Nuku

NUKU 082 is Phylesha Brown-Acton (Fineone Hakupu, Atua (Niue) Phylesha serves Pasifika Rainbow, LGBTQIA+, MVPFAFF+ peoples and their families. She is the Executive Director of F’INE Pasifika Aotearoa, co-founded with Mama Tere Tahere-Strickland. F’INE is part of the Pasifika Whānau Ora Collective and Phylesha’s primary role is to challenge rhetoric and oppressive systems that minimise or have invisibilised her community. In this episode we talk about Phylesha’s upbringing, we discuss the topic of gender, and she shares the importance of Indigenous terminology when it comes to her community.

Deirdre Nehua (Ngātiwai / Ngāti Hao) has spent most of her life working for positive change for ngāi Māori, challenging the racism and inequities thrust upon our communities as a result of colonisation. She is also a writer and poet. From her involvement in the Maori Land March and land occupations of the 70s, 80s and 90s, to working in prisons, reputedly becoming the first CEO to wear moko kauae and, travelling the world to exchange indigenous knowledge with other first nations people, she has fit a lot of life into her 7 decades. In this episode we kōrero. About everything. She shares her experiences growing up in whangaruru, to the moment in her life she became most politicised. She shares with us her poetry that she describes as Indigenous erotica, and reminds us that you’re never too old to enjoy sex.

Dr Jenny Lee-Morgan (Waikato, Ngāti Mahuta, Te Ahiwaru, Chinese) is a teacher, author, researcher, māmā and grandmother with Chinese-Māori whakapapa. Jenny has worked as a secondary school teacher and in the community, tertiary and business sectors. Today, she is a professor of Māori research and the director of Ngā Wai a te Tūī, Māori and Indigenous Research Centre, Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaki (Unitec). In this episode she shares her experiences as a Māori-Chinese wahine growing up in Aotearoa. In this episode she shares her experiences as a Māori-Chinese wahine growing up in Aotearoa. We discuss identity and racism, reflecting on her book Jade Taniwha. We also dig deep into the topic of decolonisation, with Jenny believing it all starts with decolonising our minds.

Renata Watene (Ngā Puhi, Tainui) is an optometrist, and one of very few Māori in the industry. As the director of her own optometry practice that now boasts two locations in Tāmaki Makaurau, and a member of the Waitematā District Health board, she is passionate about improving health equity for Māori, particularly when it comes to eye health. In this episode Renata talks to us about her 21-year-long career. She shares her whakaaro on our health statistics and talks about prevention as key - reminding us we should be getting eyes checked every two years! We discuss the new health reforms taking place across Aotearoa and Renata shares her personal stories about failure, and how failure is vital for success.

NUKU 078 is Ramari Stewart (Ngāti Awa). She is a renowned tohunga tohorā, based in the small village of Ōkārito in Te Waipounamu. She has had a life-long affinity with whales, having learned mātauranga from an early age with her parents and wider whānau. From observing and learning about live whales, to leading the recovery of stranded whales, she has spent decades keeping our customary practices alive. In this episode Ramari shares with us her passion for the ocean, for the taiao and all that lives within it. She teaches us the power of observation and encourages us to think about succession planning for the survival of our culture. We celebrate a world first with the recent naming of the Ramari beaked whale, the only species in the world named after a wahine. And Ramari reminds us that while her main kaupapa has been whales, there is a lot more to her than the huge mammals that grace our oceans.

Phillis Meti (Arorangi, Rarotonga) is a golf professional and a 3-time World Long Drive champion. In 2006 she became the first New Zealander, and youngest ever, to win the World Long Drive championship. She’s since been smashing records at competition level for more than 10 years. With a career full of accolades, Phillis is passionate about bringing more young Māori and Pasifika women into the sport. In this episode we talk about her early days following her dad around the green. She talks about the choice she had to make between professional netball, and professional golf and we discuss the difficulties of being a Polynesian woman in a male-dominated sport. Phillis also tells us all about her dream to open an academy of sorts to help kids from Aotearoa pursue their college sporting dreams in the USA. *This weeks podcast episode is sponsored by ITRAFFIC - New Zealand's trusted Traffic Management service project partner. 100% NZ Maori and Pacific owned business with a vision.

Dr Karlo Mila (Kolofo'ou, Ofu (Tonga), Savai'i (Sāmoa), Pālangj, ancient connections to Savai'i and Pago Pago (Sāmoa)) is a renowned poet. She is also the programme director, founder and creator of the Mana Moana leadership programme. Her work explores knowledge, language, and core concepts indigenous to the Moana. In this episode she shares about her creative life, her māmā life, and the similarities that we, the people of Te Moana nui a kiwa, all share. We also talk briefly about suicide. So take care when listening.

