Te mana o ngā tīpuna Tīpuna parenting
Tīpuna parenting is a journey to awaken the Māori DNA of whānau. It’s about reclaiming traditional Māori parenting styles that support the growth of pēpi, tamariki and whānau.
In pre-colonial times, our tīpuna encouraged strong whānau connections, and nurturing and developing tamariki within te ao Māori, the Māori world.
Pēpi are born with mana
Pēpi are born with mana from atua, the spirit world. Tīpuna saw pēpi as tapu, sacred. When Europeans arrived to Aotearoa they saw how tīpuna Māori cared for our tamariki like taonga.
Channel your tīpuna and keep your cool
Elizabeth Harte
Connecting through pūrākau
Pūrākau and pakiwaitara are stories that are passed down through generations.
These are simple ways to connect pēpi and whānau to whakapapa, by talking and listening. Reconnecting to whakapapa can be as a simple as looking into te taiao, the natural world, to start to share stories.
Oriori are traditional waiata
Oriori are often sung to children and hold significant stories about whakapapa. They may mark significant events including pregnancy, birth, retribution or reciprocity. Where they’re used to soothe a pēpi to sleep, oriori are sometimes called lullabies.
Whānau use a range of tikanga Māori practices during the birth of their pēpi. Oriori might be sung or chanted as a newborn emerges and is welcomed into the ‘world of light’.
