"It's true when they say it starts as a thought and eventually it grows into a pull, so strong that it's impossible to go back, only forward."
Catherine Tamihere (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Wairere, Ngāti Porou) shared this kōrero after receiving her moko kauae, a profound tāonga, and joining the ranks of wāhine who share their journeys on social media.
The ‘Moko Kauae Aotearoa’ Facebook page is home to over 15,000 individuals who champion Te Ao Māori and the normalisation of mau moko kauae.
The inspiring page came to life in June 2023, spearheaded by Sonia Kumeroa Pihama Johnstone (Te Ati Awa, Ngāti Mahanga). After receiving her own tāonga, Sonia recognised the need for an online space, where wāhine Māori could openly share their moko stories without fear of judgement.
The page also serves as a resource for those aspiring to receive their own moko, providing a platform of guidance where any pātai can be asked and then answered.
Whakapapa: Roots of resilience
Catherine Tamihere hails from a lineage of resilience, descending from te Whaea o te Mōtu, Kuia Dame Whina Cooper. A wāhine toa known for leading the historic 1975 land march.
Despite a rich whakapapa, Catherine reflects on how colonisation eroded tikanga Māori, (cultural practices), leaving her whānau widely disconnected.
"Laws were created to erase the culture of our people," she said.
As a result, her whānau subsequently lost their ability to kōrero Māori, alongside their connection to their whenua. This is an experience that echoes the sentiments of many Māori grappling with the aftermath of colonisation.
“It pushed pause on our indigeneity to become Pākehā."
However, Catherine’s upbringing instilled in her a deep respect for tikanga, even though Te Reo Māori was not explicitly spoken.
"I wasn't a marae kid; I was a pub kid. We were your stereotypical urban Māori," she recalled.
The māmā to a young daughter and son, is currently an art teacher at Pukekohe High School, where she notes a strong immersion in Te Ao Māori.
Reflecting on her own experience at kura, Catherine remarks, "It's so different from when I was at school. It's now a focal part of today's generation of education."
She sees this cultural shift as a 'game changer,' emphasising the importance of acknowledging the cruel history of colonisation that stripped tāngata whenua of their Māoritanga.
"Unless you can acknowledge it, you can't address it to move forward."
According to Catherine, her mahi has been instrumental in reclaiming her identity.
Her passion for New Zealand's history has provided context for understanding why many Māori, including her whānau, feel disconnected from their whakapapa.
"It explains why we are the way we are today, and I don't blame my whānau for moving away from our whenua or the loss of our reo or connection," she adds.
Receiving: Unveiling a tāonga
In 2024, you can see an abundance of wāhine Māori wearing moko kauae, more Māori reconnecting to their Māoritanga, and more Māori who are proud to be Maōri.
Like many other wāhine who share their kōrero on the page, Catherines decision to receive her moko kauae was not without its challenges. Struggling with feelings of inadequacy and a sense of not being "Māori enough," she found inspiration from an elder who wore her moko proudly.
She describes a moment when she shared kōrero with a kuia who wished she had received her moko earlier, and after years of growing, did not care what other people thought.
Catherine's inner thoughts echoed; she admired this beautiful wāhine and was inspired, to which she thought, "I want this now, not in 20 years".
Her mau moko kauae journey culminated in a powerful experience on Ngāti Porou ki Hauriki whenua, Mataora Bay. The burial place for the last uhi tohunga, Tame Poata, and a place where her husband and tamariki descend.
She also said that it is believed that Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Tūruki, a Māori leader, had a whare nearby, which only adds to the significance of this whenua.
Under a sprawling Pōhutukawa tree, surrounded by her closest whānau, Catherine embraced the emotional and transformative process.
"My whānau arrived at the pōhutukawa. I lay down on the whāriki, and before I closed my eyes, I saw the beautiful leaves of the pōhutukawa dancing against the blue sky. Everything felt like it was in slow motion."
The rhythmic tapping of the uhi, the backdrop of nature's symphony, and the skillful hands of her kaitā, Mokonui-a-rangi Smith, merged to create an otherworldly experience.
"Up until this point, I was really nervous, I was what I’d describe as being unsettled, even anxious," she said.
However, "As soon as Moko made that first tap, that first mark, all that anxious energy melted away. It was like a curtain was pulled. Time stopped, and "I am exactly where I'm supposed to be".
Tears flowed freely as Catherine immersed herself in her rebirth, feeling a deep sense of wholeness and connection.
She said receiving her moko kauae took well over an hour, but it felt like only minutes.
"It was something I will never forget," she said. "It was like time stood still. It was like we were in another realm."
As Moko was close to his last tap, it finally dawned on her the significance and honour that it was to wear this tāonga.
"I can remember those first moments of feeling like myself, but a sparkling new version, like it was a rebirth of sorts, a feeling of wholeness, being connected, and that feeling of healing," she said.
"Right at this moment, the trauma of the past stops with us, from this point onwards it will be different for our mokopuna."
Reflection: Reborn
As the moment arrived for Catherine to see her moko kauae, she described feeling extremely emotional and blown away. Her kaitā Moko, had seamlessly integrated her whakapapa into her tāonga, with a “mangopare nod to Ngāti Porou.”
She expressed that her moko kauae instils a sense of wholeness within her. "I stand taller and prouder. I have a smile on my face all the time, and I have a quiet, steely confidence in who I am and what I stand for."
A heartfelt moment also ensued between Catherine and her younger daughter, Olivia, who initially had mixed feelings about her mother receiving her moko kauae.
"The first thing my daughter said to me when she woke up the next day was, 'Mama. You are so beautiful'."
Reflecting on her decision to share her journey on Facebook, Catherine recounted a touching and memorable interaction with Sir Haare Williams.
The well-known broadcaster, educator, and artist invited Catherine to his whare for a cup of tea. During their kōrero, Williams likened her to an āniwaniwa, a rainbow bridging two worlds — Pākehā and Māori. Inspired by his words, Catherine saw her post on 'Moko Kauae Aotearoa' as an opportunity to connect with others who, like her, straddle two cultures, ‘two worlds.’ She viewed herself as a beacon for those navigating similar paths.
"I feel like an ambassador wearing my kauae; it compels me to be the best version of myself for our tamariki and moko."
Catherine regards wearing this sacred tāonga as a profound honour and eagerly awaits embracing her role as a wāhine adorned with moko kauae.
“My heart is on the outside now.”
