Te Mata Ōnaianei
Maverick Wainohu
Ko te marama, ko Korekore Rawea rāua ko Korekore Whakapiri
Maverick Wainohu | Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Rangitāne
Tuning into gut instincts, getting out of one’s hinengaro, reserving energy, taking time for self, and surrendering to the present moment – these are just some of the rautaki Maverick Wainohu (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Rangitāne) has learned to utilise for the oranga of his own hauora hinengaro.
During this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week, Maverick is one of many kaikōrero who is sharing whakaaro on how he manages his mental and holistic wellbeing.
The kaupapa, marked nationally throughout Aotearoa on 23-29 September 2024, focuses this year on building community.
Ngā Mata Wai Ora, the counselling and therapy hub of Te Puna Ora o Mataatua is joining in on this kōrero, by exploring “Te Mata Ōnaianei”.
In this mahi, they’ve invited kaikōrero to offer whakaaro about how the tohu surrounding us at this time can help us to understand our waiora – helping to build mātauranga mā te whakawhanaungatanga
Ko te marama o te rā nei, ko Korekore Rawea rāua ko Korekore Whakapiri.
Ānei ētahi kōrero nā Te Rina Ransfield mō tēnei marama:
“Pull the drawstring tight. Nature is still closed. With nature sewn shut, utilise this energy to connect with people. Visit whānau and friends you haven’t seen in a while, make time to sit down and have a kōrero with your kuia and kaumātua or catch up with an old friend.”
In his interpretation of this kōrero, Maverick’s whakaaro is to take notice of te taiao and apply it to our journeys.
Ko tā Maverick whakaaro he mana orite tō ngā kare-a-roto katoa, me ū ki ērā āhuatanga.
He says it’s normal to feel low, and in the same way te taiao moves through its phases, he encourages whānau to do the same – by pausing, feeling into lows, and understanding that like seasons their lows will pass.
Korekore rawea and Korekore whakapiri are also marama that encourage us to kōrero more and to spend time with loved ones.
For Maverick this is also a time when he is reminded to whakakī i tōna ake kete, kia whai hua te marea.
Maverick also encourages whānau ki te nohopoku ki roto i tēnei wā tonu.
His whakaaro is that, in learning to be in the “here and now”, he can follow his own intuition.
It’s in these moments when he says the most beautiful experiences come to him.
