frameworks and practices. Other Māori experience pregnancy and birth within a largely Western or mainstream biomedical system of processesContinue reading “Wairua and Birthing”
Kaupapa Māori consultancy 