What does it mean to be a Māori man in 2020?

Flava radio host Astley Nathan discusses how it feels to be a Māori man in 2020, as part of the Kōrero100 project. Nathan will be joined by Pāora Puru, part-owner of Whau Cafe & organiser behind Mauri Ora spiritual walks, Tyrone Tangata-Makiri, co-founder of NO SIX & founder of We Can All East, and Te Aroha Grace, chief relationship officer at Figure Group.

COMMENT BY ASTLEY NATHAN:

The goal of Kōrero100 is to create a safe space for Māori (and other minorities) to share their personal journeys with their culture in hopes that we can listen and learn from each other. Our aim is to discuss topics that directly affect indigenous people - be that spirituality, our connection to the land, the effects of colonisation, taking self-responsibility and letting go.

The idea for Kōrero100 came about through the re-connection with my culture and the realisation of how important it is for me to gain more of an understanding of my culture and whakapapa.

In the past I have carried the "I'm not Māori enough" stigma many of us have felt. This discussion panel is the result of that journey and is about making people feel comfortable expressing those feelings whilst also getting exposed to other perspectives, hoping that we can inspire more of us to explore our own identity.

Next year I am embarking on a full immersion course at Te Wānanga Takiura o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa and I hope to weave my learnings of Te Ao Māori into everything that I am involved with moving forward.

Join us as we take the first step in creating a space for indigenous people on a mainstream platform. We will share with an open heart and dive deep into topics that aren't often discussed.