On a cool morning in April, councillors, MPs and partners gathered in Henderson Park to hīkoi (walk) across the landscape whilst listening to pūrākau (origin) of the whenua (land) underfoot.
Active Whakapapa is a site-specific storytelling experience sharing the history of Mana Whenua through a pre-recorded headset while traversing the whenua. Healthy Families Waitākere Rautaki Māori, Mike Tipene, continues.
“The kaupapa of Active Whakapapa is to educate and connect our wider community to place, space, and face, and looks to normalise Te Reo Māori being heard, seen, and spoken in our local parks and green spaces. Active Whakapapa also ensures our pūrākau and mātauranga are passed down through the generations.”
Māori Crown Relations MP, Hon Kelvin Davis, took part in the hikoi alongside Youth MP Mukai Duder-Hura. Davis continues.
“[Active Whakapapa] was a great opportunity to engage with the whenua and the whakapapa of the area. With great stories and a fully immersive walk, it was an amazing way to link a simple stream into the community in which it runs through”
Duder-Hura said the hīkoi was particularly important for rangatahi to take part in. He continues.
“Active Whakapapa turns what appears to be a normal suburban stream into a stream that tells a story. It is a story that helps whānau and communities understand and connect to the area they call home. From a youth perspective, it reminds me of what has gone before me and what role I can play in ensuring that more stories can be told for future generations.”
Active Whakapapa is making its way around West Auckland, holding events in Te Atatū and Henderson and plans for future events across the rohe (region). Tipene continues.
“Ultimately, we would like to see Active Whakapapa reach communities across the motu. The kaupapa aligns with the revised education curriculum (children to be taught the history of Aotearoa and colonisation), bringing many opportunities for our children to understand the unique history of where they live, learn and play through Active Whakapapa.”
Active Whakapapa
Active Whakapapa has been developed in West Auckland by Healthy Families Waitākere based on M2M (Maunga to Moana), a He Oranga Poutama initiative which has included a range of walking events linking marae, maunga and awa across wider Auckland. The events aim to increase exposure and access to traditional stories of places for Māori and non-Māori, spoken Te Reo Māori and waiata, while enhancing people’s sense of Māori world view of the environment and their role as kaitiaki, and also providing an incentive to be physically active.
