Our final wānanga of the year, Tākaro ki Tua, was grounded in whakapapa and whenua. Led by Dr Nikki Penetito-Hemara, the wānanga created a kaupapa Māori learning space where participants could experience, deepen, and apply tākaro as a living practice, rather than simply learning games. With the aim to strengthen capability and confidence in tākaro Māori, Nikki set out to foster whanaungatanga and position taiao as the primary learning space.

Nikki was joined by participants representing groups such as Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau, Scouts Aotearoa, and The Kindness Institute.

He wāhi hei whakatipu i te tangata, hei whakaohooho i te hinengaro, hei whakatinana i te tākaro o te ao Māori.

Through whakawhanaungatanga, the group quickly formed connections, sharing kōrero tuku iho, whakapapa reflections.

"Rawe te hono tahi ki ēnei whatukura/māreikura o te ao tākao, me te noho tahi i raro i ngā tikanga me ngā kawa ā ō tātou tipuna."

Through engagment with the ngahere, participants explored how atua, taiao and metaphor can inform indigenous tākaro design, guided by pūrākau and kōrero tuku iho.

Supported by rauemi developed by Ranginui Rikirangi-Thomas and Nikki Penetito-Hemara, which included karakia, atua matua cards, kēmu and whai, creativity flowed freely.

"I learned heaps about the framework and principles to build a game from anything, with anything, anywhere [and] anytime," shared one participant.

Another noted the power of place: "Ko te taiao te papa tākaro... kei reira te ihi, kei reira te wana."

Working in rōpū, participants also designed new kēmu inspired by pūrākau and whakataukī, from Tāne’s ascent to the heavens, to the intricate movements of pūngāwerewere and mokomoko, to a poutama challenge grounded in the whakataukī, “Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi.” These creations reflected the kaupapa of tākaro ki tua, tākaro as a pathway to uplift people and the world around us.

At its heart, Tākaro ki Tua was about centering tākaro as a pathway to cultural strength, creativity, healing and collective futures. One reflection summed it up beautifully:

"The way mātauranga, movement and taiao were woven together made the learning feel alive, and the whanaungatanga across the group made everything feel collective and connected."

He rangi hei whakakī te manawa, hei whakaohooho i te hinengaro, hei whakatipu i te tākaro Māori. Kei te ao tākaro e whanake ake ana, e kōkiri ana, e puāwai ana.