As a kid, whenever I used to stay over at my mate’s house, my nan would send me over with a random bag of kai. A loaf of $1 bread, a can of spaghetti, tomato sauce, onions, chicken stock, or other random stuff from the pantry. I used to get hella embarrassed. Firstly, because no one else ever did this. Secondly, because it was like $7 worth of kai. And thirdly, because it was clear that we didn’t have much. I even shoved the bag into a bush once on the way.
Read MoreThe election is coming up very soon, do your research and go down the right path e te whānau. Remember that you’re doing this not only for yourself, but for other people. ‘Vote for Māori’ will always be the most important whakapepeha to me as a rangatahi Māori in the 21st century.
Read MoreNgā Rangahautira is Te Herenga Waka’s Māori Law Students rōpū based down at the Old Government Buildings. We are focused on supporting Māori tauira through their law degrees and setting them up for success after they graduate. Our support comes in many forms through academic workshops, careers events, whakawhanaungatanga, mentoring and more. We also generally work on encouraging awareness and understanding about Māoridom and Māori issues at the law school.
Read MoreNō te tau 1969 tīmatahia ai te rōpū nei. I taua wā rā ko Te Reo Māori Society, ko Te Rōpū Reo Māori hoki ngā ingoa i whakamahia. Nō te tau 2015, whakaorahia anō ai te rōpū nei e Vini Olsen-Reeder. Nei mātou o Te Hōhaieti o Te Reo Māori e mihi atu nei, e mihi atu nei!
Read MoreIn 1955, a conference was held in Wellington wherein Mäori students from VUW welcomed Maori students from Auckland Uni for a weekend of discussion, debate, and sports. This conference would go on to happen every year or second year right up to now.These days it has a new name: Huinga Tauira. The first formal Mãori group at our university was established a year after in 1956, named Māori Club'.
Read MoreMedia is everywhere nowadays, whether we want to see it or not. It’s wild to fathom just how prevalent media is in the life of a university student, and the forms of media are as boundaryless as the topics and discussions. Or, as Paddy Gower would say, “This is the fuckin’ news!”
Read MoreYou know when you start to make a smoothie and everything is loud, the blender is shaking, and you think it's about to explode? That was me at age 5 realising that my beliefs contradict each other. Growing up in a Māori Catholic family, I struggled to exist within two worlds. My spirituality has never been here nor there, but a constant blend between both Catholicism and te Ao Māori.
Read More“If you keep skipping school, you’ll end up being a burden for our people and this society.” Te kōrero o tōku māmā has been rooted in my head since I was a lil kid. To be honest, school was never my number one priority. I always thought I would just drop out halfway through high school or before finishing, find a full time job in hospo or retail, and just let the flow of life lead me on my journey. I never once thought about what I wanted to do.
Read MoreEels: te kupu Māori mō te tuna. A type of animal that is considered culturally significant in many different aspects of Māori culture. Eels were a staple food source for Māori, and still they are an important part of many feasts and celebrations. Māori mythology and stories from different iwi say that eels were seen as ngā kaitiaki o ō tātou awa, roto, me ngā moana. Nowadays, eels in Aotearoa are facing several threats, including habitat loss, pollution, overfishing, and the effects of climate change.
Read MoreWe’ve all been there. There are butterflies in your puku, and the ‘good morning’ messages are hitting different. If you’re like me, you’ll then do a quick whakapapa search to avoid any future meet ups at whānau reunions or orders from aunty to “give your cousin a kiss” (she doesn’t need to know you’ve already given him lots of kisses on the Siglo balcony). Finally, the ‘what are we?’ conversations that, if all goes well, will find you changing your FB status from ‘single’ to ‘in a relationship’. Yayurrrr!
Read MoreIt’s pretty obvious that I love music, simply from the amount of time I have my AirPods in.
I bet a lot of you guys feel the same way I do—there's nothing quite like getting lost in your own world with your favourite playlist in your ears. It's amazing how music can transport you to a different place and time, and help you forget about all of the stresses and worries of the day. I'm glad that I have my AirPods with me most of the time to help create my own little sanctuary of sound, where I can listen to the music that speaks to me, makes me feel alive, and keeps me focused l on what I’m meant to. This is my top five playlist to help you create your own sanctuary of sound.
Read MoreWhat would you choose: following what people consider to be God’s word, or the words written up from deep inside your inner self? It was the second one that I chose, and while it’s not perfect, I’m sure that I'm happier than ever.
Read MoreWater is one of the most important elements to all beings on earth. It is sacred to many cultures. In my family, us Vietnamese consider the ocean surrounding us to be the ancient root of life, wisdom, and wealth. That ocean births and feeds, gives and takes.
Read MoreRangatahi Māori are overrepresented in almost all mental health statistics reported in Aotearoa.
In the well-being statistics for 2021, as reported by Stats NZ, Māori on average sat at 7.3 for satisfaction of life
(on a scale from 0-10), which was noted to be significantly lower then the total population average of 7.7.
Read MorePOV: you're at home, you have one thing on your mind, and one thing only. You are DTF. You stop everything you're doing and open the infamous dating (more like hook-up) app we all know and love to hate. Tinder (or Grindr if that's more your cup of tea). You swipe until a profile catches your eye. After mustering the courage to swipe right, BOOM. In big, bold letters: IT'S A MATCH!
Read MoreI don’t like hustle culture.
Don’t get me wrong, I love hard workers and pushing yourself to do well. But if hustle culture was a cookie, it’d be a Griffin’s Mint Treat biscuit. Hustle culture to me is a vulture just praying on your downfall.
Read MoreMoving out had always been a goal growing up, especially if you shared a room with your siblings your whole life. Imagine having your own space and eating whatever you want, whilst not having to worry about your teina sneaking their hands into your kai. One could only dream, right?
Read MoreBeing a Māori kid and growing up in the hood, drug culture wasn't an unusual thing to encounter. In fact, it was quite normal.
Read MoreTransitioning from high school to university challenged my sense of home. I didn’t know what I was heading into, and I certainly didn’t expect I would end up where I am now.
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