NUKU //075 is Awhitia Mihaere (Ngāti Kahungunu). She is a healer, a traditional birther, a tohunga ruahine, and a teacher of rongoā Māori. Awhitia was born on the floor of her whānau home in Tokoroa, guided into te ao Mārama by her grandmother. It was this nanny that nurtured Awhitia’s wairua from that day on. In this episode we talk about her journey and the worlds she walks in. Awhitia shares with us ancient matauranga and encourages us to strengthen our connections with our atua and our tupuna. Like many of our podcasts, take care when listening, and have breaks when needed.

Lusi Faiva (Patamea, Savai’i Samoa) is an award-winning stage performer and dancer, who has been practicing for the last 25 years. Her heritage connects her to Patamea, Savaii Samoa. Her performance is mainly in the contemporary genre and contact improvisation,  but she also loves to interweave her Samoan culture through siva. Lusi was born with cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair, however this hasn't stopped her from achieving many accolades for her art, nor has it stopped her becoming a tutor on mixed dance with people of varying abilities. This episode is different from any one we have recorded to date. Lusi has different verbal abilities, and so shares her experiences with us using all the tools she has to help her with everyday life. We have a full video of this kōrero at our website to help tell Lusi’s story.

Heather Te Au-Skipworth (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, Ngati Ruanui, Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) is the creator, visionary and CEO of IronMāori. She started the multi-sport event in 2009 with only 300 people. Today, it boasts events right across Aotearoa with numbers reaching 6000 participants per venue. IronMāori has also become the biggest club provider into Ironman New Zealand. The kaupapa was set up to tackle the growing issue of ill health amongst Māori and is proudly open to all people of all shapes and sizes. Heather’s strive for equity isn't just in the health space. This wahine toa ran for parliament in the last general election and has high hopes to represent her people when the next one rolls around. In this episode Heather talks to us about her inspiration behind IronMāori. She shares her personal challenges and the experiences she has had with whānau who have suffered with addiction. Heather also talks to us about the realities of running an election campaign, and what she wants to change f

Pagan Karauria (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa) started woolhandling when she was just 15. Today, she has not only made a career of it, she is also an international champion, winning competitions in Aotearoa, Australia, the UK and Europe. Two summers ago she also ticked off a shearing goal with 402 sheep shorn in 8 hours. She has won accolades in this division too, at national and world champs winning the women’s shearing final in 2019 and coming second in 2020 competition, while carrying a shoulder injury. As a shearing contractor’s daughter Pagan set out to learn everything in the industry. Now based in Clyde, she spends her year between farms in Central Otago and Te Tai Tokerau, and at competitions in between. In this episode we talk about wool and the diverse experiences it has given our NUKU //072.

Dr Ani Alana Kainamu (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa, Kōtirana - Glaswegian) is an environmental researcher within Te Kūwaha, the National Centre of Māori environmental research at the National institute of Water and Atmospheric research. She is also a māmā of two kōtiro. This amazing wahine completed a double degree in Zoology and Māori studies before achieving a Masters in Marine Science, and then a PhD in Environmental science looking at local and Indigenous values of shellfisheries. Her mahi has taken her across Aotearoa and over to Hawai’i learning and sharing Indigenous aquaculture practices. In this episode we talk about her journey, from her career, to māmāhood and everything in between. She shares her passion for hauora through kai, we explore the way she acknowledges her Pākehā whakapapa and, Ani tells us a tale of that time she saw a starfish chase a paua.

When I first read an online bio for Dr Erica Newman it stated her whakapapa as Māori, and then in brackets, ‘iwi unknown’. It has to be one of the most powerful, yet painful, identifiers I have ever read. The lecturer in Te Tumu: School of Māori, Pacific and Indigenous studies at the University of Otago, recently received a Marsden Fast Start research grant to journey with descendants of Māori adoptees in their search for their tūrangawaewae. It is a journey she knows intimately, as the daughter of a Māori adoptee. In this episode Erica shares with us her whānau story of disconnection and the ongoing mahi to search for her whakapapa. She tells us the effects of our adoption laws in Aotearoa and discusses identity formation of Māori adoptees, sharing the personal account of her own māmā. We also talk about the heartbreaking reality of knowing you are Māori, but not knowing where you come from. This isn’t an easy kōrero, but it is such an important one.

