Thursday, 23 July 2026

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 restore whenua, relationships, knowledge systems, and collective wellbeing.

Hosted by rangatahi voice Jade Gibson, the series of eight episodes 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.

Bioeconomy Science Institute Maiangi Taiao senior researcher Dr Susanna Finlay-Smits says: “We hope that the podcast will help listeners to understand that ecological resilience is intertwined with cultural and social resilience so supporting and strengthening community and connections, both with people and place, is integral to resilient land use change.”

“We hope the podcast will highlight and celebrate the strength and capacity of these mana wāhine, and in so doing inspire and encourage others to take action within their own spheres of influence.”

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.

This podcast series, including detailed profiles of participants, is available at
Te Karanga o Te Whenua.

The series is also available on YouTube, Apple podcasts, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms.

For more information, contact kairangahau Māori Yvonne Taura, tauray@landcareresearch.co.nz