Kia ora e te whānau,

Nau mai, hoki mai ki Pakaru Pānui. July has been a busy month with heaps going on. Trips, events, and plenty to be proud of!

So grab a kaputī, get comfortable, and join us as we reflect on Hūrae.

Mauri ora,
The Pakaru Pānui Team

This month, a small rōpū of us travelled to British Columbia to represent Toi Matarua at the 2025 LEGO Family Spirit Global Gathering.

Our first stop was Napier’s very own Sister-City, Victoria, where we were welcomed onto Songhees Nation land by their council. From there, we travelled to Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, where we were hosted by local iwi. We learnt how to spearfish and listened to their pūrākau. From pēpi to kaumātua they shared their kai waiata and traditional dances.

We then moved to Vancouver Island University to present at the international gathering. America spoke first, then Australia, then it was our turn. We shared the Toi Matarua kaupapa, our model, our mahi, and where we’re heading next. Aotearoa played a rākau game with everyone to finish off our session.

That night, we were welcomed to a local reservation for their Coastal Jam which is like a community dance session. We shared waiata and even ran an impromptu haka workshop. Their rangatahi were so grounded in their culture that they jumped straight into everything, no hesitation in giving something new a go. Their tamariki helped us learn their dances. It was a beautiful exchange of culture and manaaki.

The following day, it was Canada’s turn to present. After that, we caught the ferry back to the mainland and visited the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre to share kōrero and taonga tuku iho.

The next morning we were invited to take part in a Spirit Bath, similar to our own pure. The water was icy cold and healing, it was the perfect way to start the day. We then visited Skowkale First Nations Centre, where their Chief welcomed us and shared about their community’s mahi.

On our final night, we were honoured with traditional, individualised ribbon skirts and took part in a blanket ceremony. We stayed at Frank’s Longhouse, a space that reminded us of home, like our own marae.

We wrapped up our trip with a gifting ceremony and closing kōrero from each nation.

It was a privilege to carry the mauri of Toi Matarua and share our mātauranga with our whanaunga across the world. We look forward to continuing our mahi with the LEGO Family Spirit Project in building a world of play.

Follow our socials for exclusive footage and photos from our event!

Insta and Tiktok: @_mokoboys_ @pakaru.panui

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Youth Production '25 Begins…

This month, we held our first wānanga for our 2025 Youth Production. We had a weekend full of creativity, whanaungatanga and hard mahi. We learnt some new items to add to our upcoming show, auditioned for roles, and spent time getting to know each other as a rōpū. It was a good chance to see how everyone works together and what each person brings to the table. We covered a lot over the weekend and made a solid start on shaping the show. With plenty of rehearsals ahead, this wānanga set the tone for an exciting few months to come!

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Hire the Mokoboys Initiative

Over the month, our MokoBoys launched a special fundraising campaign called "Hire the MokoBoys", for all the community members. We have been offering our services, but with a twist. All funds raised go directly toward supporting our rangatahi travel to Hawai’i for an Indigenous māra kai exchange and then to Los Angeles.

We would like to give a huge thanks to everyone who supported this kaupapa so far. We couldn’t have done it without you. Ngā mihi!

Our HIRE THE MOKOBOYS service is still up and running, we would really appreciate your support so if you or someone you know needs a hand with yard work, cleaning, or other mahi, hit us up! If you would like to donate directly towards their trip, please click the link below!

Donate

Otherwise, stay tuned on our social media for upcoming fundraisers. A huge thank you from us to our community for always supporting us in all we do 😊

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Have you heard? 👀

This is a section where we share some of the cool kaupapa going on around us.

Have you heard about ‘Te Puna Ariki’?

Te Puna Ariki Charitable Trust is a kaupapa Māori organisation dedicated to supporting rangatahi on their journey to becoming strong leaders. Established by families who are passionate about uplifting youth, the trust offers programmes that help rangatahi develop skills, confidence, and a deeper connection to their culture and identity. Through these opportunities, young people are encouraged to grow, lead, and make a positive impact in their whānau, hapū, and communities. Te Puna Ariki believes in empowering rangatahi to shape their own futures while staying grounded in their whakapapa and values.

To find more information, visit their website:

https://www.tepunaariki.com

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Whakataukī of the Month

Well e te whānau, that is us for this month! Don’t forget that we also have a monthly piece in the Tihei Kahungunu and Hawkes Bay Today. Follow the link to stay updated, otherwise…

Catch yous next month - DOITZ!

Proudly made in Kahungunu, our specialty organics not only offer natural care but also support our community. All proceeds from your purchase goes directly towards MokoBoys, a community initiative run by Toi Matarua that employs local youth in the Hawkes Bay region to provide free home care services to our elderly. Driven by community needs and entirely self-funded, the employment of these rangatahi is made possible by the sales of our Kawakawa balms through our social enterprise arm - ‘Māku’.