Hine-te-repo

Say it: HEE-neh-tee-teh-REH-por · Hine = woman; te repo = the swamp/wetland.

Hine-te-repo is present in wetlands, the country between land and water that shelters tuna, harakeke and wetland birds.

Te Kāwai (Line of descent)

Te Kore → Te Pō → Papatūānuku → Hine-te-repo

Te Kōrero (the story)

The wetlands — the in-between country that is neither land nor water. Swamps fed and hid people, and preserved things that would otherwise rot away.

Repo sustained communities as food store, source of weaving materials and living water system. Hine-te-repo reminds us that wetlands are not empty ground: they are places of abundance, shelter and cleansing.

Te Whakapapa (the genealogy)

Of Papatūānuku's line in the whakapapa held on this site.

Associated with repo, the wetlands between firm land and open water.

Her domain holds tuna, harakeke, raupō and wetland birds together.

Ngā Mana (domains and influence)

Repo — wetlands, swamps and marshesTuna and other freshwater lifeHarakeke, raupō and wetland birdsThe slowing and filtering of water

Kei Kōnei Rātou (they are present here)

Harakeke growing beside a drain or stream.
Tuna moving through dark freshwater.
Wet ground holding birds, insects and plants together.
A restored wetland beginning to hold water again.
Wetlands, drains, estuaries, the muddy edge of a park.
Eels (tuna) and the birds that feed in shallow water.
Times in your own life that are unclear and in transition.

Ngā Huarahi Hono (ways to connect)

At the edge of a wetland

Stop, learn its name if you can, and notice what is living there before moving on.

Near a drain or stream

Keep rubbish and contaminants out of the water, and pick up what is safe to remove.

A repo is being restored

Support the people doing the long work, and follow their local guidance.

If you are new to this

Find the nearest wetland or waterway to your home and go stand at its edge.

A Common Misunderstanding

Swamps were not 'wasteland' to be drained. They were pantry, pharmacy and archive — and their loss is felt as the loss of a relative.

Ngā Taha o te Ora (aspects of life)

Wairua (Spirit)Mahi (Work)Taiao (Environment)

Ngā Uara (values)

Kaitiakitanga · Guardianship

Protect the living systems that protect everyone.

Manawaroa · Endurance and resilience

Let restoration take the time it needs.

Ngā Pūrākau (the traditional stories)

Told in full, the way they would be shared out loud. Versions differ between iwi (tribe), hapū (sub-tribe) and whānau (family).

Te repo — the country that is neither land nor water

Wetlands as pantry, pharmacy and archive, and what their draining cost.

About 4 min read

Te tuna — the eel and the long journey

The most important freshwater food in Aotearoa, and the tikanga that managed it.

About 4 min read