Georgia Latu (Kai Tahu, Ngāpuhi) is the 14-year old C.E.O behind Pōtiki Poi. A pakihi that makes, sells and distributes poi and earrings, while sharing  mātauranga Māori. Her business has environmental and social values at its heart, using op shop and second hand materials, with biodegrading plastic, and employing people with diverse abilities from Cargill Enterprises. In this episode we talk about the inspiration behind Pōtiki poi, Georgia shares the realities for juggling kura and mahi, and she gives an insight into what it's like being an Indigenous kōhine, today.

Te Ao Kapa (Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Wai, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Ngāti Porou) started with Te Kaha O Te Rangatahi Indigenous Youth Hub at age 18, filing paperwork and helping in the office.  Today, 12 years later, she has just been made the organisation’s CEO. Her mahi is to support rangatahi navigate their way to becoming their own champions of positive change. In this episode we talk about Te Ao’s career journey. From her role as a rangatahi sexual health peer support worker, to a stint as general manager. She shares with us her views on leadership and how her own experience of personal neglect, burnout and life-changing whānau events led her to reevaluate her orangatanga, in turn changing her leadership style to better influence work-life balance within her organisation. We also talk about her village of empowering Indigenous wāhine and, her involvement in Hip Hop International NZ. -

Kyla Campbell-Kamariera (Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri, Taranaki Tūturu) is the Waikato Students' Union President and a member of the University Council. Currently completing her masters degree, focusing on Indigenous leadership, she has a passion for politics, history and wāhinetanga. Her journey has at many times been very straight forward, with her love of education and her drive to succeed both academically and creatively. At other times, she has faced challenges many of us could never comprehend; being diagnosed with a brain tumor as a teenager, and losing her māmā and kuia to murder. In this episode we talk about her upbringing in the far north. Kyla shares her leadership ambitions, her educational achievements and the realities of her mahi representing a diverse collective in University politics. She also talks about systemic racism and the power of Indigenous women.

Dr Ngahuia Murphy (Ngāti Manawa, Ngāti Ruapani ki Waikaremoana, Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Rangitihi) is a mana wahine, kaupapa Māori researcher recovering ancestral knowledge that heals and empowers Māori and other Indigenous whānau. The author seeks to recover living relationships with our atua wāhine and helps to facilitate that for others through her research, ritual, wananga and dance, as a medium of ceremony. In this episode we talk about the divine feminine, about our whare tangata, our menstrual blood and the mana and tapu of wahine. We also talk about how we can recover our own ceremonies for ourselves and our whānau. We delve into topics that can feel deep, heavy and tapu, so be conscious of where you are listening to this episode, take care of yourself and take breaks where needed.

Loretta Lanauze (Imi Moriori, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāi Tahu) calls Rēkohu Chatham Islands her home. She lived there with her whānau until, like most teenagers on the island, she had to move to the mainland for her high school education. While many leave the island for schooling, few return to live permanently. Loretta however is one wāhine who has come back to Rēkohu where she is raising her beautiful daughter, looking after the whānau homestead and whenua, working as a chef, training to become a fire woman and recently, becoming a member of the local LANDSAR, land search and rescue volunteer organisation. In this episode we talk about her island life and upbringing, we discover more about her moriori whakapapa and the mahi her whānau is doing to reclaim their reo and tikanga and, she tells us all about her dreams to one day write her own cookbook.

Kaai Silbery (Ngāti Rakaipaaka, Ngāti Kahungunu, Tainui) is the founder of Go Wild Apiary, Chatham Islands Freeze Dried Honey. Also working as the head chef at Hotel Chatham, she is passionate about wild foods, endemic plant species and, of course, her bees. In this episode we travel to Rēkohu, Chatham Islands, to kōrero with Kaai about her unique honey product and how it is gracing the menus of restaurants across the world. We also talk about her journey to becoming a chef and how a carved pou at the local island marae helped her discover her whakapapa connection to Rēkohu.

As a 35 year old Māori woman some of my greatest pain, sadness, whakamā and frustration comes from my journey with te reo. Like many, I didn't grow up with te reo Māori as my first language and over the years I have searched for it in school, at night classes, through wānanga and with whānau.  Recently I have yet again opened the books to continue my efforts in becoming fluent in my own language. Following on from the kōrero with NUKU //063 Stacey Morrison, she flips the microphone on me to share a bit about my challenges, celebrations and expectations with te reo Māori and why my yearning for my reo is stronger now than it has ever been.   // Qiane Matata-Sipu