The awa (river) is a toanga (treasure) towards identity and is the mauri (life force) of  my people, Māori, the indignous people of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Our awa is the life giver of all things. It is water in its purest form and has the power to give life and sustain wellbeing.

 

Ko Toku Awa- is part of an ongoing kaupapa (project) exploring connection with whenua (land), tupuna (ancestors) and wairua (spirit). 

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Darling embraces her own mana motuhake (self determination). “I submit and let my awa swallow me. Through that comes my real power. I can forget about the cancer growing inside me. My awa makes me feel free. My wiarua (spirit) is orbiting out of me as I am lost in my own journey, my vulnerability, my broken, my happy, my free,  my everything, my whole tangata whenua (people of the land). This is my space. The awa always takes away my heavies. My awa forgives me”

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