Ko Moumoukai tōku maunga tapu
Ko Nuhaka tōku awa.
Ko Rongomaiwahine
Tōku tupuna whaea
E tū ake au i raro i tōna korowai
Tēnā rā koutou
Tēnā rā koutou katoa
Ki te taha o tōku matua whāngai tuarua
Nō Tauranga Moana ia
Ko Mauao tōna maunga
Ko Tauranga tōna moana
Ko Tamateapokaiwhenua
Tōna tupuna matua
E tū ake au i raro i tona aroha
Tēnā rā koutou katoa
Ki te taha o tōku matua whāngai tuatahi
Ko Tāmanuhiri tōna hapū
Ko Muriwai tōna marae
Ko Hikurangi tōna maunga tapu
Ki te taha o tōku Whare Tangata
Ko Te Ratu (Sonny) Mataira tōku Koro, Nō Kahungunu ia.
Ko Rakaipaka te Hapū,
Ko Nuhaka tōna Awa
Ko Moumoukai tōna maunga.
Ko Takitimu tōna waka.
Ko Hinewirangi Whakaware Brown tōku Kuia
Ko Tangitu ki tōna moana.
Ko Maungaharuru ki uta tōna maunga tapu
Ko Mōhaka tōna awa
Ko Ngati Pahauwera tōna iwi
Hinewirangi has lived a journey that captures a young girl who faced adversities of sexual abuse and childhood trauma. Followed by teenage years, that took a pathway of self-discovery whilst learning to find empowerment within te ao Māori spiritual connections to her tipuna. Particularly to her Nanny, whose presence whilst not always there physically, was dominant spiritually to protect Hinewirangi in times of despair and risky behaviours.
“The turning point, the beginning of my reconnecting. I loved for the first time, this little man asked nothing of me. Except to love him. He said, Māmā I don’t love you when you fly away”.
“I began to write my pain, to take it outside of me in poetry, and story. I began to use my art and my stories, to find the beauty inside of me and to also tell the stories of hurt, anger and pain. My art revealed and released the many faces of pain, anger, hate, hurt, deep sadness within and I began to grow. I began to play the music of my ancestors and understood the voice within. I understood my own voice and heard the voice of my tipuna. And in earnest I began to sing my soul back into being reconnected with myself.”
Hinewirangi has walked alongside whānau from all walks of life, to support in bringing balance to their lives and finding empowerment in the way they share their journeys from a place of resilience rather than trauma. To teach individuals how to honour their holistic selves, their own Te Whare Tapa Whā.
Now holding huge importance as the Kuia for Te Kete Pounamu, it is vital that as a ropū we continue to be aware of what Māori are doing in their communities to heal. We have to learn politically the impact of colonization on ourselves. We have to make our stand. Whatever that be.