Te Matatini 2025 has just come to an end, and what a spectacle it has been!...and shout out to NgÄti Whakaue, the winners of this year's competition.
Watching from home, it was so special to witness the power, passion, and skill of our kapa haka exponents, reminding us of the beauty of our reo, our stories, and our whakapapa.
Alongside the pride and admiration, Iāve seen a lot of kÅrero online about the feelings of disconnection among MÄori in Australia - of being physically distant from the heart of te ao MÄori and not being able to immerse in events like this in the same way as our whÄnau back home.
Cultural Disconnect is a topic I speak on frequently, and as an Australian-born MÄori that is deeply involved in our local MÄori community, its a topic that is close to my heart and one that I speak about regulalry with my peers.
And so the message of this newsletter is... I want to remind you: kapa haka - especially at the professional level - is an incredible expression of MÄori culture...
BUT
it is not the TOTALITY of your MÄori identity. Being MÄori isnāt limited to performing on stage, and itās not something that can be taken away by distance. Our culture lives in our language, our values, our relationships, and our daily actions.
How can we continue to grow and nurture our identity while living abroad? Here are some ways:
- Reo MÄori ā Whether youāre fluent or just starting out, engaging with the language in any way keeps it alive. Listen to MÄori podcasts, kÅrero with your tamariki, or join an online class.
- Community ā Seek out local MÄori groups, whether for kapa haka, te reo, sports, or just a place to connect and share experiences. If you can't find one, start one! Unless you live in an extremely isolated area, there's a high chance that there will be other MÄori living nearby that want to connect.
- WhÄnau ā Strengthening your relationships with whÄnau, wherever they are, helps maintain whakapapa and tikanga MÄori in everyday life. Reach out to an aunty, an uncle, or a grandparent that may be willing to help you that journey.
- MÄtauranga MÄori ā Learn our histories, our pÅ«rÄkau, and our tikanga. Read books, watch documentaries, and engage with mÄtauranga online. The ability to access resources these days via the internet is almost limitless.
- Living by MÄori Values ā This would be my NUMBER ONE recommendation - Practicing aroha, manaakitanga, and whanaungatanga in your daily life is a powerful way to stay connected to who we are.
You donāt need to be standing on stage at Te Matatini to be authentically MÄori. Every step you take to live and express your culture - wherever you are - is just as valuable.
Kia kaha, kia mÄia, kia manawanui.
Last Week's Newsletter
For those super sleuths out there you would have noticed that there was no Newsletter last week. I can only put this down to poor planning as I usually write on the weekends, and (as you'll see below) my weekend was completely taken with whÄnau and a full house for the weekend!
Te Ukaipo Update
Well, our group is back into the full swing of things now!
Our first kapahaka practice for the year had 50+ people turn up, including many new faces. We now have the challenge of figuring out our practice schedule and logistics to cater to such a diverse group of ages and skill levels (a good problem to have).
Last weekend our home town of Newcastle hosted the Over the Ditch festival, with bands like Coterie, Katchafire, Kora, and L.A.B. coming to town. Through our strong community connections, we engaged with the organisers and arranged to have a stall at the event for the day We got to support the bands and guests and promote our group including what our kaupapa offers to the local community. Our incredible social subcommittee organised everything without a hiccup which made the day a huge success.
But, for me, the best part of the day was getting some tamariki-free time to spend with my darling. I bought her these tickets about 6 months earlier for her birthday, so we were looking forward to the event and spending the day together.
Manaaki Membership
Kia ora!
The Manaaki Membership offers you the chance to join an exclusive members-only group on the YouTube platform to support this kaupapa.
For less than the price of a small coffee, your monthly contribution provides you with YouTube-specific member perks including:
- Enhanced profile features.
- Early access to featured videos (before they become public).
- Members-only content including posts, images, and videos.
- Member shout-outs across social media.
Click the link below to join the Manaaki Membership today!
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Thanks for reading this week's Newsletter.
Mauri ora!
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