Papa Toa

03/09/2026

KORONEIHANA 1966: Te Kani Te Ua following behind Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu. When he passed 4 months later she followed him on to Paherumanihi (Waihirere marae) where Te Kawau Kingi welcomed her and Henare Tuwhangai responded. Waihirere/Mahaki/Ngariki Kaiputahi/Te Whanau a Kai have been attending the Koroneihana since 1961 after the opening of Aroha Ki Te Tangata at Waiwhetu Marae in September 1960. Te Kura a Mahaki will be at the kawe mate on Thursday morning; at Te Arikinui’s day this Saturday and then perform at 5pm (including Waka Huia and Waihirere). Then return home on Sunday. 65 years. This is our legacy.

03/09/2026

Friday 4th September 2026

02/09/2026

Thursday 3rd Sept 2026

01/09/2026

It’s hard to find the words anymore.

Our world is carrying so much mamae.

The ongoing genocide and unimaginable suffering in Palestine. War and conflict across Iran and Ukraine. The devastating floods in Nepal and Tibet. Earthquakes, typhoons, flooding and landslides across the Philippines. Flooding and landslides affecting communities across India, Thailand, Myanmar, Afghanistan and China. Earthquakes affecting Indonesia and Japan, alongside destructive storms and typhoons impacting communities throughout Asia.

Everywhere we look, there seems to be another tragedy.

So many lives lost.
So many whānau grieving.
So many people displaced from their homes and whenua.
So many tamariki experiencing things no child should ever have to endure.

And amongst all of this, I keep coming back to Papatūānuku.

But I also think it is important to make a distinction.

War is not the doing of Papatūānuku.

Genocide is not the doing of Papatūānuku.

These are human-made catastrophes — born from decisions made by people and systems of power. They are born from greed, domination, imperialism, the pursuit of resources and wealth, and systems that too often place profit and power above people.

To me, this is also what happens when we lose our connection to taha wairua, to Papatūānuku, to te taiao and ultimately to our own humanity.

When whenua becomes something simply to possess, exploit or conquer.

When resources become something to control rather than share.

When people become statistics rather than somebody’s tamariki, somebody’s māmā, somebody’s pāpā, somebody’s whakapapa.

When profit and power become more important than the wellbeing of people and Papatūānuku.

That is not Papatūānuku.

That is us.

And then, alongside these human-made tragedies, we are watching communities face devastating natural disasters and the growing impacts of a changing climate.

Our oceans are warming. Glaciers are retreating. Weather patterns are changing. Extreme rainfall, flooding, fires, heat and storms are placing communities and ecosystems under enormous pressure.

our relationship with Papatūānuku matters deeply in how we respond to the climate crisis and how we care for the generations coming after us.

Our tūpuna understood something that much of the modern world has forgotten:

We are not separate from the whenua.

We are not above Papatūānuku.

We belong to her.

Ko au ko te whenua, ko te whenua ko au.

I am the land, and the land is me.

Perhaps so much of what our world desperately needs right now is reconnection.

Reconnection to whenua.
Reconnection to wairua.
Reconnection to each other.
Reconnection to our humanity.

Because when we truly understand our interconnectedness, the suffering of people on another whenua, across another ocean, can never simply be “their problem.”

Palestine matters.
Nepal matters.
Tibet matters.
The Philippines matters.
Ukraine matters.
Iran matters.

Every life matters.

May we never become so accustomed to watching suffering through a screen that we stop feeling it.

May we remember our responsibility to one another, to Papatūānuku, and to our mokopuna who will inherit whatever world we choose to leave behind.

Our world is carrying so much mamae.

Kia tau te rangimārie ki runga i a Papatūānuku, ki runga hoki i a tātou katoa

01/09/2026

Discover the depth and beauty of karanga

Discover the depth and beauty of karanga, a sacred practice that weaves together people, whenua, and tūpuna. Papa Toa offers a pre recorded, flax roots karanga tutorial, designed for those beginning their journey, reconnecting, or wanting to deepen their understanding in a way that feels natural, grounded, and real. This is not a spandangle, clinical style of learning. This is relaxed, whakaaro driven, tikanga grounded teaching that you can sit with, return to, and grow through.

What you will need

You will need internet access, and a tablet, computer, or laptop so you can fully engage with your online course, workbook and learning materials. Some smartphones may allow access, but a larger device is recommended for the best experience.

Your access

You will receive three downloadable links at checkout for the tutorial. One link is for the tutorial, one is for your workbook, and one is for your Mahere Whakaaro document. If you have any trouble accessing your downloads, please email us at [email protected] and we can add you to our Microsoft Teams group for access. You will still need a computer, laptop, or tablet to fully engage with the content.

