Ngahere Talks

Meet Kushla Okano, wāhine Māori tech entrepreneur on the cusp of a GAME CHANGING clean tech system that will revolutionise how we take care of our taiao.Founder of Biokū Technologies and based in Levin with her Tāne and 5 kotiro, Kushla is a powerhouse.https://www.bioku.co.nz/

A week before launching her new pukapuka Atua Wāhine, Hana and Manawa kōrero through the journey of bringing this taonga to existence, and the impact she hopes it will make. Hana Tapiata (Te Arawa, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Porou, Waikato, Pākehā) is a māmā living by Māori philosophies to explore wellness, self-determination and liberation. She freelances in communication and has self-published two books exploring ancestral Māori concepts and systems and their applications in modern life. From Google Books: Ancient wisdom of the Māori goddesses to help you navigate the modern world Atua wāhine are the Māori goddesses who make up the world around us: earth, fire, water, the moon and more. From the earth mother, Papatūānuku, who sustains and nurtures us to the goddess of peace, Hinepūtehue, who transformed pain into beauty, and the misunderstood goddess of the underworld, Hinenuitepō, who created purpose and enlightenment from betrayal - this book is a treasure of knowledge and insight. Drawing on whakataukī (proverbs) and pūrākau (traditional stories), discover how the wisdom of 17 atua wāhine can help us live with courage and confidence in the modern world. With guided steps, these atua will inspire you to foster creativity, acknowledge cycles of change, and embrace self-determination.

Manawa sits down with Amber, Co-founder adn CEO of ARA Journeys, a digital technologies company based in South Auckland, Aotearoa and expanding across the globe. Manawa and Amber recently travelled to China together as part of the Asia New Zealand Foundation's Māori Creative Business Leaders delegation, and Amber followed that tour with a trip to Thailand. In this episode they share their experiences and insights from visiting multiple companies in the game development, digital storytelling, content creation and other tech sectors in China, along with insights from Thailand's tech sector too.

What do you do when faced with life threatening environmental challenges in your rohe, while a bucket list opportunity awaits you on the other side? That's what we discuss with Ash - co-founder of Nōku Clothing in EP 4 of Konei Kōrero, right from the rainy stall fronts of Te Matatini.  

On day 2 of Te Matatini and EP 2 of Konei Kōrero, we sat down with Terina, founder of Poi Yeah! We discuss all things Māori, including what it means to have Te Matatini in your rohe (home ground) and how her pakihi (business) came about. "We can make it happen, kei te pai. Let's move forward!"

With Laura Cibilich and Ray Mckay from Run Design Agency, and Antz from Faiground Accounting. Run and Fairground have both been running for 10 years, and as founders and leaders of their business Laura, ray and Antz share how they use values to guide them, the challenges of leading a team and a vision, we talk heaps about money, mindset and hauora (wellbeing) as you go through the journey of business, and then what it's like to plan and find the $$ for the growth of your business.  Loaded with value!  This episode is part of the Tukua programme - www.tukuawhanau.nz - and will be released as part of an online business course designed for Maori and Pasifika entrepreneurs at all stages of their business journey.  Full course coming in Summer 2023 to tukua.community (pop that in your URL)

It's awesome to have the bro Travis O'Keefe back for another episode on Ngahere Talks were we kōrero about all things Ecommerce! A couple of years ago, pre covid and pre ecommerce booming in Aotearoa, we sat down and had a chat about Ecommerce and The Ecommerce Epiphany.  E-commerce has been around for years, and mannnny people have used e-commerce - or the selling of items or services via the internet - to make a living, or even a fortune. I met online via Zoom with probably the most passionate e-commerce guru in Aotearoa to learn from him what he knows about this. Meet everyones favourite Māori, Indigenous, Entrepreneur Travis O'Keefe, serial entrepreneur!

