Why we named our workshop and resource 'Hey Haumi'.
A huge Thirdspace mihi to the wonderful folk who joined us last week for our inaugural Hey Haumi Online Workshop. The discussion, depth of reflection and suggested next steps shared by our haumi were inspiring and we feel heartened about the collective impact of these actions towards a Tiriti-led Aotearoa New Zealand.
Here’s some of the feedback we received from participants;
Great to be with like minded, curious people trying to do the right thing.
Attending the Hey Haumi workshop reinforced my values and ideas and that I am on the right path, whatever that is (for me). It was also really nice to have an opportunity to interact with others whose values align with mine.
When I first heard someone using the kupu ‘haumi’ to describe an ally, I assumed it was a transliteration of ‘homie’, I remember my surprise in 2018 when Stacey Morrison (Te Arawa, Ngāi Tahu) posted a meme that explained that it’s a much older reo Māori word in its own right. Like many other kupu Māori, the meaning of the verb is linked to that of the noun.
Haumi as a noun means ‘ally’ but as a verb it is ‘to join’ and describes the joints used to construct a waka, these haumi extend the wooden sections with an addition. Master wayfinder, Hoturoa Barclay-Herr (Tainui) explains that “many hulls were fashioned from a single tree, some had an extra section, known as a haumi, to lengthen the canoe" (2006).
The haumi are the joints that connect different sections of the waka, such as the bow and stern to the hull. These pieces are lashed together using traditional methods, often with flax or other natural fibers, ensuring the waka’s structural integrity. (Ngāti Whātua Orakei)
I visited my local Museum to spend time with the incredible Te Mata o Hoturoa waka, and studied the haumi and lashings that secure the tōtara. This waka is 22m long, 1.5m wide and was crafted from one rākau (as early as 1810) to transport 70 kaihoe. That’s a lot of haumi! It was a really memorable visual reminder of the power of working together.
The use of the kupu haumi to describe allyship is found in a 1876 Māori newspaper, Te Wananga;
E kore rānei koe e mahi tahi hei haumi i taku mahi e mahi nei mō taua whenua? Will you not work collaboratively as an ally in the efforts I am making for that land?
You might be familiar with the words spoken to close a kōrero, karakia or ruruku ending with; ‘Whano, whano! Haramai te toki! Haumi ē! Hui ē! Tāiki ē!’. This also describes the lashing process used to bind the sections of the waka together, strong enough to withstand ocean waves and carry a large group of people on their journeys safely over long distances. They speak of unity, a readiness to progress together.
What a beautiful and important metaphor for our work as haumi / allies in Aotearoa - all of us bound together, working to extend and strengthen our collective wellbeing and purpose. Our Thirdspace workshops and resources are named to also communicate this.
When we planned our next steps during last week’s workshop, podcast recommendations for active allyship were requested, so we’ve gathered links to those focused on Aotearoa histories, te reo Māori and decolonisation.
Treaty Talks by RNZ
Nē? - The Spinoff
NZ Wars by RNZ
Ngā Porokāte, Hori on a Hīkoi
The Aotearoa History Show by RNZ
Black Sheep by RNZ
Weaving Our Worlds, Melanie Nelson
Taringa, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
Back To Kura, Astley Nathan
He Kākano Ahau, RNZ
NUKU by Qiane Matata-Sipu
Everyday Māori, Hēmi Kelly & Āpera Woodfine
From Egmont to Taranaki, John Campbell
Up To Speed With Te Reo Māori, Stacey Morrison
Undercurrent, RNZ
Rourou Conversations, Leadership Lab
And while they’re not podcast episodes, there’s still plenty for us all to learn from the oral submissions to the Justice Select Committee on the Treaty Principles Bill. Network Waitangi Whangārei have helpfully indexed the recordings here (an asterisk indicate those opposing the Bill).
If you missed out on this workshop, our next Hey Haumi Online Workshop will be on Thursday 8th May 7.00 - 8.30pm. Put it in your calendar and keep an eye on our socials, we already have a growing waitlist, get in touch if you’d like to be the first to know when registration opens. The themes covered in Hey Haumi were developed in response to facilitating many such workshops, and the Hey Haumi card game resource also captures these and supports further active allyship, you can find them here.
One immediate action we can all take right now; sign and share Tania Waikato’s petition asking the government to cancel the School Lunch Collective’s contract and go back to funding healthy, delicious, safe kai for our treasured mokopuna.
Sharing these podcast recommendations with fellow haumi can be a great way to spark conversation and please let us know your faves, too!