Once enrolled you will have full access to our private Facebook community, where there are multiple downloadable karanga resources for different occasions, as well as videos, tips, practical guidance, and additional mātauranga to support and deepen your learning journey. Just Search Papa Toa Karanga Roopu

Uncover the rich history and significance

Delve into the whakapapa of karanga, exploring its ancestral origins and the role it holds within te ao Māori. Develop your knowledge and confidence through guided learning, reflection, and practical examples, where you will begin to understand not just how karanga is performed, but why it is carried in the way it is.

What you will learn

• The pūrākau of our atua wāhine and the origins of karanga
• The wairuatanga that sits at the heart of karanga
• Techniques to support your delivery and confidence
• The pōwhiri process and where karanga sits within it
• Mana as a living concept within karanga
• Occasions where karanga is appropriate
• Karanga as a sacred framework
• Practical tools, tips, and guidance to help you build your own karanga
• Tikanga that upholds the integrity of the practice
• The role and responsibilities of kuia
• Waiata and karakia to support your learning
• And much more

What you will receive

• Full access to a pre recorded online karanga tutorial
• Three downloadable links at checkout for your tutorial, workbook, and Mahere Whakaaro
• Access to a private Microsoft Teams space to view and revisit your learning anytime
• Full access to a private Facebook community with downloadable karanga resources, videos, tips, and mātauranga
• The ability to revisit and continue learning at your own pace
• A comprehensive editable e book filled with exercises and rich mātauranga
• A Mahere Whakaaro worksheet to help you shape and deepen your karanga
• Additional learning resources to expand your understanding
• A beautifully designed certificate upon completion

Ongoing support

• Exclusive access to our private Facebook community
• A safe and inclusive space to share and learn karanga
• No pressure to participate if you feel whakamaa, you are welcome to observe and move at your own pace
• Access to additional resources within the space to further support and deepen your learning journey

Why this tutorial

Because as Māori our lives are full. We carry whānau, mahi, kaupapa, and responsibility. This tutorial allows you to learn at your own pace, revisit teachings whenever you need, and reclaim, relearn and recite mātauranga in your own time. This is about more than learning karanga, this is about building a living compendium of knowledge for yourself and for your future generations.

Join the journey

This is an invitation to step into a space of learning, remembrance and reconnection. No prior experience or fluency in te reo Māori is required. All are welcome. Engari me whakapapa Māori koe wahine mā. He taonga tuku iho tēnei. If you do not whakapapa Māori please do not order, e mihi ana kia koe.

Please note

The taonga you will receive within this programme is sacred and has been created with deep intention, care, and mātauranga. It is not to be copied, recreated, distributed, or shared with anyone other than the original purchaser. We ask that you honour the integrity of this mahi, respect the kaupapa it sits within, and uphold the mana of the teachings by keeping this taonga within your own practice and learning journey.

Ka ū ka haere. Let us learn, let us journey together. Your downloadable links will be available at checkout, and access to your Teams space and Facebook community will be provided. If you have any issues, please reach out. Ngā manaakitanga kia koutou. Nau mai ki te ao o karanga.

Head here to order

Discover the depth and beauty of karanga Discover the depth and beauty of karanga, a sacred practice that weaves together people, whenua, and tūpuna. Papa Toa offers a pre recorded, flax roots karanga tutorial, designed for those beginning their journey, reconnecting, or wanting to deepen their und...

01/09/2026

Wenerei 2nd Sept 2026

01/09/2026

Aueee we feel your mamae our whanaunga

31/08/2026

Revisiting Tupuna Tuesdays- The Story of Tu-mata-uenga and Hine Keira

Te Pūrākau o Tū-mata-uenga rāua ko Hine Kēira

In the beginning, when Ranginui and Papatūānuku still lay locked in their eternal embrace, their children lived in darkness. There was no space to stretch, no light to guide them, only the steady breath of their parents and the weight of their love pressing in from all sides.

Many of the atua grew restless. They longed for light, for movement, for a world where they could stand tall. One by one, they gathered their strength and pushed their parents apart, separating sky from earth.

But Tū-mata-uenga did not join them.

He stood firm between Ranginui and Papatūānuku, unwilling to tear apart what had given him life. While his brothers strained against their parents, Tū remained still, feeling their heartbeat, listening to their sorrow, and honouring the bond that held the universe together.

Yet the pressure of change could not be stopped.

When the separation came, the world shifted forever. Light poured in. Winds rushed through. Forests stretched upward. Seas rolled outward.

And Tū was left alone in the space between.

