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Maui Brennan (Ngāi Tahu – Ngāi Tūāhuriri) grew up in Ōtautahi in a bicultural household. Being of Italian and Māori whānau, Maui appreciates not only the similarities between his two cultures, but also the strong sense of identity that has blossomed from his upbringing.
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For most Ngāi Tahu the connection to and passion for mahinga kai pulses through their veins – it’s in the DNA. Traditionally the gathering of kai was a huge part of whānau life and survival, and it’s not that different now. Each year when the season comes whānau gravitate to their awa to get themselves a feed of that precious little fish known as īnanga. Sadly, the ongoing degradation of our environment continues to impact negatively on many of our taonga species and whitebait is no exception. There’s no denying there isn’t as much bait around as there used to be, but the government’s recently proposed changes to whitebait management blatantly contravene its legal responsibility to tangata whenua as Treaty partners, and shows disregard for the customary practices that have sustained many generations of whānau. In this issue of TE KARAKA assistant editor Anna Brankin speaks to Ngāi Tahu whitebaiters from around the takiwā to get their views on the matter
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As governments around the world announce drastic measures to deal with the virus our everyday activities are being altered to prevent its spread. Public gatherings have been limited and a thing called “social distancing” (where people meeting should not be too close together) is the new norm. Hand sanitiser has suddenly gained in popularity, but the effectiveness of facemasks to keep germs in or out or neither is unclear. Our whanaungatanga rituals are ill-advised in the current environment and making modifications is difficult – albeit necessary – as we are forced to stop and think about engagement, hongi, touching or even embracing one another. Greetings like raised eyebrows, touching elbows or simply bowing have become the new rituals.
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