Manutukutuku Wānanga
In late February, in conjunction with Manaaki Whenua, we ran a Manutukutuku Wānanga at Urenui Pā as part of our joint climate change research project. The main objective of the project was to study the effects of climate change on our environmental tohu, such as flowering of important species to indicate harvest times.
After a slow start to the project, we began to discuss different methods of research. We wanted to keep a māori kaupapa approach and we had recently been discussing ways to bring mahi toi into our taiao space to tell our stories, so when the Manutukutuku idea came up we ran with it. The wānanga went well and whānau involved seemed to really enjoy it. Initial discussions were had around resources required, we then identified suitable places we could safely harvest within Ngāti Mutunga. We then took whānau out into the taiao to harvest. Whānau made observations and connections within the taiao spaces with opportunities for everyone to participate, including kaumātua and tamariki.
Back at the Pā we learnt how to construct our very own Manutukutuku and how to utilise uku for painting designs on them. Everyone was able to complete and take home a Manutukutuku. The kōrero-tuku-iho, wānanga and whanaungatanga that came out of this kaupapa was refreshing, inspiring and uplifting. Thank you so much to everyone who attended this wānanga, it really was such an enjoyable experience.
Following on from this wānanga and as part of this research project, Manaaki Whenua has funded our Pou Taiao to attend the NAISA (Native American and Indigenous Studies Association) conference in Norway this year.
I am so proud to be representing Ngāti Mutunga at such an important event and look forward to hearing from and meeting indigenous whānau from around the globe.
