Hui Whakawātea

Hui Whakawātea Courageous conversations. Reflection. Growth. Connection.

Exploring reo trauma, dismantling barriers, and creating pathways for healing through wānanga, storytelling, and shared whakaaro that strengthen our people, our whānau, and our communities.

🎧 Listen on Spotify - https://f.mtr.cool/jvurvzkifk▶️ Watch now on YouTube - https://f.mtr.cool/fpviamjvcgA new chapter ...
17/08/2026

🎧 Listen on Spotify - https://f.mtr.cool/jvurvzkifk

▶️ Watch now on YouTube - https://f.mtr.cool/fpviamjvcg

A new chapter of Hui Whakawātea begins.

For our first three episodes, we explored the kaupapa. And now, we're handing over the mic.

Over the next three episodes, you'll hear directly from participants of Hui Whakawātea — their voices, their reflections and their experiences, shared in their own words.

- Our first participant kōrero is available now.

- We won't tell you what they have to say.

- We invite you to listen for yourself.

14/08/2026

“And then you take that with you… and you take it away from the hui, and you take it home.”

What happens when our taupā don't stay in the moment?

The worry.
The anxiety.
The overthinking.
The constant analysing and critiquing of ourselves.

We can carry these experiences away from the hui, into our homes and into other parts of our lives.

And as Raukura shares in this kōrero, the impact can be significant:

“No peace of mind and no freedom.”

In Episode 2 of Hui Whakawātea, we explore what our taupā can look like, how they affect the way we experience te reo Māori, and the impact they can have beyond the moment itself.

Recognising the taupā is only part of the kōrero.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify - https://f.mtr.cool/jvurvzkifk

▶️ Watch now on YouTube - https://f.mtr.cool/fpviamjvcg

12/08/2026

“The first thing we actually look at is grey hair… it’s your job… away you go…”

Sometimes our taupā aren't created by what we can't do. They can come from what we believe we should be able to do.

I should already know.
I'm Māori, so I should be able to speak.
I'm the kaumātua — it's my job.
Everyone expects me to know.

And sometimes those expectations aren't only coming from ourselves. They can come from the people and environments around us too.

In Episode 1 of Hui Whakawātea, common taupā between us and te reo Māori is explored — including the expectations we place on ourselves and each other.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify - https://f.mtr.cool/jvurvzkifk

▶️ Watch now on YouTube - https://f.mtr.cool/fpviamjvcg

10/08/2026

"My taupā was a fear of failure."

What if the thing holding us back isn't our ability...
..but the story we've been telling ourselves?

In Episode 3 of Hui Whakawātea, Raukura shares her own experience with fear of failure and how it stopped her from getting her own name of of her mouth.

If you've ever felt held back by fear of failure, this conversation is worth your time.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify - https://f.mtr.cool/jvurvzkifk

▶️ Watch now on YouTube - https://f.mtr.cool/fpviamjvcg

This conversation might be for you if...You've ever felt whakamā speaking te reo Māori.You've wondered why it feels easi...
10/08/2026

This conversation might be for you if...

You've ever felt whakamā speaking te reo Māori.
You've wondered why it feels easier to kōrero in some places than others.
You've questioned whether you're "good enough."
You've wanted to reconnect but didn't know where to start.
You've ever thought... "Maybe I'm the only one who feels like this."

You're not.

Hui Whakawātea is a space for honest conversations about the barriers many of us carry—and the possibilities that emerge when we begin talking about them.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify - https://f.mtr.cool/jvurvzkifk

▶️ Watch now on YouTube - https://f.mtr.cool/fpviamjvcg

06/08/2026

"Just saying the words 'Kia ora' won't come out of my mouth."

For many people, the challenge isn't knowing the words.

It's finding the confidence to say them.

In this moment from Episode 2 of Hui Whakawātea, we explore taupā—the invisible mental and emotional barriers that can make even the simplest words feel impossible to say.

If you've ever felt whakamā, nervous, or hesitant to speak te reo Māori, know that you're not alone.

This is just one moment from a much bigger conversation about understanding our barriers, showing ourselves compassion, and creating spaces where our reo can flourish.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify - https://f.mtr.cool/jvurvzkifk

▶️ Watch now on YouTube - https://f.mtr.cool/fpviamjvcg See less

Some conversations give us answers.Others leave us with better questions.Episode 3 is an invitation to pause, reflect, a...
04/08/2026

Some conversations give us answers.

Others leave us with better questions.

Episode 3 is an invitation to pause, reflect, and see things from a different perspective.

As we've discovered throughout this journey, meaningful change doesn't always come from having the right answers. Sometimes it begins with being willing to listen, to challenge our own thinking, and to remain open to new possibilities.

This episode continues the kōrero, building on the foundations laid in Episodes 1 and 2, while inviting us to explore another layer of the journey together.

Whether you're just discovering Hui Whakawātea or you've been with us from the beginning, we invite you to take some time, settle in, and experience this conversation for yourself.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify - https://f.mtr.cool/zivtffxccv

▶️ Watch now on YouTube - https://f.mtr.cool/xjmtbqhmgz

29/07/2026

"Now what?"

Understanding our history is important.

It helps us recognise the events that have shaped our relationship with te reo Māori and the experiences carried across generations.

But at some point, we have to ask ourselves...

Now what?

In this moment from Episode 1 of Hui Whakawātea, Raukura challenges us to look beyond the past and consider what comes next.

If this question resonates with you, we invite you to watch the full episode and join us as we begin exploring historical trauma, reo trauma, and the pathways towards healing and reclaiming our reo.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify - https://shorturl.at/WkdZi

▶️ Watch now on YouTube - https://shorturl.at/aG8YZ

Have you ever noticed that speaking te reo Māori feels easier in some places than others?Perhaps you're confident at hom...
25/07/2026

Have you ever noticed that speaking te reo Māori feels easier in some places than others?

Perhaps you're confident at home, but hesitant at work.
Comfortable with friends, but whakamā in front of fluent speakers.

In Episode 2 of Hui Whakawātea, we explore taupā—the mental and emotional barriers that influence how we learn and speak te reo Māori.

Together we discuss:
- What the Affective Filter Hypothesis is.
- The difference between taupā nui and taupā iti.
- Why our confidence changes across different social environments.
- How understanding these barriers can help create safer, more supportive spaces for learning.

This episode reminds us that learning te reo Māori isn't only about vocabulary or grammar—it's also about how we feel.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify - https://shorturl.at/sCLZj

▶️ Watch now on YouTube - https://shorturl.at/Wpe3C

📱 Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok for episode highlights, behind-the-scenes content and future conversations.

The Hui Whakawātea is a wānanga (workshop) designed to dismantle barriers to learning and speaking te reo Māori.We are c...
23/07/2026

The Hui Whakawātea is a wānanga (workshop) designed to dismantle barriers to learning and speaking te reo Māori.

We are calling these barriers Taupā. Taupā, in this context, are physical, emotional, or structural barriers that keep things apart or stop progress.

To dismantle the barrier, we first need to identify it. This wānanga (workshop) is intentionally designed to drive up taupā so that you can 'name it' and 'tame it'. It can be confronting; it can be uncomfortable, and connection and progress will continue to stall as long as these taupā endure.

If you are someone who is ready to overcome any barriers that you think you may have regarding te reo Māori - WE ARE HERE FOR YOU!

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