Te Karanga o te Whenua - The Call of the Land cover art

Te Karanga o te Whenua - The Call of the Land

Te Karanga o te Whenua - The Call of the Land

By: He Whenua Kanorau He Whenua Manawaroa
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Te Karanga o Te Whenua – The Call of the Land follows the lived experiences of wāhine Māori responding to the call of the whenua: returning to maunga, awa, pāmu, papakāinga, and the collective spaces where decisions about whenua, whānau, and futures are made. Across the series, these journeys back home move from belonging and return, through restoration, barriers, governance and calls to action, to the transformation of systems and the reimagining of intergenerational futures.

Through deeply personal kōrero, mana wāhine speak candidly about disconnection and return, loss and reclamation of whenua Māori, and the realities of navigating systems not designed for Māori. At the same time, they demonstrate how self-determined, whānau-led solutions are being enacted to restoring whenua, relationships, knowledge systems, and collective wellbeing.

Each kaikōrero shares mamae and resilience shaped by colonisation and inherited disconnection, alongside deliberate acts of reclamation: walking the whenua, restoring wai, growing kai, regenerating ngahere, rebuilding whānau presence, and activating whenua for future generations. Together, these stories show that tino rangatiratanga is not abstract, it is lived and practised every day.

Hosted by rangatahi voice Jade Gibson, the series offers a bridging perspective connecting mātauranga Māori with contemporary systems and lived realities. The series amplifies Indigenous women's leadership that is often unseen, under‑resourced, or misunderstood, yet fundamental to the wellbeing and regeneration of whānau and whenua.

Te Karanga o Te Whenua charts a clear pathway; from returning home, to restoring whenua, to reshaping the systems that govern it. The series invites listeners to reimagine our relationship with whenua, shifting away from ideas of ownership, management and control. Instead, repositioning whenua Māori as a living tūpuna connected through whakapapa, kaitiakitanga, and reciprocity.

Through these narratives, the series affirms that the journey back to our ancestral kāinga is collective and intergenerational, and that by answering the call of the whenua, we not only return to place, but restore balance, reclaim our roles, uphold mana, and shape futures where whenua, whānau, and whakapapa can thrive for generations.

Acknowledgements

Te Karanga o Te Whenua is an output of the He Whenua Kanorau, He Whenua Manawaroa research project, funded through the Kaihautu Māori Strategic Science Investment Funding for Crown Research Institutes from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Disclaimer

Te Karanga o Te Whenua is led by researchers based at the Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Group, now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute – Maiangi Taiao.

The stories shared in Te Karanga o Te Whenua are personal accounts that were recorded with permission and are presented to reflect the lived experiences, perspectives, and voices of the research partners. These narratives are shared in good faith to inform, reflect, and inspire listeners, and are not intended for advisory purposes. The views expressed are those of the individuals featured and do not necessarily represent the views of the funders or hosting organisations.

He Whenua Kanorau, He Whenua Manawaroa 2026 Biological Sciences Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Land, Governance & Grit, with Roma Balzer

    Land, Governance & Grit, with Roma Balzer
    Jun 13 2026

    Activating whenua through governance, trust‑building, and long‑term collective vision

    Roma Balzer (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Apakura, Te Arawa) is a trustee and governance strategist supporting whenua and whānau in the Waikato. Stepping into governance with little experience, she helped transform a dormant trust into an active, purpose-driven collective. Her kōrero builds on earlier episodes by showing how whenua is sustained through developing relationships, long-term visions, and shared responsibility to ensure whenua Māori remains a living asset for future generations.

    Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini

    My strength is not that of one but of many

    ---------------------------------------------

    Disclaimer

    Te Karanga o Te Whenua is led by researchers based at the Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Group, now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute – Maiangi Taiao.

    The stories shared in Te Karanga o Te Whenua are personal accounts that were recorded with permission and are presented to reflect the lived experiences, perspectives, and voices of the research partners. These narratives are shared in good faith to inform, reflect, and inspire listeners, and are not intended for advisory purposes. The views expressed are those of the individuals featured and do not necessarily represent the views of the funders or hosting organisations.
    Show More Show Less
    16 mins
  • Returning to the Whenua, with Āwhina Motutere

    Returning to the Whenua, with Āwhina Motutere
    Jun 12 2026

    Reclaiming the right to live on ancestral whenua through grief, justice, and practice

    Āwhina Motutere (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Pāhauwera) is a kaitiaki living off-grid with her whānau on ancestral whenua in Tauranga Moana. After returning home and fighting a five-year battle to occupy her land, her kōrero extends the series into the realities of systems and access. She shows that reconnection requires persistence, and that living on whenua Māori is both healing and transformative.

    Whatungarongaro te tangata, toitū te whenua

    As man disappears from sight, the land remains

    ---------------------------------------------

    Disclaimer

    Te Karanga o Te Whenua is led by researchers based at the Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Group, now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute – Maiangi Taiao.

    The stories shared in Te Karanga o Te Whenua are personal accounts that were recorded with permission and are presented to reflect the lived experiences, perspectives, and voices of the research partners. These narratives are shared in good faith to inform, reflect, and inspire listeners, and are not intended for advisory purposes. The views expressed are those of the individuals featured and do not necessarily represent the views of the funders or hosting organisations.
    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
  • Return to the Maunga, with Kiri Nehua

    Return to the Maunga, with Kiri Nehua
    Jun 12 2026

    Healing whenua and whānau through returning to and restoring the maunga

    Hoki atu ki tōu maunga kia purea ai e koe ki ngā hau o Tāwhirimātea

    Return to your mountain to be cleansed by the winds of Tāwhirimātea

    Kiri Nehua (Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri, Ngāpuhi) is a scholar, farmer, and kaimanaaki of Hūruiki Maunga in Te Tai Tokerau. After repurchasing their ancestral maunga, she and her husband led a journey of restoration and reconnection. Her kōrero builds on the idea of returning to ancestral whenua, demonstrating how healing comes through understanding history, restoring whenua, and creating space for whānau to reconnect.

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    Disclaimer

    Te Karanga o Te Whenua is led by researchers based at the Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Group, now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute – Maiangi Taiao.

    The stories shared in Te Karanga o Te Whenua are personal accounts that were recorded with permission and are presented to reflect the lived experiences, perspectives, and voices of the research partners. These narratives are shared in good faith to inform, reflect, and inspire listeners, and are not intended for advisory purposes. The views expressed are those of the individuals featured and do not necessarily represent the views of the funders or hosting organisations.
    Show More Show Less
    18 mins
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