Maramataka ‘the key to wellbeing’

Deanne Kireka would like everyone to reclaim their health. Photo / Supplied

Deanne Kireka is a local wahine, born and raised in Hawke’s Bay.

A devoted wife and mother of eight adult children and nan to several mokopuna. Deanne’s greatest wish in life is for everyone to reclaim their health, something she has been doing since she was a young woman.

“As a young child I was quite sickly but my life changed in the early 1980s when I met my sweetheart Pete, a man who lived off the land and desired to learn more about being a good provider for his future family”.

One of the desires of both Pete and Deanne was to learn more about tikanga Māori, te reo Māori and hauora. Pete said that all round wellness incorporated all of those things, not just physical health.

The couple attended wānanga run by Wi Te Tau Huata that taught about the Maramataka – the Māori calendar. They learned that the Maramataka or Māori calendar begins in Pipiri (June/July) with the reappearance of the Matariki star cluster signalling the New Year. This new traditional learning enriched their lives.

The Maramataka, which literally means ‘the moon turning,’ is the Māori lunar calendar, and is the traditional Māori way by which time is marked. ‘There is a time and a season for everything’.

“Maramataka is the key to wellbeing and it realigns us back,” Deanne said.

“It’s the whole moon cycle and it teaches us what phase it is and what we should be doing during those times. Each phase of the month has a name, a mauri and a wairua. At the wānanga we were taught the right names, and throughout my life I have learned about how important timing is.”

“Reclaiming good health is wealth”

“Ko te kai rongoa, ko te rongoa kai - Food is medicine, medicine is food”.

Deanne works for Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiarangi and facilitates one of its Kaioranga courses which teach people to grow their own healthy food for their whanau and marae. This is a wonderful job for Deanne and it satisfies her passion to serve her community and teach others what she knows.

Deanne also has a love for Rongoa and has applied her healing hands to many in need. Over the next 12 months we will be sharing snippets of information from Deanne with the public through Tihei Kahungunu.

With the current recession and cost of living rising, this information will help us to become self-reliant and healthier as we grow our own kai, be more mindful of our environment and learn how we can look after our beautiful whenua, so she can look after us.

For more information and a direct line with Deanne to discuss the Kaioranga course, feel free to contact Deanne: M 020 4002 6509 E Deanne.Kireka@wananga.ac.nz