Joanne Hakaraia - Olson
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Hoturoa te tangata
Ko Tararua ngā maunga
Ko Ōtaki te awa
Ko Ngāti Raukawa ki te tonga te iwi
Ko Ngāti Kapumanawawhiti me Ngāti Maiōtaki ngā hapū
Ko Joseph Hakaraia tōku papa
Ko Rosalie Hohipuha tōku mama
Ko Nick Olson tōku hoa rangatira
Ko Joanne Hakaraia-Olson tōku ingoa
Joanne Hakaraia-Olson (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Whakaue) is a healer, teacher, and avid student of Rongoā Māori. Born and raised in Otaki, she obtained her passion for plants from her grandmother and mother. She moved to Auckland 17 years ago where she met her husband Nick Olson and together they put down roots to share a life together.
For the last twenty years, Joanne has dedicated her personal and professional life to the importance of self-care by teaching from her own experience. After being diagnosed with an illness in 2008 Joanne chose Rongoā for healing. She chose a path of deep self-reflection that still continues today.
She formed Te Waka Rākau in 2016 with the kaupapa of bringing wāhine together for self-reflection through the traditional practice of Rongoā Māori.
Joanne saw that profound healing could take place by connecting to the mauri of plants. She began assisting wāhine to connect to the mauri and saw profound shifts that took place in the wāhine. The practice encouraged wāhine to explore the ngahere (forest) and local parks and reserves to find and identify rākau (plant). The wāhine would take their tamariki into the ngahere and learn together. This would become the influence behind the kaupapa of Te Waka Rākau.
After living in Auckland for 17 years, Joanne is returning home to Ōtaki with her husband Nick.
"There is no better place for me to be right now than at home on my whenua.
Continuing this kaupapa on my turanga waewae has been a vision for so long."
If you are interested in learning about the mauri of rākau, we recommend you begin with Punaora Rongoā.
Experience in rongoā is not essential.
Lynaire Hartley
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Ko Tainui toku waka
Ko Tararua toku Maunga tapu
Ko Ngati Raukawa toku iwi
Ko Ngati Pareraukawa raua ko Ngati Waewae toku hapu
Ko Te Whatanui te Rangatira
Ko Kia Ruku Te whaiti Rangihoapu Te Huia raua ko Amiria Nicholson oku kuia
Ko Hokio me nga Rangitikei toku awa
Ko Ngatokowaru raua ko Te Tikanga nga toku marae
Ko Barbara Summers raua Ko Mirimiri Martin Hartley oku matua
Ko Lynaire Hartley taku ingoa
Kia ora my name is Lynaire and I am the youngest of 10. I have a daughter named Ngatea and we both live in Te Awahou. Rongoa has become my way of life and by pursuing this journey, it has helped me to create opportunities for everyone alike. Culture is a big part of my being, as it has allowed me to strengthen my craft that our Tupuna had started many moons ago. Apart from Rongoa Maori my interests also include Mau Rakau, Kapa Haka, Patu, facilitating ancestral teachings, fishing and farming and I do love sports and Martial Arts (Instructor). I have been in the Military ,Volunteer Fire service, Volunteer Ambulance, Volunteer Victim Support. My current employment is a Whanau ora Counsellor.
Awhina Henry
Ko Hikurangi te maunga
Ko Waiapu te awa
Ko Ngati Porou te iwi
Ko Awhina Henry tōku ingoa
Ko Hamiora Milne tōku hoa rangatira
Ko Kaitiaki Milne tāku pēpi
Kei te akoranga i te whare wānanga o te upoko o te ika ara ko Te Herenga Waka.
Kei te whai ana tōku tohu ture
I te mutunga o tētahi tohu ka mahi au i te ture ā whānau
I te tau rua mano tekau mā waru kua mutu te tohu o te ao Māori me te Whakahaere Rauemi
Ko Pouako tāku mahi ināianei ki te whare ture hāpori
I ngā wā kua pahure ka akoranga i te heke rongoā i Te Wānaga o Raukawa.
Toko ono ngā tau e whai ana te huarahi o rongoā
Ko Awhi Ora Rongoā te ingoā o tāku pākihi iti
Ko te mahi rongoā taku tino mahi, te mahi o tāku ngākau
Tōku rongoā tōku ohooho tōku māpihi maurea
Kia Ora my name is Awhina and I come from a small place on the East Coast called Tikitiki.
I currently live in Levin with my partner Hamiora and my son Kaitiaki.
I have a degree in Te Ao Māori and Māori Resource Management from Victoria University.
I am currently studying Law at Victoria University.
When I finish I want to work in Family Law as I want to help our kids and whānau.
I work as a teacher of law at Community Law where I teach our Māori communities how to navigate the law and our youth their legal rights.
I have a few diplomas in rongoā, one of them being from Te Wānanga o Raukawa.
I have been doing rongoā for the last 6 years and have created my own small rongoā business called Awhi Ora Rongoā.
I have taught rongoā to rangatahi with groups like Te Rau Ora and the University.
I love working with our rangatahi and rongoā.
Rongoā is what’s sets my soul on fire, it is my passion and absolute love.
Rose & Joe Hakaraia
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Hoturoa te tangata
Ko Tararua ngā maunga
Ko Ōtaki te awa
Ko Ngāti Raukawa ki te tonga te iwi
Ko Ngāti Kapumanawawhiti me Ngāti Maiōtaki ngā hapū
Rosalie and Joseph Hakaraia (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Whakaue) are the kaumātua for Te Waka Rākau. They are both born and raised in Otaki. They are both retired and still as busy as ever. Their knowledge of the past is a taonga. Dad still shares about his time living on the pa with his extended whanau. Mum still remembers fish that her father used to harvest at 4 am on the beach.
Kaumatua have many important roles in their families, including preserving traditions and knowledge, providing leadership, and nurturing the younger generations.