The second day of the Waikato-Tainui Rangatahi Haerenga brought rangatahi out to Whaaingaroa to engage in teachings of maatauranga of both the land and sea.
“I love the moana. Sailing on waka hourua is my favorite and just connecting to how our tupuna used to do and just love being in the taiao and I feel the most tau,” says Jorja Ilott.
Ilott is one of 25 rangatahi that have taken part in the haerenga with her intention to reconnect and learn hiitori and environmental knowledge.
“I recently moved away from home, from Waikato and living down in Napier so it’s been good to connect back home. I’ve been missing home so it’s been cool reconnecting,” according to Ilott.
Mana whenua of Whaaingaroa facilitated the second day of the haerenga with the hope to instill a spark for rangatahi to engage with the taiao.
“So, trying to teach them that they are the future, they are the kaihaapai, the ones that help tiaki our space. Whatever they do, like planting one tree is a contribution to Papatuuaanuku’s wellbeing of our taiao. So, you know, so when these potted trees that are potted get a little bigger, they’ll be planted out and they’ll be able to come and say, oh I helped to do that,” says Angeline Greensill.
Rangatahi engaged in waka ama and plant potting, learning teachings of the whenua and the moana. The aspiration for the haerenga is to grow more taiao champions and to grow rangatahi in the taiao space.
“We need to teach our rangatahi to be resilient, to know where home is, to know where to go home, where is your whenua, who’s your hapuu, who’s your whaanau. Go back and connect to that space, walk the tracks of your tupuna,” Greensill says.
