Establishment

The first human was a wahine – Hineahuone. Researched, designed, and developed by the children of Papatuanuku and Ranginui – ngā atua. Born into her own power Hineahuone uttered the words “Tihei Mauri Ora” the life force of wellbeing. Hence the tātai whakapapa through the generations must be counted through te ira māreikura or the female link. Hinetītama and Hinenuitepō operationalised two undeniable functions of humanity, giving birth and dying. Between being born and dying the power they inherited from their mother and grandmother is the force of mauri ora or wellbeing which guides the quality of a person’s life.

Women are the storytellers, the singers, the leaders, the dreamers, and the dream makers of our whānau and our communities. ‘He Whare Wahine’ is unapologetically wahine Māori in focus, driven by a vision of celebration and acknowledgement of wahine Māori. The moemoeā of ‘He Whare Wahine’ is to promote the original status of wahine Māori as enacted at kurawaka, in every environment in which wahine Māori are present. Reclamation of mana, reassertion of power, reimaging of our portrayal, and the reintegration of the originating genesis of wellbeing at kurawaka – mauri ora. 

Vision

Through ‘He Whare Wahine’, wahine Māori will be guided, enabled, mentored, and facilitated to their whakapapa, mātauranga, their importance and their place in history. This means we centre wahine Māori within the greater nucleus of the whānau, the nurturer, the carer, the storyteller, and the leader. A place is offered for daughters’, mothers’, sisters’, and grandmothers’ natural native intellect to be heard – a wānanga. Within the space of wānanga courageous conversations are invited, sheltered, and honoured. Wahine Māori are enlivened through the wānanga process which validates and honours their journeys.

Goals & Purpose

There are four significant philosophies that underpin the focus of ‘He Whare Wahine.’

• The re-establishment of the powerbase wahine Māori must have to engage in all aspects of her life from the kitchen table to the caucus table.
• The emphatic advancement of wahine Māori in hapū, iwi, and contemporary communities as valid representatives and voices of intergenerational trauma.
• The practical application of tikanga to all life domains which enable wahine Māori to move from personal disadvantage to personal equality. A leader, in our homes, schools, marae, communities, councils and government.
• Training is developed from real-life scenarios gathered from and delivered by experienced practitioners.