Week 3

Kōhine Oranga-tiratanga

Ahuwhenua

This week the girls explored creativity, problem solving, and teamwork. They were challenged to see how their innate gifts, combined, can result in some awesome results. Ahuwhenua teaches us to access our unique sense of creativity and resourcefulness--empowering us to solve problems or overcome challenges through the whakatauki: He kai kei aku ringa (the solution is in our hands).

Whaea Nikki (aka the fun guy, aka Dr Nikki Penetito-Hemara) led the day with a range of pūrākau, activities, and kēmu (games) connected to the atua: Hineahuone and Hinepūtehue. We opened the day with the story of Hineahuone (first woman) crafted by Tanemāhuta--guided by his mother Papatūānuku and provided unique gifts by the many other atua. The girls were asked to listen and write down which parts of the story landed with them. They heard about all of the gifts Hineahuone received, before she breathed her first breath...Tihei Mauri Ora!

earth from the womb of Papatūānuku
a chest that can carry grief and love
strong legs to stand through generations
eyes opened like dawn, that see beyond appearances
a deep puku that can carry life
a body that holds sacred knowledge

Like Hineahuone: "I have all these things in me"

Resourcefulness was put to the test with a few team challenges to use natural resources to create a few different structures: one to be as tall as possible, one that needed to move, and one to carry something. The girls worked together to use what they had--resources, ideas, teamwork, and strategy--to succeed. There were some awesome creations and displays of kōhine innovation!

Then they were asked to reflect on what their own gifts were. What did they bring to the assignments to help them succeed.

This was a little tricky because we aren't always good at recognising our own gifts and telling people about them!!

"I helped everyone balance"
"I can give ideas and communicate to spark ideas"
"Using my words and mind to look deeply into our creations"
"We all worked as a group"
"I think my gift was...thinking outside of the box"

Ahuwhenua reminds us that we are creative, industrious, innovative, and resourceful. Our gifts are the gifts that Hineahuone received from the many atua. We are capable of awesome things!

Te Kore - The Void and Space of Potential

“Before all things, was Te Kore — the vast space of potential. There was nothing to see. Nothing existed, but yet everything was possible”
Exploring the different phases of creation, the girls were first asked to sit in Te Kore. There they focussed on their breath, slowing down to feel into and connect with their own gifts. For some, this activity felt calming and settling--a safe space. For others, it was hard to sit still...even harder to identify their own gifts. This is where the group stepped up to tautoko. It was beautiful to see how easily kōhine would gas-up their peers--unprompted--to remind of skills and talents that are admired in them.

Te Pō - The Realm of Darkness

“Then came Te Pō — the realm of darkness. There was no light, you could not see, you were left only to hear and feel”
Te Pō reminds us of the time when Papatūānuku and Ranginui held each other in a tight embrace, leaving the world and their children in complete darkness. The space where chaos can ensue!
The assignment was to allow the darkness to give space for the other senses. To listen out for the different sounds--being played by our team of amateur taonga pūoro players--and to identify sounds that resonate, sounds that jar, sounds that elicit memories or feelings.
Maybe it was my "amazing" pūtārara playing, that sounded like an elephant sneezing, or Praiz channelling her inner Moana-Disney-Princess and playing the conch, or maybe it was just the chaotic energy of the darkness... but there was more giggling in the dark than quiet reflection. A good learning for all of us.

Te Ao Mārama - The World of Light

“Then came Te Ao Mārama – the world of light, introducing arguably our most dominant sense of all five: sight”

With eyes open and senses attuned, the group tried to stay in sync with the shared rhythm of the Tītī tōrea. Keeping in time and in rhythm with each other required concentration and focus. The key learning from Whaea Nikki was how to get back in rhythm when you lose time. Instead of asking questions or trying to remember where you were re-joining the collective--just feel your way back into the collective rhythm.

Like the girls had reflected on earlier in the day:

"Some knowledge cannot be explained, only felt"

"Whenua connects us to the land...

our ancestors brought us onto the earth"

Collective Sound

We are finding our collective oro, our shared voice.
Embracing the words of our pao, the girls took the lead and hit Whaea Debs and Whaea Jess with sound vibrations straight from their puku.

I ahu mai rā
Mai te one tapu
o ko-hine-ahu-one
o te Kurawaka

Koko ake koko ake
Keo keo
Ana eeee

Hue Creations

Hinepūtehue is the atua of the hue (gourd) and musical instruments. Her music, heard as breath passes in and then out of her hollow body, is known to bring peace and calm in times of chaos. While our own creations are still a work in progress, the girls have begun to shape and decorate their own, unique hue taonga. Works in progress...

Me aro koe ki te hā o Hineahuone
Pay heed to the living essence of Hineahuone
We descend from the first women, created, moulded, and given diverse gifts from atua.