Te Kaupapa
These holdings have been diminished over time for various reasons. We did not fit into the Crown’s world view and were targeted as a very real threat. However, it was not only through colonisation that our mana as a people waned.
Despite the conflict that has troubled us for so long, we are still here. The focus of this sharing of histories is to bring these connections to the land and each other together once again, so that future generations may stand proud with a deeper understanding of who they are, no matter where in the world they may live.
Travel with us through time and space on a fascinating journey of magic, exploration, blood, and kinship.
“When you stand and view Mauao from each corner of Tauranga Moana, it looks different; so does every tribal truth. And just as every description of Mauao is correct, as it is the same mountain, so too are the truths of our whanaunga iwi.”
- Ngā Tapuwae Kura
He Whatunga Kōrero is a weaving of histories, recounting the many great deeds and happenings throughout time.
Whakapapa, Genealogy, is an integral part of Te Ao Māori. Everything and everyone has whakapapa, a story of origin. Whakapapa is about connection. Connection to the environment. Connection to places. Connection to people.
With centuries of these connections that span the Pacific and beyond, we share many histories with other peoples. There are many instances where our histories intersect and intertwine with those of others.
We acknowledge the many renditions of the tales shared here and that every variation is correct and valid in its own right.
