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.