Te Karanga o te Whenua - The Call of the Land

Te Karanga o Te Whenua – The Call of the Land follows the lived experiences of wāhine Māori responding to the call of the whenua: returning to maunga, awa, pāmu, papakāinga, and the collective spaces where decisions about whenua, whānau, and futures are made. Across the series, these journeys back home move from belonging and return, through restoration, barriers, governance and calls to action, to the transformation of systems and the reimagining of intergenerational futures. Through deeply personal kōrero, mana wāhine speak candidly about disconnection and return, loss and reclamation of whenua Māori, and the realities of navigating systems not designed for Māori. At the same time, they demonstrate how self-determined, whānau-led solutions are being enacted to restoring whenua, relationships, knowledge systems, and collective wellbeing. Each kaikōrero shares mamae and resilience shaped by colonisation and inherited disconnection, alongside deliberate acts of reclamation: walking the whenua, restoring wai, growing kai, regenerating ngahere, rebuilding whānau presence, and activating whenua for future generations. Together, these stories show that tino rangatiratanga is not abstract, it is lived and practised every day. Hosted by rangatahi voice Jade Gibson, the series offers a bridging perspective connecting mātauranga Māori with contemporary systems and lived realities. The series amplifies Indigenous women's leadership that is often unseen, under‑resourced, or misunderstood, yet fundamental to the wellbeing and regeneration of whānau and whenua. Te Karanga o Te Whenua charts a clear pathway; from returning home, to restoring whenua, to reshaping the systems that govern it. The series invites listeners to re-imagine our relationship with whenua, shifting away from ideas of ownership, management and control. Instead, repositioning whenua Māori as a living tūpuna connected through whakapapa, kaitiakitanga, and reciprocity. Through these narratives, the series affirms that the journey back to our ancestral kāinga is collective and intergenerational, and that by answering the call of the whenua, we not only return to place, but restore balance, reclaim our roles, uphold mana, and shape futures where whenua, whānau, and whakapapa can thrive for generations. Acknowledgements Te Karanga o Te Whenua is an output of the He Whenua Kanorau, He Whenua Manawaroa research project, funded through the Kaihautu Māori Strategic Science Investment Funding for Crown Research Institutes from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. We acknowledge Ed Waaka (Ngāti Pāhauwera, Te Rarawa) as the producer and Rā Savage (Ngāti Awa, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Whakatōhea, Ngāi Te Rangi, Te Arawa) as the illustrator of the podcast series. Disclaimer Te Karanga o Te Whenua is led by researchers based at the Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Group, now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute – Maiangi Taiao. The stories shared in Te Karanga o Te Whenua are personal accounts that were recorded with permission and are presented to reflect the lived experiences, perspectives, and voices of the research partners. These narratives are shared in good faith to inform, reflect, and inspire listeners, and are not intended for advisory purposes. The views expressed are those of the individuals featured and do not necessarily represent the views of the funders or hosting organisations.