Tūpuna Parenting is a movement to decolonise our parenting

If you are a kaimahi who support whānau Māori, we have professional development courses for you. 

Our tūpuna didn’t smack or yell at their tamariki - and most whānau today don’t know that.

How do we share this with all whānau?
The Tūpuna Parenting movement needs more voices, more leaders, learning this kaupapa in-depth .

How do we grow more voices and leaders?
There needs to be more experts trained in this mātauranga (knowledge) to use it everyday and share it with whānau in detail.

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Overview

Ngākau Aroha Parenting is about creating more leaders in the Tūpuna Parenting movement.

We will share tūpuna parenting mātauranga with you, grounded in the tapu and mana of pēpi, and give you strategies and tools to use these as part of your daily mahi with pēpi, tamariki and whānau.
What makes us different

Why learn this kaupapa?

Reclaiming our whakapapa​

Our tūpuna were gentle and respectful parents and whānau, before the colonials imposed their parenting on Māori.

Inspiring change

Helping whānau finding inspiring stories from their whakapapa, or sharing our tūpuna stories can empower them to parent differently.

Breaking stereotypes

Once Were Warriors was not how we parented. We were great warriors, but those warriors were raised gently.
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We've been independently evaluated

In June 2024, we received our first independent evaluation highlighting the quality of our programme, the benefits it gives the kaimahi who attend the journey, and for the whānau they support.

After completing Ngākau Aroha Parenting, you will have:

Gained an understanding of tapu and mana that pēpi are born with

the foundations of tūpuna parenting, starting with the atua (spirit world).

Learned tūpuna parenting mātauranga (knowledge)

Including whakatauki, waiata oriori, atua pūrākau and early explorer accounts.

Developed connections between your whānau & tūpuna parenting ways

guiding you on a personal whakapapa journey.

Related tūpuna parenting to modern whānau situations

so you can provide practical advice to the whānau you support.

Practised using this kaupapa in your daily mahi

considering different whānau, ages/stages of pēpi and tamariki, and varying backgrounds.

Familiarised with the cards, videos and resources

that you will use to support including this kaupapa into your daily practice with whānau.
Whakarongo mai

Testimonials from our graduates

Davida Simpson
(Poutini Ngāi Tahu)
Kaiwhakahaere of Te Hono O Ngā Waka
"I would recommend the Ngākau Aroha Parenting course to anyone who works with Māori whānau and wants to make a positive difference in their lives. This course will give you the confidence and skills to introduce the tūpuna parenting ways to whānau and empower them to parent differently. You will also learn a lot about yourself and your own parenting journey."
Roana Archbold
(Ngāti Tūwharetoa)
Tē Puawaitanga Ki Ōtautahi Trust
"What I have enjoyed most about participating in the Ngākau Aroha learning is that our people have a beautiful and inspiring whakapapa of traditional indigenous parenting that is whānau centered, gentle, and loving. What a wonderful and sacred pepeha that our people can learn, lean on, and apply to our parenting today. Gifting our tamariki and mokopuna with aroha, resilience, cultural connection, and pride."
Cindy Te Rehu-Tuki
(Te Arawa and Ngati Maniapoto)
Whānau Āwhina Plunket
"I found that completing Ngakau Aroha has added to my kete of mātauranga that enables me to utilise the knowledge within my mahi and my personal life. I would encourage others to participate, because this Kaupapa can be shared, implemented, flexible and develops understanding from a Maori perspective, while enhancing the Mana of Maori whanau and yourself."

Join our Wednesday Cohort

Thank you for your interest in joining our Wednesday cohort for May 2025. We have different journeys available for those in different kinds of jobs:


- Do you work directly with whānau, perhaps having 1-to-1 hui or delivering wānanga to whānau? Then the Social Welfare/Health journey might be best for you.

- Do you work directly with pēpi or tamariki, perhaps as a kaiako, teacher or similar? Then the Education/ECE/Kohanga Reo journey might be best for you.

   
If you are unsure which to choose, reach out to us. 

Join our Thursday Cohort

Thank you for your interest in joining our Thursday cohort for May 2025. We have different journeys available for those in different kinds of jobs:  

- Do you work directly with whānau, perhaps having 1-to-1 hui or delivering wānanga to whānau? Then the Social Welfare/Health journey might be best for you.  

- Do you work directly with pēpi or tamariki, perhaps as a kaiako, teacher or similar? Then the Education/ECE/Kohanga Reo journey might be best for you.

Ngākau Aroha Graduates
– Stay Connected!


Ngākau Aroha graduates are invited to our monthly zoom wānanga, Waipuna-ā-Rangi.
This is a space to refresh, re-energise, and deepen your connection to the kaupapa.

These wānanga are offered at no cost as part of our commitment to supporting you in carrying this mātauranga forward.

Keep an eye on your emails for the next invite!
If your email has changed, let us know at kiaora@tupunaparenting.maori.nz