Kōanga Spring - September Newsletter
The song of the Pipiwharauroa / Shining Cuckoo signals Spring has arrived.
Kia ora,
Welcome to the Biome Newsletter, September edition - featuring updates from our Giftees & local ecosystem.
In Aotearoa, arrival of the Pipiwharauroa (Shining Cuckoo - above) songbird, and the magnificent flowering of the Kumarahou (below), are two traditional tohu of Te Āo Māori that the seasons are shifting and Spring has begun.
As Pa Ropata of Tiwaiwaka mentions below “Spring is the season when hope is strongest; we remember renewal and rebirth after the cold darkness of winter, and the low energy and mood that can bring.
As the energy of the whenua [land] lifts and brings forth new life in Kōanga, so too does our own. We can use this energy to help us with new inspiration and creativity for mahi [work], projects or problem-solving in our lives
As we often say: our differences are not obstacles but the gifts we bring to the table. We live in challenging times; the way forward is to work together to build our future.”
We hope you enjoy this month’s collection of inspiring projects from our global ecosystem.
Ngā mihi aroha
- Biome Trust
Kumarahou in full bloom. Image credit Aotea Made
Giftee Updates
Tiwaiwaka’s Pa McGowan highlights the new energy of Kōanga Spring with the flowering of the Kumarahou. More
Kōanga Institute are hosting a variety of on-site workshops, including gardening, butchery, soil health, seed saving & more. Workshops
Mangaroa Farms is working towards planting another 13,000 eco-sourced native seedlings along the Mangaroa river this season. More
Learning Environment is hiring a part time Operations Manager to help with a range of duties. More
Mangaroa Farms welcomes in dozens of new lambs to the farm this spring season. More
Inspiring Stories has released their 2024 Impact report - featuring a record level 400+ youth event scholarships. More
Toru Education is hosting an immerse workshop featuring organic + regenerative gardening practices at Mangaroa Farms Sat 19th Oct. More
Papawhakaritorito Trust’s Dr Jessica Hutchings is travelling South India visiting Syntropic Ayurvedic Spice Farms & more. Watch
The Kōanga Institute heritage seed collection features a long list of heritage vegetable seeds, perennials, fruit trees & more. View
Learning Environment is hosting a 2-day Permaculture Intensive at a Hua Parakore certified farm in Whanganui. More
Happen Films latest film - A Day in the Life of Woody showcases the unschooled life of 11-year-old boy - Blackwood. More
Local Futures interviews Alnoor Ladha on their podcast Planet Local Voices on bringing spirituality, politics and place-based work into dialogue. More
Ma Earth interviews Barry Coates, founder of Mindful Money NZ on divesting from funds that contribute to social & environmental harms. More
One Earth highlights Mountain gorillas: One of Africa’s most magnificent and essential species. More
Stop Ecocide highlights Vanuatu, Fiji and Samoa’s formal proposal to the International Criminal Court - ICC to criminalise the mass destruction of nature, known as ecocide. More
Climate Emergency Fund highlights recent climate protests throwing soup at a Van Gogh & tossing a cake at the Mona Lisa as an effective method of grabbing headlines & media attention. More
Global Alliance for Rights of Nature attended Climate Week NYC 2024 to share a vision for a future where Nature’s rights are respected and defended for both current & future generations. More
Additional News
Tānes Tree Trust has released their latest quarterly, covering predator control, Myrtle Rust, and the concept of Mauri. More
Bioneers celebrates with highlights from 35 Years of Movement Leadership at Bioneers. More
Predator Free highlights a video from a Russel resident (Northland) finding a young Kiwi in their shower. More
Roebuck Farm is hosting a Market Gardening Intensive on Labour Weekend - 26-28 October 2024. More
Ora Online spotlights the benefits of Kawakawa, local foraging guides, and upcoming Rongoā Māori wānanga. More
Be Here Now Network interviews Māori healer Donna Kerridge about re-connecting to Papatūānuku to heal the land & people. Listen
Farmers Footprint Garden Club is an online community sharing the foundations of regenerative gardening & land based living. More
NEXT Foundation’s Bill Kermode features on the Ma Earth Interview series covering strategic philanthropy in New Zealand. More
Kiingi Tuheitia (the seventh Māori King) leaves a legacy for his daughter Kuini Ngā Wai Hono i te Po to follow, working towards kotahitanga & pathways to unity for Aotearoa. More
“In the spring time, hope blossoms in even the loneliest forgotten meadow.”