WHAKATAU - to make a decision, to settle something within yourself.   Whakatau is a short series that explores the experience of Māori in Aotearoa during the global pandemic, and ultimately the decision of whether or not to vaccinate their tamariki (children) against the virus.  In this episode Manawa chats with single father of 3, Bodie Friend of Ngati Pukenga, Tapuika, Waikato, Ngati Apakura and Ngati Hikairo. Living in a multigenerational household, and with a Māmā who is a nurse, Bodie and his whānau were able to confidently navigate the vaxx programme, where all whanau members are now vaccinated, including all three taiohi and tamariki.   Bodie is a deep thinker and we chat about the effects of social media, the mandates, the protests and misinformation through this time of the covid vaxx - and the effects that has had on whanau.  And touch also on if vaccination is just another Pākeha concept being forced onto our people. Fuuuu.  For Māori it can be difficult to trust the government and its western systems, they have not favoured our people and are seen as the key driver to upholding the colonial oppression of indigenous people.  What may seem straightforward and 'scientific' to some is seen as a lie and a trap to others. But we have all faced some tough decisions in the past few years, to come to a point of calm and strength (to whakatau oneself) on the vaccination is tricky for many, so we're here to talk about it.

WHAKATAU - to make a decision, to settle something within yourself. Whakatau is a short series that explores the experience of Māori in Aotearoa during the global pandemic, and ultimately the decision of whether or not to vaccinate their tamariki (children) against the virus.  This episode features Dan and Michelle Walker of Ngāti Ruanui and Ngāruahine, who have three tamariki aged between 5-11yrs. They share about their journey through COVID, but also their fight against an aggressive cancer in their oldest child at the same time.  They share how strong communication ensures their whānau remain healthy and loved through the ups and downs, and how they allowed their tamariki to decide for themselves what they wanted to do. - Episode 2 comes out on Fri 22 July - For Māori it can be difficult to trust the government and its western systems, they have not favoured our people and are seen as the key driver to upholding the colonial oppression of indigenous people.  What may seem straightforward and 'scientific' to some is seen as a lie and a trap to others. But we have all faced some tough decisions in the past few years, to come to a point of calm and strength (to whakatau oneself) on the vaccination is tricky for many, so we're here to talk about it. www.whakatau.nz

Stuff the stereotypes, know and be who you are.  Amber Taylor of Ara Journeys and Jerome Tairi of SAYE join Manawa in the second episode of Ka Tū Maia, where they break down the challenges of living in a world that is often stacked against you, where stereotypes, ideals and harsh expectations will try to hold you back.  Learn how to be confident and comfortable in any room you find yourself in… this episode gets deep!  Featuring an appearance by Kelly the Whenua Warrior.  Ka Tū Maia is a podcast series for those who want to create a better future, featuring real stories from some of South Auckland's most innovative community change-makers.   Listen in as they share the highs and lows, the passion and the persistence, the mighty wins and the epic fails.  It’s a real and raw kōrero that will leave you inspired and equipped to take the next step in your purpose-driven journey. Ka tū māia - be brave!

Business isn't just about profit... well it doesn't need to be! Aroha Tamihana founded Maimoa Creative to empower people on their Te Reo Māori journey and has built a successful business doing it, but it's the values that really drives her.  Manawa founded Ngahere, and all of its branches, from the desire to see our Māori and Pasifika people thrive in our creative, innovative, entrepreneurial potential. In this kōrero you'll hear about what makes a values-based business, how to stick to those values, and how to drive and build the growth of both the mission and it's profits through the power of content (social media) marketing. You're going to love this one!

Q&A on business, keys to starting, growing and sustaining a business, a bit about what's behind Ngahere, and why we roll in South Auckland.

This weeks Ngahere Talks episode features the amazing wāhine and very good friend of Manawa's, Nyrene Crowley 🔥 Nyrene is a professional fighter and Mixed Martial Artist. She has trained in Martial Arts for 6 years and competed professionally full-time for 3 of those years. This episode touches on her journey to becoming a professional fighter, the stigma around MMA and what she wants to ultimately achieve as a fighter. She also talks about how the pressures of being a female martial artist has helped shape her journey with her mental health. She's an amazing role model for wāhine around the world. We hope you enjoy this kōrero.