of a pepeha
Have you ever said a pepeha?
Speaking from experience as a Pākehā man who hasn't really engaged much with te ao Māori in my life, it can be a bit nerve-wracking.
You want to engage, it's exciting and you're learning things - but you don't want to say the wrong thing. You don't want to be disrespectful. You don't want to embarrass yourself.
You have to think about things in a different way: what's my maunga, my mountain? What's my awa, my river? Where do I consider my home, my heritage? If I'm honest with myself, do I even really have a connection with these symbols and places? What do I mention and what do I leave out? Why am I actually doing this? Is it even appropriate?
Link to recording and article: The anatomy of a pepeha | RNZ
