Starting simply with a whakatau, the wānanga that unfolded over two days at Hoani Waititi Marae was anything but ordinary. This was our first wananga for the year and it was designed for kaiako to learn the foundations of Mātaiao and introduce a mahinga kai space where we offered a patu mīti workshop. Starting with whakanoa and whakawhanaungatanga, kaiako were asked to reflect on what enticed them to come to this wānanga Mātaiao.

To learn more about atua Māori.

Kia noho māori, kia whakahoki mātauranga ki taku mahi me ngā taiohi.

The rest of the morning unfolded through hīkoi and mātai tohu. Learning wasn't just delivered, it was discovered: kaiako were encouraged to observe, interpret and engage with the taiao around them. Guided by mātauranga, kaiako explored new rākau, stories and shared mātauranga, building awareness around the kura itself.

"Ngā ahuatanga o te taiao he mea ora, he mauri tōna, he whakapapa tōna. He pai ki au te ako i te pānga o tētahi atua ki tētahi atu me te ahuatanga ka puta” - Waiora Rupuha 

By the afternoon, the focus shifted to patu mītī - a hands-on, often unfamiliar, experience for many who live in the city. Under the guidance of experienced ringa raupā, Matua Mark and Wiremu Tai Tin who facilitated the session, challenged kaiako to step out of their comfort zones. What was experienced wasn't just new skills sets and kupu hou around the practice but a deeper appreciation for the processes, responsibility, and tikanga behind kai. 

“Mehemea e mōhio ana ngā whānau katoa ki te patu mīti, kei kona tera haumarutanga. He uaua i tēnei wā a pūtea nei, a whiwhi tūranga mahi nei. Nei reira ko te wahi haumaru o te tāea te mea nui. Tēnei mea te mātauranga koira te mea whai rawa ki au.” - Waiora Rupuha 

As the day closed with shared kai and evening wānanga, conversations moved from the physical to reflective; what had shifted, and what would be carried forward?

“I uaua ki au te noho mō te wā roa, me te noho mauri tau, pera ki ngā tamariki nō reira kua kitea au kia kaua e noho neke kē atu i te 15min ki aku akoranga ki te kura……. Heoi anō kura tūwhera ētahi atu kuaha ki roto i au, kia kaha ahau ki te hoki atu ki te kainga me te whakaū i ngā mahi a Wiremu me te whakamahi i te taiao o to tatou kura ki te taha o ngā whakarenga katoa. He mea nui kia mōhio tō tatou marae i tō tatou taiao - Jani Hohua-Hayward

For kura and other kaiako, the message is clear: experiences like this are not an add-on to education, they are essential. An opportunity to engage in learning that is culturally grounded, deeply relevant to Māoritanga and transformative.

The invitation is open to you. Sometimes the most powerful learning doesn’t happen in a classroom, but on a Marae and through physical experiences. 

Tae mai, Haere mai! Mā te wheako e rongo i te reka! Kāore i au ngā kupu te kapi i te reka o te kaupapa - Waiora Rupuha

Our next wānanga Mātaiao is on 11-12 May 2026.

If you are interested in joining us for the next wānanga, email: chrissy@toitangata.co.nz