About the Facilitator
Makaira’s insightful, playful, empowering style of teaching has provided a safe space to allow me to be comfortable in the vulnerable. I have found the sessions to be incredibly educational not only for affirming my minimal knowledge of te reo but for healing my inner self to enable me to embrace my culture and proudly share it with others. Each week I have come away feeling grounded, fulfilled, supported, enlightened and childlike, wanting to learn and experience more. I could not recommend him more highly for those who wish to discover and grow their knowledge and understanding of not only te ao Māori and all that this encompasses but more importantly – themselves. - Amie, Make Mistakes in Māori student, Hokitika.
Makaira Waugh is a registered Māori kaiako, artist, poet and healer whose passion is empowering hauora and creativity through kaupapa Māori education in the arts and beyond (links below).
The kaupapa of Tā te Manawa stems from the guidance of his tūpuna, an understanding of his Te Ātiawa heritage, and his personal journey of healing from trauma and mental illness. His experience as a kaiako spans a wide range of contexts from Kōhanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa Māori through to youth, adult and teacher education, in areas such as te reo and tikanga Māori, music and instrument making, poetry, resource development and Māori outdoor pursuits. He has also taught arts education activities as tools for Indigenous language revitalisation for teachers, schools and communities in México in 2020 & 2024.
He Mihi
Ngā mihi nunui ki Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu mōna te kaupapa nei i tautoko ki te pūtea me te kiriata.
He mihi mutunga kore ki tōku whānau, te puna ora.
The beautiful waka huia that represents the mouri and logo of Tā te Manawa was carved by Arama Hamiora Davis.
Steve Gwaliasi from Bonz n Stonz kindly carved hei tiki for the wānanga waiora. The following companies generously donated possum merino fabric for another:
Jase Blair from Katabatic Creative did an amazing job of filming and developing the promo video.
Waikohatu Scott of Wai Whio performed her acting debut in the promo video, and Ariana Tikao generously gifted taonga puoro for the soundtrack.
Ko ngā tūpuna ngā tino kaiwhakahaere, mai 'nō.
Manapou ki te Ao kindly provided me with a scholarship to travel to México, improve my Spanish, and bring the retreat kaupapa to Indigenous communities
