About Tīwaiwaka
Tīwaiwaka is a set of Principles and a collective of people committed to restoring the mauri of the whenua.
We bring together our gifts and abilities, mātauranga, skills and experience, and networks throughout Aotearoa, many groups and individuals, all committed to realising this vision, each in our own way, regardless of culture, religion, beliefs, history, etc.
It works by sharing this vision and empowering more and more people to give it effect. We share a common voice that in time will embrace the whole of Aotearoa.
By following the Principles of Tīwaiwaka set out (in the book) we have a way forward that gives us hope for the future. Keeping the whenua well is always the first priority. That is what will ensure our long-term future, especially for the generations that follow us.
Key Principles
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Principle 1
Te Whenua, Papatūānuku, is the source of all life. She is the Mother. Ka ora te Whenua, ka ora te tangata.
Caring for the whenua is the first priority. Everything else must be measured against this. -
Principle 2
We are not the centre of the Universe but we are part of it.
All living creatures are our brothers and sisters, and we are the potiki, the last born. Papatūānuku is our mother. We must care for them. -
Principle 3
The mauri is the web of connections that sustains life.
If any of those connections is weakened or broken the mauri is less able to sustain life. The integrity of the mauri and its web of connections has greater priority than the rights and needs of any individual or species. -
Principle 4
Te tangata, people, are not the masters of the mauri; we are part of the mauri and embraced by it.
Our role is to care for the mauri. In doing so we are cared for by it. We find peace. We are at home. -
Principle 5
No individual person is more important than any other.
Each must contribute what they have to offer, and receive what they need to be well. We are most well when we are sustained by the mauri, the web of connections that makes us who we are. -
Principle 6
We give special care to
the tiniest living creatures.
Even though they are too small to be seen they are the foundation that keeps and sustains all life. Caring for them is caring for the mauri. This is the source of wellness, of sustainability.
Excerpts from the Book
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King Tawhiao & Tiwaiwaka
The context is Rewi Maniapoto and the Kiingitanga leaders had crossed the Aukati line for the first time. In the references, the author states this was a kōrero given to her in 1983 by Henare Tuwhangai.
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Maui & the Tiwaiwaka
There are many versions amongst Iwi of the story of how Maui, one of the super heroes of Maori mythology, tried to overcome death by re-entering the womb of Hine-nui-te-po.
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The Thinking Behind Tiwaiwaka
We need to find a way of living sustainably with Mother Earth, not just for us, but for everybody. We need to tell that story in a way, in time, that everybody will not just accept, but positively embrace and work to make happen. It can happen; it needs to happen.
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Where Did Tiwaiwaka Begin?
To us, looking with healers’ eyes, it seems that the whenua is losing the power to heal itself. The plants we look to for healing are becoming harder and harder to find, and we are seeing many other signs. It seems that the state of New Zealand’s environment is even worse than the experts are telling us.
“Together we can be like the rain that comes at the end of a long drought. Just as the brown and burnt hills slowly begin to turn to green and then burst into new life, so we want to bring hope to a dry and desperate world.”
- Pa Ropata / Rob McGowan
Learning Resources
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Podcast
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Workshops & Wānanga
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Purchase the Book
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Videos
About Pa / Rob McGowan
Ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata.
When the land is well, the people will be well.
Tīwaiwaka was first written by Rob McGowan, (known as Pā Ropata to many) a prominent Rongoā Māori practitioner, well respected for his work in the restoration of Rongoā Māori practise and traditional knowledge of native plants and medicines in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Purchase the Book
Gain more of an insight into the principles and the story behind Tīwaiwaka by purchasing a book. Purchase more than one to share with your friends & whānau, school or workplace.
Profits from book sales help to support Tīwaiwaka.
Ebook $7.00
Booklet $12.00 + shipping