Maramataka Launch 2022-23: Mahi Rongoā by the Moon

NEW LOOK MARAMATAKA EMBODIES A HOLISTIC APPROACH!

The KCDC Maramataka launch is always a significant time of the year for us as it’s an opportunity for the three mana whenua often known as the ART (Ātiawa, Raukawa, Toa) Confederation to come together to celebrate our industrious lineage. 
 
Held annually for the past 15 years, the Maramataka is a part of Te Whakaminenga o Kāpiti’s (TWoK) annual work programme. TWoK (meaning The Confederation of Kāpiti) is Council’s Māori Standing committee, a committee which represents the long-standing partnership between the ART confederation of iwi as mana whenua of Kapiti and Te kaunihera a rohe o Kāpiti. 

TWoK chairperson, Naomi Solomon said “the Kāpiti Maramataka is now in its fifteenth year and each new edition is much anticipated.  The launch of the 2022-23 Maramataka coincides with Matariki, and highlights the importance of Rongoā as the people’s medicine, and its role in maintaining the health, wellbeing and prosperity within iwi and community,”

Kaitohutohu Hōtaka Hononga-ā-Iwi, KCDC Iwi Partnership Programme Advisor, Deanna Rudd said “The hurihanga of the Maramataka launched 27 June 2022 was a result of positive and effective mana enhancing whakapapa relationships and the positive warm relationships which have been cultivated over time and which continue to exist between Council and Iwi. 

This Maramataka is a result of effective collaboration, facilitated by TWoK, developed by the Pou Rongoā and Rongoā whānau of the ART Collective of the ART Confederation, and supported by iwi members employed by Council as part of the Iwi Partnership Team.

TWoK supported a new ART approach to the development of the Maramataka which allowed this Maramataka to evolve, towards becoming an ART confederation specific Māori Lunar Calendar to be utilised daily and seasonally by iwi and the Kapiti community.
 
The place of and importance of employing Maramataka in our daily lives and utilising Rongoā Māori is becoming more widely understood not only by whanau, hapū and iwi, but by the wider community.  This Maramataka provides the opportunity for whanau, hapū and iwi, and community to interact and engage with Maramataka Māori and Rongoā Māori.  This year’s Maramataka introducing various rakau to be used for Rongoā Māori is to be celebrated, hei oranga mā tātou katoa.
 
Deanna adds “Many of us through our own whānau history are aware of the decimation new and introduced diseases such as TB wrecked upon our whakapapa in the past, and it is as a result of renewed understanding, visibility and use of Rongoā Māori to combat Covid, that we have been reminded that we have the means to maintain our wellbeing, to heal ourselves, our community and our Taiao.
 
One of our roles as the Iwi Partnership Team is as takawaenga, weaving threads and creating a net which supports the relationship between the Council and Iwi in a way that grows māramatanga and understanding between the Council and our iwi, in a way that strengthens the relationships.
 
The Maramataka Māori has been developed as a taonga for the rohe in a way that reflects Te Ao Māori and in a way that safeguards the mātauranga. The Rongoā Collective of the ART Confederation have been acknowledged as the holders of the Mātauranga, a tohu pai mō te tau hou.

WHO ARE THE RONGOĀ COLLECTIVE OF THE ĀRT CONFEDERATION?
The Rongoā Collective of the ĀRT Confederation, are rongoā practitioners of the three mana whenua iwi of the Kāpiti Coast.

One of three Pou Rongoā, Hemaima Wiremu is an experienced Traditional Māori Healer with over 30 years of experience supporting whānau Māori.  She is a Kaiako o te Rongoā at Te Wananga o Aotearoa.   Hemaima says, “her teaching strategy is to get our people into learning about rongoā and taking charge of their lives”.   This is yet another step towards this moemoea (dream).

Pou Rongoā, Sharlene Maoate-Davis says “the kaupapa of this year’s Maramataka highlights the collective’s vision for ‘rongoā in every whānau home.  We are living in a timeThe Rongoā Collective of the ĀRT Confederation, Pou Rongoā, Sharlene Maoate-Davis when we all need to be taking special care of one another and in particular our own health and wellbeing, Shar adds, “Our approach to Rongoā encompasses our whakapapa (genealogy) to this region, it draws from our tribal stories and traditions of restoring and encouraging holistic health and wellbeing, whether spiritual, physical, mental or emotional. 

It is difficult for Western medicine to understand what we offer because our scope of practice derives from te taiao and is premised upon our iwi kawa and tikanga, wairua and mauri, which doesn’t fit inside a nice, neat tick box.  It’s time to reclaim our role.  The system and any of its agents must move aside and let go of its desire to control this traditional body of knowledge.  Our people want to heal and be well, and Rongoa has always had answers to this.”

Pou Rongoā, Sharlene Maoate-Davis says “the kaupapa of this year’s Maramataka highlights the collective’s vision for ‘rongoā in every whānau home.  We are living in a timeThe Rongoā Collective of the ĀRT Confederation, Pou Rongoā, Sharlene Maoate-Davis when we all need to be taking special care of one another and in particular our own health and wellbeing, Shar adds, “Our approach to Rongoā encompasses our whakapapa (genealogy) to this region, it draws from our tribal stories and traditions of restoring and encouraging holistic health and wellbeing, whether spiritual, physical, mental or emotional. 
 
It is difficult for Western medicine to understand what we offer because our scope of practice derives from te taiao and is premised upon our iwi kawa and tikanga, wairua and mauri, which doesn’t fit inside a nice, neat tick box.  It’s time to reclaim our role.  The system and any of its agents must move aside and let go of its desire to control this traditional body of knowledge.  Our people want to heal and be well, and Rongoa has always had answers to this.”

Pou Rongoā, Pania Solomon said, “we come from the healing lines of Toa, Raukawa and Te Atiawa/ Taranaki.  We have also been trained by Tohunga Rongoā bringing this wisdom and experience in service delivery and education.  The Rongoā Collective maintains the links and whanaungatanga that I have been taught growing up by my Dad and Grandparents.  This has always been very important to them.  Maintaining our whakapapa links within Rongoā Māori and on our whenua makes this a very important kaupapa which upholds the teachings of our old people.  We have designed this year’s Maramataka to encourage people to return to our local cycles and systems, providing simple ways to incorporate Rongoā into their lives.

VIDEO: KAITIAKITANGA – HEMAIMA WIREMU AND SHARLENE MAOATE-DAVIS

Watch this very informative video by Hemaima Carkeek Wiremu and Sharlene Maoate-Davis as they talk about Kaitiakitanga and rongoā māori. This video will provide you a guide in how to understand our connection with the ngahere and our whenua.

WHERE TO ACCESS A COPY OF THE MARAMATAKA?
The Maramataka is available to purchase at all Kāpiti Coast District libraries and service centres for $15.  Visit https://www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/our-district/tangata-whenua/maramataka for more information.
For our iwi members ONLY, we have limited copies available from our tari.  Please contact our Kaipiringa at admin@teatiawakikapiti.co.nz or telephone (04) 293 1538.  

We have a collection of photographs from the launch and can be accessed from our website. these can be found here on our website.