Mandy Kupenga

04/06/2026

🌊 When the ocean speaks, who listens?

What happens when four extraordinary wāhine come together to talk about the future of our moana?

Not from one perspective, but from many — science, community, conservation, restoration, leadership and lived experience.

Inspired by the exhibition Ngā Huhua: Abundance, and hosted by Mandy Kupenga from Heal the Hauraki in partnership with the NZ Maritime Museum, this special evening invites us to explore what a nature-first approach might mean for our relationship with the ocean and the Hauraki Gulf.

Before the panel discussion, take a final opportunity to experience Ngā Huhua: Abundance and immerse yourself in our own blue backyard.

✨ Featuring:

• Moana Tamaariki-Pohe MNZM — community leader, environmental advocate and champion for collective wellbeing

• Rebecca Barclay-Cameron — Project Director at Blue Ventures, bringing together communities, science and industry to restore coastal ecosystems

• Dr Rochelle Constantine — internationally respected marine ecologist and one of Aotearoa’s leading voices for ocean conservation

• Bianca Ranson — conservation advocate, community organiser and Hauraki Gulf Forum member dedicated to mobilising action for te taiao

Together, these wāhine bring decades of experience, wisdom and aroha for the moana — and a shared belief that the wellbeing of our oceans, our whenua and our people are deeply connected.

📍 NZ Maritime Museum, Auckland
📅 Tuesday 9 June
⏰ 5pm–8pm
🎟 Free event | Bookings required (link in bio)

Come for the conversation.
Leave with a deeper connection to the moana we love.

26/05/2026

24/05/2026

Let’s get you hitched!!! 😁😁😁❤️❤️❤️😘😘😘

20/05/2026

When food becomes an act of love.

Dr Jessica Hutchings at the Auckland Writers Festival 2026.

“Ko au te whenua, ko te whenua ko au”
“I am the land and the land is me.”
Panel curated by

📸🎥🙏🏼

AucklandWritersFestival

19/05/2026

“We’re seeing a huge resurgence to revitalise aspects of the taiao”.

Tame Malcolm at the Auckland Writers Festival 2026.

AucklandWritersFestival

18/05/2026

There are many of us searching for deeper connection — to te taiao, to community, and perhaps most importantly, to ourselves.

In a world that moves fast, where disconnection can begin to feel normal, this kōrero at the Auckland Writers Festival invited us to slow down. To tune out of the noise, so we could tune back in — to mātauranga, to maramataka, to kai, to whenua, and to the relationships that sustain us.

Ko au te whenua, ko te whenua ko au.
I am the land, and the land is me.

It was an honour to chair this panel as part of curated indigenous voices series, alongside three remarkable people whose mahi embodies connection, healing, wellbeing and care for our natural world.

Dr Jessica Hutchings, Rikki Solomon, and Tame Malcolm shared not only their expertise, but their lived experience — offering pathways of reconnection that felt deeply grounding, hopeful and needed.

This kōrero was a gift. The warmth, openness and energy in the room was palpable as we absorbed the ancestral wisdom and insights so generously shared. There was a feeling throughout the evening that these ways of knowing are not simply things to learn about — they are ways of being that can help guide us forward.

If you feel called to learn more about maramataka, mātauranga Māori, or connection to kai and whenua, I encourage you to follow the beautiful mahi of these three inspiring humans.

My world feels richer for having shared space with them. I left feeling hopeful, curious, and more connected — and I wish that feeling for everyone. ✨

Thank you bestie boo for capturing these beautiful moments & your loving support.

Ngā mihi nui Donna Tamaariki for your guidance & support🌟

15/05/2026

Coming to you “live” from the with an update on the Fisheries Amendment Bill from Ben

Thank you to everyone who is on board with sinking this bill! We’re not there yet though!

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Write to your MP! 🙏🏼

https://legasea.co.nz/kill-the-bill-write-to-your-local-mp/ (here’s a handy dandy helper)

Thank you LegaSea for your hard and amazing work team! 💙🤙🏼🙌🏼

KILL THE BILL!!!

15/05/2026

I’ve always wanted to try this! (in a non-life-threatening situation 😂) and today I got to be the guinea pig for a safety session with the wonderful Sarah Psaila from Coastguard Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. 🚤🌊

I’ve spent a lot of time around the moana, and it’s always good to be reminded that confidence on the water also comes with knowledge, preparation and safety.

I always love catching up with the team with ma !

13/05/2026

Some conversations have the power to reconnect us — to ourselves, to each other, and to the world around us. 🌿

I’m deeply honoured to be hosting a very special panel at this year’s Auckland Writers Festival:

Ko au te whenua, ko te whenua ko au —
I am the land, and the land is me.

Together, we’ll explore the sacred connection between people, whenua, te taiao, and ancestral wisdom — and what becomes possible when we return to those relationships with intention, care, and respect.

I’ll be joined by incredibly knowledgeable and inspiring voices who don’t just speak about this kaupapa… they live and breathe it. And I know this conversation is going to be beautiful, grounding, illuminating, and deeply nourishing for the soul.

In a world that moves so fast, there is something powerful about gathering to remember who we are, where we come from, and our connection to the living world around us. ✨

📍 Aotea Centre, Tāmaki Makaurau
📅 Sunday 17 May 2026
🕓 4:00pm – 5:00pm

Tickets available through Ticketmaster 💚

This is one of ’s guest curator ship at the Auckland Writers Festival. 🙌🏼🙌🏼