Creative Spaces NetworkTēnā koutou. Ko Diana Ruri tōku ingoa. Nō Kawerau ahau. Kei Ngāruawāhia e noho ana. My name is Diana, I grew up in Kawerau and I live in Ngāruawāhia now with my partner Spencer and our three young sons: Anthony, Charlie and Eru.
My whakapapa is so big and wonderful that it would consume my word count, so I'll tell you that I'm Irish, Scottish and English between both parents and proud to be Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tama-inu-pō, Ngāi Tūhoe and Ngāti Awa.
I’m entering my final year of a Bachelor of Social Science degree with a double major in social policy, and Māori and indigenous studies. I’ve recently become a board member at our local creative space, Ngā Arts, here in town.
As a third-year student of Māori studies, it’s easy to assume I would have a good gauge of the concepts within Te Ao Māori. However, in my studies I cover so much content in such a short time that it can sometimes feel like none of it is sinking in.
But you can’t forget a day with Whaea Marilyn.
Wānanga led by Whaea Marilyn and Matua Marty Vreede
I was shaken up and humbled by the wānanga, led by Whaea Marilyn and Matua Marty Vreede and facilitated by Arts Access Aotearoa. I had the privilege of attending the wānanga, alongside staff and other board members from NGĀ ART.
Whaea Marilyn and Matua Marty brought the word “aroha” to life and captured us the entire day as we attempted to “look beyond the obvious” to understand the ways of tangata whenua in their relationship building, their understanding of life and their ways of being.
Wānanga like these are an absolute blessing if you ever get the chance to attend. I walked away from the day feeling invigorated and inspired; my mauri felt restored; and an ahi had been lit to pursue more.
This transformative experience focused on the essential aspects of building relationships and understanding the profound concepts of wānanga, whakawhanaungatanga and karakia.
The wānanga brought together creative spaces from diverse backgrounds, all united by our dedication to arts programmes and fostering inclusive spaces for everyone.
Empowered to share insights and perspectives
What struck me most was the genuine commitment of Whaea Marilyn and Matua Marty to create a nurturing environment where participants felt empowered to share their insights and perspectives.
Through engaging discussions and reflective exercises, we explored the significance of relationships in our work and personal lives. The concepts of wānanga and whakawhanaungatanga were examined with clarity and depth, enriching our understanding of how to cultivate meaningful connections rooted in mutual respect, reciprocity and cultural awareness.
In one kōrero, we broke down the meaning of whakapapa and how these physical connections take us back to Pāpātūānuku, exploring and discussing ways in which we all share a common bond, and how, the more we practise whakawhanaungatanga, the more we strengthen these bonds and connections – to the world, to our communities and to each other.
Strategies for fostering authentic relationships
The guidance of our kaiako was invaluable as they shared their wisdom, experiences and practical strategies for fostering authentic relationships. The passion Whaea Marilyn and Matua Marty have for Te Ao Māori and dedication to creating inclusive spaces resonated deeply with everyone, inspiring us to integrate these principles into our practices and organisations.
I have two major takeaways from the day. They are:
- There are no coincidences. I need to trust the tohu and guidance from my tūpuna and from within myself
- Hei aha te whakama. We no longer have the luxury of time to be shy. I found myself leaving the wānanga with a burning desire to develop my reo and continue learning more about my whakapapa.
These two lessons I carry with me. They tell me the knowledge is there inside all of us: we just need to follow the tohu. As Whaea Marilyn and Matua Martin taught us, we need to coerce the eel out to fulfil its destiny: “Werohia te tuna, ka puta.”
I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to have participated in such a transformative experience and highly recommend it to anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of wānanga, whakawhanaungatanga, and the power of relationships in both personal and professional contexts.
Arts Access Aotearoa has partnered with Marilyn and Marty Vreede of Pakohe Whanganui Ltd to deliver cultural comfortability wānanga to creative spaces throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. These wānanga were funded through Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
