Aotearoa

He mihi ki te Mea Ngaro, He mihi ki ngā tini mate, He mihi ki a Ranginui, ki a Papatūānuku hoki, He mihi ki te tangata whenua, ki a Ngāi Māori, He mihi anō hoki ki te hoa haere, ki te tangata tiriti, He mihi ki te kaupapa e whakapiripiringia mai nei, He oranga mō tātau katoa e rere mai i te whare o Rēhia, Tīhei mauri ora.

We acknowledge the great hidden Spirit in all creation, We acknowledge the beloved ones who have passed away, We acknowledge our Sky and Earth parents, We acknowledge our sovereign Māori nations, We acknowledge our settler relatives as we journey together under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, We acknowledge the cause that brings us together: The collective wellbeing that flows from the house of Rēhia – the sacred spirit of play. There we behold the essence of wellbeing, of life.

In Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu, the SPIRIT Project is coordinated by Te Rōpū Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pōmare (University of Otago, Wellington) and delivered alongside Māori-led partners. Across the region, the work focuses on reclaiming tākaro (play) as a pathway for healing, learning, and whānau (family) wellbeing. Grounded in shared values, the project enables tamariki (children) and their whānau to reconnect with identity, culture, and each other, while fostering intergenerational learning and joy.

Partners bring their own strengths and unique approaches. Te Hou Ora Whānau Services supports tamariki aged 0–6 through programmes that weave ancestral knowledge, nature-based learning, and identity-building. Tū Kotahi Māori Asthma Trust is creating intergenerational Indigenous play spaces that reconnect whānau to culture, language, and spiritual practice. Toi Matarua revitalises Indigenous approaches to play and learning through rangatahi (youth)-led programmes, including Kāinga Ako, pop-up family learning spaces rooted in pūrākau (stories), cultural expression, and creativity.

At the heart of the project is a belief that tākaro is a tool for cultural revitalisation, identity-building, and intergenerational healing. Tākaro provides space for creativity, connection, hope, and wonder to flourish, creating environments where tamarik i grow up rooted in whakapapa (geneology), te taiao (land), and te ao Māori (Māori ways of being), while linking to a global Indigenous movement.

The SPIRIT Project in Aotearoa is more than programmes and spaces. It is a collective journey, strengthening whānau, building community wellbeing, and contributing to a broader vision where Indigenous children and their families can thrive, dream big, and imagine new possibilities.