Hinemoa Elder
on Aroha and Moon Dreaming
A R O H A
The first word I learned in Te Reo Māori.
The word that took me to New Zealand.
“Ka tū tonu tātou I roto I te aroha.
Stand in love. No matter what.”
A whakatauākī that has become central to Hinemoa Elder’s life. Hinemoa is a puananī, a seed, transmitting her Māori cultural heritage at home and across the world. A descendant of ocean-going navigators, of survivors, of Te Hiku o te Ika, the far North, the tail of the fish.
She wears multiple hats: Board Member of the Mahi a Rongo | The Helen Clark Foundation, listener, questioner, mother, author, mentor and frequent keynote speaker (including a memorable experience on a ship with 100 women scientists in Antarctica).
Although her early life was filled with grief after her mother’s fight with a fatal disease and her brother’s passing, sadness inspired her to get into the medical field. It determined her to give up on a successful TV career and become a child and adolescent psychiatrist, for which she later received the NZ Order of Merit.
Connecting with aroha is a choice: either tap into its force and turn it into a treasure or see it as something that keeps you stuck. Trying to find it can sometimes feel like a lonely journey, an exhausting one.
Hinemoa knew that we all needed new ways to discover love.
This is why she wrote Aroha. Māori wisdom for a contented life lived in harmony with our planet, a book that uncovers the mana of words, their power and prestige, because “words have a life of their own and how we say them gives them so many colours and flavours”.
Aroha brings us closer to Papatūānuku, the Earth Mother, and Hina, the Moon.
In Wawata. Daily wisdom guided by Hina, the Māori moon, her second book, Hinemoa shows the moon’s 30 different faces that act as guides to help illuminate life’s lessons. A maramataka, a Māori calendar, where each day has its own energy.
“Moon dreaming” is a state of mind, “the freedom of thinking", where Whiro, the new moon brings the “grand reset”, or Rākaunui, the full moon, shows you how to “look long and hard into yourself”.
Hinemoa’s words are a chance to reconnect with ancient wisdom in this strange modern world.
There's no better way to celebrate life than through the power of A R O H A. Discover her books and the force of mātauranga!
Thank you, Hinemoa, for being a Moon Dreamer!
#INSPIRATORS QUESTIONNAIRE
Name: Hinemoa Elder
Title: Doctor, Author
Website: https://hinemoaelder.com/
LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hinemoa-elder-39467615/?originalSubdomain=nz
Country of origin: Aotearoa / New Zealand
Country you currently live in: Aotearoa / New Zealand
Your personal definition of Regeneration:
Regeneration is not a word I use often. For me, it is a word that evokes development, growth and energy, as well as inspiration from a limitless source.
It has a sense of drive and purpose too, for redefining and opening up to new perspectives.
At this time of year, the new Māori year, where I am from in Te Hiku o Te Ika, that concept is encompassed by the saying “Puanga kai rau”. Puanga is our word for the star Rigel. Puanga is our sign of winter and for an abundance of food having been gathered and stored. It is a time for feeding the body and the mind. A time to remember those who have passed on in the previous year, and to take those legacies forward in our plans for the future year.
Main business challenge you face: Making time for rest and reflection. Staying away from the “too busy“ traps.
Main driver that keeps you going: Tino rangatiratanga, self-determination for Māori.
The trait you are most proud of in yourself: Listening.
The trait you most value in others: Discovering solutions in recognizing the language and value of emotional expression.
Passions & little things that bring you joy: The stories of our old people, whakapapa, our genealogy, the magnificence of the Māori mind, Hinengaro the Māori goddess of the Mind, manu (birds), dawn and sunset, stars, Hina (our Moon goddess), the garden, honey, Hinemoana, Tangaroa (ocean deities), eye contact with my kids, kissing my partner's lips, cuddles.
The #inspirators who determined you to take the regenerative path:
Mum, Dad, Nan, all of our tūpuna, our tamariki, our descendants to come, all of the people we work with and their whānau, my colleagues and friends.
A hint or starting point for companies or professionals that are taking the first steps in the regeneration journey: Explore your identity. Who are you? Where do you come from? What is your history and how are you connected?
Most used and abused clichés about sustainability that bother you: Inserting “green” or “all natural”.
An honest piece of advice for young people who lose hope: Ask for help. You don’t need to give all the details. Tell someone something about what’s really going on.
Books that had a major impact on you:
The Woven Universe: Selected Writings by Rev. Māori Marsden
Decolonising methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples by Linda Tuhiwai Smith
The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1001 Nights
Must-reads for any Regenerative professional:
My books
Aroha. Māori wisdom for a contented life lived in harmony with our planet
Wawata. Daily wisdom guided by Hina, the Māori moon
Movies / Documentaries you would watch all over again: Web of Chaos.
Blogs / Websites / Podcasts etc. you visit frequently: Anything with Cindy Gallop.
Music that makes you (and your heart) sing: Siouxsie and the Banshees, 80’s R and B, Chaka Khan, Motown, Modern Māori Quartet.
Places you travelled to that left a mark on you: Te Hiku o te Ika, Greece, London, NYC, Beijing, and The Galapagos Islands.
Global Regenerative Voices you recommend us to follow:
Te Whare Kōrero app (all iwi Māori radio stations across Aotearoa)
Papa Reo
Common Purpose
Homeward Bound Project
Alexia Hilbertidou
Trends in Regeneration we should keep an eye on: Indigenous peoples taking back guardianship, governance, operational control of our lands, waterways and oceans.
Best places for business networking (online or offline): Cultural events, writers' festivals, arts events, and airport lounges.
Events we should attend: Wānanga, Kura Reo, Family meals, kids' activities, shared whānau events.
Associations, business clubs, tribes you belong to – and why:
Te Aupōuri, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kurī, Ngāpuhi nui tonu - no choice, this is who I am! Busara Circle to foster and encourage women in STEMM.
Girl Boss Mentor to champion women doing everything they want to do in life.
Reasons to feel optimistic about our future in 2030:
E whakaora ake ana te reo Māori me ōna tikanga.
Te Reo Māori and our ways of living are flourishing.
Reasons to feel pessimistic about our future in 2030: Growing racism, misogyny and online hate.
Regenerative Leadership qualities much needed today: Recognising the critical importance of Indigenous leadership, Indigenous design and delivery for meaningful and effective outcomes for generations to come.
The #inspirator you are endorsing for a future edition of the newsletter is:
Peter-Lucas Jones
Quote that inspires you:
"Tūwhitia te hopo!"
("Feel the fear and do it anyway.")
Your own quote that will inspire us:
Pōhurihanganui was the captain of Kurahaupō, one of our ancestral canoes.
He was not afraid to turn the waka around on two occasions and, in this way, saved the people and brought us to our new home.
Let’s remain inspired by those who came before us in their extraordinary feats of leadership, making tough decisions, changing their minds based on new, relevant information and knowledge.
