Pepeha

Pepeha is a way of introducing yourself in Māori. It tells people who you are by sharing your connections with the people and places that are important to you.

It’s like a story that connects you to your waka, your hapū and iwi. It identifies important places like your maunga, awa and marae.

A pēpi and their whānau may have several pepeha that link them to their different whānau. Teaching pēpi through stories, photos, pictures or even singing their pepeha helps them grow up feeling connected and familiar with who they are and where their people are from.

In a Māori context standing and sharing our pepeha is common practice.

At the start of a hui or gathering where we don’t all know each other, a pepeha is great way to make links and connect with others. Discovering who we are and where we’re from is an important part of building our sense of identity and belonging. It can be very significant for those, who for whatever reason, have become distanced from their whānau or tūranga waewae.

We encourage all attendees, speakers and crew to create their own pepeha ready to share and start the connections. Visit pepeha.nz for more details and for help in creating your pepeha.