Celebrating the Māreikura Wānanga: A Weekend Wānanga of Connection and Sharing
Recently, the Haumanu Collective had the honor of hosting a truly special event: a wānanga dedicated to māreikura and the art and practice of taonga pūoro. This unique gathering brought together wāhine from across the Pūoro community to explore and express their voices through these instruments of ceremony and ritual.
Unveiling the Unique Spirit of Māreikura
Our wānanga was built on four pou:
- Exploring and expressing unique wahine voices within a collective puna of Māreikura.
- Sharing pūrākau for atua wāhine & taonga pūoro to hold a prominent place.
- Engaging with Mātanga Māreikura Pūoro who are integrating taonga pūoro into daily life and rituals.
- The art & practice of creating taonga pūoro.
The response was overwhelming: we originally aimed for 30 participants but received over 200 registrations within 24 hours. Eventually, we extended the capacity to 40 wāhine to accommodate and 57 would respond with their presence.
A Warm and Harmonious Welcome
The wānanga began with a Pōwhiri (opening ceremony) at dusk on Friday, held at the beautiful Kirikiriroa Marae. The ceremony commenced with a transformative blend of frequency, setting the tone for the weekend. It was our time to turn up, to turn on & to tune in.
Immersive Learning and Creation
The evening continued with a session of pūrākau dedicated to taonga pūoro. Participants then had an introduction to the workshop where they would begin to craft and personalize their very own Pūtōrino.
Saturday was packed with enriching activities. Panel discussions featured renowned speakers such as Ariana Tikao, Mahina Kingi-Kaui, Dr Ruby Solly, Dr Awhina Tamarapa, Te Kahureremoa Taumata, Ngaronoa Renata, and Dr Aroha Yates-Smith. These subject matter experts discussed a range of topics which included compositions, Oro techniques and rituals, as well as forming protections within the practice of self care addressing issues wāhine may experience in the world of reclamation.
Dorothy Waetford led a hands-on session about Uku (clay), unearthing intuitive forms that embody the sounds of papatūānuku.
Honoring Voices and Legacies
In the afternoon, Ariana Tikao guided participants through Hapūtanga incorporating oriori and korero tuku iho mai i te waka a Māui. An interactive session featuring demonstrations that would consolidate & anchor the teachings of the day.
Later, a presentation by Aniwa Kohu would be the impetus for a ceremony that would take place in honor Hinewīrangi Kohu-Morgan, her late mother. Hinewīrangi a composer, musician, artist, academic & community leader Hinewīrangi was a long serving member of Haumanu and taonga Pūoro revivalist whose generosity, collection & legacy would be a source of inspiration for many.
The evening saw Ruby Solly introduce the Raukatauri model of health an exert of Ruby’s PhD which incorporates the teachings of Hinewīrangi Kohu-Morgan doors of the whare tapa whā concept, culminating in a night filled with healing and shared learnings, along with late-night crafting.
A Full Day of Exploration and Reflection
Sunday continued the momentum with Hinemoa Jones introducing Karetao Pūoro (Singing Karetao) and a little of their history as taonga tuku iho, to the wānanga, leading into Dr Awhina Tamarapa whom presented her passion for “Karanga Puoro, Karanga Tangata, Karanga Whenua – Searching for Taonga Pūoro and Karetao in Overseas Museums” and “Ngā Whiri ā Hineraukatauri – The Encircling Threads of Taonga Pūoro and Karetao.”
Mahina Kingi-Kaui followed with insights on sonic baths, hapūtaka, frequency of karakia, and the importance of the care of these Taonga.
The event concluded with Pure at te awa o Waikato where all the kōrero and offerings were honored by Hinekauarohia in deep reflection.
A Heartfelt Thank You
The success of this wānanga was a testament to the power of Māreikura and the profound impact of reconnecting with atua Wahine through taonga pūoro. We extend our deepest gratitude to all the participants, speakers, and supporters who made this event possible. Your enthusiasm and commitment to learning and sharing made this weekend the first of many Māreikura Wānanga to come.
Stay tuned for more events from the Haumanu Collective, where we continue deep nourishment and expansion of Māreikura and taonga pūoro.
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