He had not pushed his parents apart.

So instead, he turned his strength inward.

Kia wetete ia, kia ueuea ia tōna ake tinana.
He pulled himself apart.
He separated his own being.

With immense courage, Tū broke open his own form. From his body came the first kōiwi — the bones — strong, enduring, and filled with mana. These bones were gifted to humankind, so that people would have structure, resilience, and the ability to stand upright in the world.

Through his sacrifice, Tū taught that true strength is not only in conquest, but in self-discipline, endurance, and responsibility.

Watching over this transformation was Hine Kēira.

She was the keeper of inner fire, the guardian of resilience and resolve. Where Tū broke himself open, Hine Kēira gathered his fragments with care. Where pain and struggle lay heavy, she breathed warmth and courage.

She moved quietly beside him, whispering:

“Do not fear what you must release.
From your breaking will come new life.”

Hine Kēira tended to the spiritual wounds of Tū. She wove his sacrifice into purpose. She ensured that his gift would not be forgotten, that every bone would carry memory, every frame would hold whakapapa.

Together, they became guardians of human strength.

Tū-mata-uenga gave people the will to stand, to fight for what is right, to protect their whānau and whenua.

Hine Kēira gave people the courage to endure, to heal, to rise again after hardship.

When humans struggle, when their bodies ache, when their spirits feel fractured, Tū and Hine Kēira are near.

They remind us:

Strength is not only in separating others.
Sometimes it is in holding fast.
Sometimes it is in breaking yourself open for the good of many.
And always, it is in rising again with dignity.

So within every bone, every breath of courage, every act of resilience, lives the legacy of Tū-mata-uenga and Hine Kēira
atua of sacrifice, endurance, and unwavering mana. Papa Toa

31/08/2026

Revisiting Tupuna Tuesdays- The Story of Tu-mata-uenga and Hine Keira

Te Pūrākau o Tū-mata-uenga rāua ko Hine Kēira

In the beginning, when Ranginui and Papatūānuku still lay locked in their eternal embrace, their children lived in darkness. There was no space to stretch, no light to guide them, only the steady breath of their parents and the weight of their love pressing in from all sides.

Many of the atua grew restless. They longed for light, for movement, for a world where they could stand tall. One by one, they gathered their strength and pushed their parents apart, separating sky from earth.

But Tū-mata-uenga did not join them.

He stood firm between Ranginui and Papatūānuku, unwilling to tear apart what had given him life. While his brothers strained against their parents, Tū remained still, feeling their heartbeat, listening to their sorrow, and honouring the bond that held the universe together.

Yet the pressure of change could not be stopped.

When the separation came, the world shifted forever. Light poured in. Winds rushed through. Forests stretched upward. Seas rolled outward.

And Tū was left alone in the space between.

He had not pushed his parents apart.

So instead, he turned his strength inward.

Kia wetete ia, kia ueuea ia tōna ake tinana.
He pulled himself apart.
He separated his own being.

With immense courage, Tū broke open his own form. From his body came the first kōiwi — the bones — strong, enduring, and filled with mana. These bones were gifted to humankind, so that people would have structure, resilience, and the ability to stand upright in the world.

Through his sacrifice, Tū taught that true strength is not only in conquest, but in self-discipline, endurance, and responsibility.

Watching over this transformation was Hine Kēira.

She was the keeper of inner fire, the guardian of resilience and resolve. Where Tū broke himself open, Hine Kēira gathered his fragments with care. Where pain and struggle lay heavy, she breathed warmth and courage.

She moved quietly beside him, whispering:

“Do not fear what you must release.
From your breaking will come new life.”

Hine Kēira tended to the spiritual wounds of Tū. She wove his sacrifice into purpose. She ensured that his gift would not be forgotten, that every bone would carry memory, every frame would hold whakapapa.

Together, they became guardians of human strength.

Tū-mata-uenga gave people the will to stand, to fight for what is right, to protect their whānau and whenua.

Hine Kēira gave people the courage to endure, to heal, to rise again after hardship.

When humans struggle, when their bodies ache, when their spirits feel fractured, Tū and Hine Kēira are near.

They remind us:

Strength is not only in separating others.
Sometimes it is in holding fast.
Sometimes it is in breaking yourself open for the good of many.
And always, it is in rising again with dignity.

So within every bone, every breath of courage, every act of resilience, lives the legacy of Tū-mata-uenga and Hine Kēira
atua of sacrifice, endurance, and unwavering mana.

31/08/2026

Kiaora e te whānau!!!
What is something you were taught growing up in relation to rongoā/
mātauranga that really impacted your life?