Te Whare Tapa Whā

Wairua
Understand Your Superpower

As a superpower a person with a strong sense of wairua is usually someone who has developed an inner peace and tranquillity. They are often found on the mahau of the marae watching the tamariki play on the ātea, or fishing, or doing Ironmāori with a smile on their faces. Equally, a strong wairua can be found in those same tamariki who are playful, energetic, vibrant and curious.

Hei mahi

The duality of wairua can be further appreciated through two songs by two different Māori musicians, both describing the same entity (Tangaroa — the atua of the sea). But both show a significantly different wairua of tangaroa.

Watch:

Maisey Rika, Tangaroa Whakamautai
Tiki Taane, Tangaroa

Compare and contrast both videos.

Use the following questions to get you thinking about different aspects of each video.

— What do you hear?
— What do you see?
— What do you feel?
— How are they different?

And, perhaps most importantly

— How are they the same?
Finished Hei Mahi

Maisey Rika, Tangaroa Whakamautai

Tiki Taane, Tangaroa

Hinengaro
Understand Your Superpower

Communication through emotions is important and sometimes more meaningful than the exchange of words and is valued just as much. There is no greater example of this than during a powhiri for a tangi and the expression of emotion (usually grief) that is shown by the visitors as they are walking on. Showing how you feel, is just as healthy as talking about your feelings.

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As a superpower, you will have the ability to understand that making good decisions is a process of experience that involves also making mistakes. This is natural and normal. It is how you respond positively and recentre yourself when these times occur.

Watch:

Hikitia te Hā Yoga

Check out this really cool video fusing te reo, tikanga, breathing and relaxation as a way of engaging your hinengaro. Have a go!

What did this mean to you?

—Rate yourself on a simple scale of 0-10 (10 being good) before and after the exercise.
— What do you notice about your hinengaro?

If you were 'feeling it', see if you can build it into your daily routines/habits. If it wasn't you, keep looking for something that will give your hinengaro good balance.

Finished Hei Mahi

Hikitia te Hā Yoga

Tinana
Understand Your Superpower

Tinana can also refer to the physical environment, and includes the importance of tūrangawaewae (place of identity/belonging), being brought up in the area where you are from, having contact with your tūrangawaewae and how often these are all accessed. If physical wellbeing is neglected, a person can lose the ability to function properly and may show signs of immobility and illness.

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The concepts of tapu and noa (sacred and not sacred) are also used in relation to the body and in essence, provide safe, healthy and hygienic practices for those working in hauora or health services. As an example, tapu can be placed on women before and after childbirth - this reduces opportunities for infection and allows time for bonding and recovering strength. In contemporary society, viewing the body as tapu, and therefore giving the body the appropriate respect by not damaging it through drugs, poor diet and lack of exercise, is a te ao Māori approach towards hauora.

Watch:

Using Māori Movement, Māori Movement

Check out these inspiring videos from the Māori Movement crew. They draw from traditional wisdoms for contemporary understandings around tinana.

What did this mean to you?

— What key message/s did you see or hear throughout?
Finished Hei Mahi

Using Māori Movement, Māori Movement

Whānau
Understand Your Superpower

Whānau also refers to relationships with people in your wider social network, including sports groups, gyms, church and other community spaces.

Hei mahi

Whanaungatanga (the process of generating connections) is shifting in its sphere of application from physical to virtual spaces, in ways that influence the dynamics, relevance and impacts of practice. Whanaungatanga therefore traverses both customary and contemporary perspectives providing thoughts into how relationships are attained and maintained. As the impact of COVID-19 continues globally, virtual forms of whanaungatanga have enabled Māori to (re)connect to existing and new family members, friends, marae, hapū and iwi more than ever before.

Watch:

Whānau Wellbeing, Whānau Fun!

Check out this series of fun whānau videos. So many very cool ideas to interact with whānau. With the way society is nowadays, it is too easy to become easily disconnected or distracted.

Try a few of these ideas out.

— Don't get caught up in competing or drawing the best artwork.
— The point is to interact as a whānau.

Finished Hei Mahi

Whānau Wellbeing, Whānau Fun!