Episode 04: Recovering identity with Robert Rakete and Aroha Tamihana
How we're growing up as a nation🙌
Firstly, just wanted to say I’m absolutely stoked about the Instagram LIVE chat last night with Dr Lara Briden building on our Menopause discussion from Episode 02!
If you missed it, you can still find it here. Thanks to everyone for your questions and feedback. You rock!
In episode 04, I wanted to explore Aotearoa New Zealand's maturing relationship to the language and culture of Māori, our tangata whenua/indigenous people.
My first guest is radio royalty Robert Rakete (Ngāpuhi) speaking on his career and upbringing - including the fact that Robbie's father was not allowed to speak his own mother tongue of te reo Māori in school. Robbie reflects on the movement he's seen over his life, his hopes for the future, and that now iconic moment of sharing The Breeze's jingle recorded in te reo Māori for the first time.
I was also really keen to speak with Aroha Tamihana (Ngāti Raukawa/Ngāti Ranginui), an artist based in Tauranga, who creates unique resources celebrating Māori language and culture through her design studio (and epic insta account) Maimoa Creative. Aroha and her husband did not grow up speaking te reo Māori but they resolved to learn their mother tongue and teach it to their children - it is now their children's first language. Ka pai!
🎧 Listen on the rova app, Spotify or Apple Podcasts!
Song credit: Korimako, Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looker and Charles Looker and published by Songbroker.
So, I’m curious…
What have you discovered about your ancestors?
What has your journey with te reo Māori looked like?