At 10am on Friday 20th May, five ākonga and two kaiako made the journey from Christchurch to Blenheim to participate in Hine Te Waiora.

Te Puna Wai o Waipapa àkonga; Awatea Christensen, Makenzi Williams, Elle Kavermann-Akurangi, Jorja Hutton and Sophie Dawson were joined by two staff, Sondra Pawhau-Bunt and I. This wānanga was designed for wāhine Māori by the Hawaiki Kura whānau, who specialise in delivering kaupapa Māori wellness and cultural development wānanga.

The wānanga was based on the four pou (pillar) of Māori wellbeing, oranga wairua (spiritual wellbeing), oranga tinana (physical wellbeing), oranga hinengaro (mental wellbeing), oranga whānau (family wellbeing).

Our weekend was facilitated by the pouwāhine of Hawaiki Kura; Donna Nepia, Tineka Smith, Te Ao Mārama Nepia and Māreikura Nepia and supported by poutāne Kiley Nepia. Te Ao Mārama and Māreikura are two wāhine of similar age to our ākonga, so were fabulous role models.

Set at Omaka Marae in Blenheim, we arrived late afternoon and started our 3-day wānanga with us all completing a rapid antigen test, wellness basics 101, before moving into the mihi whakatau to welcome the wāhine on to the Marae after which we had time to set up our mattresses and sleeping areas, as is traditional of a Marae, before getting into the set programme for the rest of the weekend.

For the wāhine involved, this was an opportunity to gain experience in how to utilise te ao Māori health principles and frameworks to improve their health and wellbeing, and to learn how to apply these in a modern context to improve their wellbeing as individuals and in their relationships with whānau and friends.

The weekend was a wonderful way to experience Te Ao Māori and marae life and was an emotional experience for many. Each wāhine involved on their own personal wellness journey, whether it be cultural, physical, emotional, spiritual or all of the above.

Over the three days, we participated in Māori meditation, investigated te whare tapawhā and other health models, haka, mau rākau, karakia, Māori footwork (te waewae), atuatanga, and connecting to the taiao.

Waking up prior to 6:30am each morning was a challenge, however listening to the facilitators lead morning karanga and the experience of joining in the Hawaiki Kura wāhine karakia to greet and welcome the day, was an experience that was special, empowering and worth the early start.

At the end of the three days, we travelled to the beautiful Pukatea (Whites Bay) to participate in a pure ceremony, designed to render permanence to the mana gained by the wāhine during the weekend. This ceremony combined and showcased the mau rākau, te waewae and karakia skills we learnt over the three days.

We left Blenheim, tired and exhilarated, grown as people in our wellbeing and our Te Ao and kaupapa Māori.

It was a life changing experience, and it has been wonderful seeing the wāhine involved continue to engage in kaupapa Māori at Te Puna Wai o Waipapa since our return.