The second Te Hā o te Ora wānanga built on the momentum of the first, helping participants explore the connection between breath, environment and wellbeing.
Held under the theme, ‘Te Tapu o te Hā me ngā Ara ki te Oranga – The Sacredness of Breath and Pathways to Wellness’, the wānanga guided participants through new learning and hands-on experiences. They explored the maramataka and how it can be used to observe and reflect on personal wellbeing, with each person receiving resources to record their own reflections and insights.
Designed to make mātauranga Māori accessible and practical, the tools encourage people to recognise patterns in nature, align daily rhythms with the environment, and build stronger relationships with the world around them. Maramataka reflects interconnectedness, a foundational concept within te ao Māori.
Healthy Families Rotorua systems innovator, Teteira Ormsby, said it was encouraging to see participants growing in confidence and sharing more openly.
“It was terrific to see the group comfortable in the space, being more open to new ways of wellbeing. In a kaupapa Māori approach, the act of sharing is also a form of healing and reconnection and shows whanaungatanga is being established,” he says.
Teteira said the ukutangi workshop, facilitated by kaupapa champion Sam Runga, was a highlight of the wānanga, offering a practical and creative way for participants to apply what they were learning.
“The maramataka session led by our rautaki Māori helped participants gain a broader view of their environment and the natural cycles that influence wellbeing. Wharehuia spoke about the differences between the lunar and solar calendars and gave everyone a broader perspective on the environments they’re in.
“While Sam’s workshop showcased the ukutangi as another tool for respiratory health, created with a deep understanding of the body and the breath. Participants are starting to see the importance of making a strong personal connection to their taonga, to treat it as a lifeline for their health and wellbeing,” he says.
Healthy Families Rotorua group manager, Jenny Kaka-Scott, says when participants begin to speak and share their own stories, they are reclaiming their rangatiratanga or their authority over their own narratives and wellbeing journeys.
“In other health approaches, people are often positioned as passive recipients of care. But in a kaupapa Māori setting, they become active co-creators of their healing.
“This stage, where the group energy begins to flow more freely, is a sign that mauri (life force) is rising within the space. Mauri ora emerges when people feel seen and heard, they can express themselves authentically, and when the collective is in balance.
“This isn’t incidental. It’s the natural progression of a kaupapa Māori hauora approach done well,” she says.
Te Hā o te Ora is a prototype developed through collaboration between Healthy Families Rotorua, Te Arawa Whānau Ora, Manaaki Ora, Tangata Ora (Ranolf Medical Centre) and Sam Runga. The series continues through to November, with each wānanga combining mātauranga Māori, taonga pūoro and hauora practice to strengthen respiratory health and overall wellbeing.
