Positive Education: Our Whenua
Whenua is the foundation for Mason Durie’s Te Whare Tapa Whā and our entire model of hauora.
Whenua represents te taiao, nature, the strong and deep connection we have to where we stand, where we come from and where we return to.
It is not separate from us, we are a part of it – the land, the sea and the atmosphere.
It’s a nice time to focus on our whenua as we’re noticing the season change. While things may feel a bit all over the place in the midst of our pandemic, our whenua can sustain us. It makes great kai and can provide us with moments of awe and wonder to feed our wairua. It is a place to walk and take notice which can top up our taha tinana and taha hinengaro.
A place to give back and take care of and it is a place for us to feel connected and begin to understand our whakapapa.
Turangawaewae is often translated as the place that holds your heart, which is magic. It is the place you belong, feel connected and grounded.
You may have already noticed it’s connection with waewae, which means your feet – the place that connects your body, you, your heart, and all of you to a place.
Doing something as simple as stopping for a moment and taking a deep, grateful breath can free us up to consider all we are offered through, and by, our whenua.
We are linked physically to the land, but also spiritually – it connects to our tīpuna, our ancestors and all those who have come before us, those that will come after us, and atua, who are born from Paptūānuku and Ranginui.
We think this video from Hahana does a great job of explaining more than we can!
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Adapted from “Sparklers” www.sparklers.org.nz