Mahi Matakite
Image Credit: Josephine Raukawa
In March, Josephine Raukawa (Ngāti Whare, Tamakaimoana, Te Whakatōhea, Ngai Tūhoe) is releasing a new three-part series of digital wānanga on Awa Wahine. The focus of these wānanga is Te Mahi ā Whiro ki te āo Māori, also known as ‘Shadow Work’ or an acknowledgment and understanding of The Lower Energy Realm also sometimes known as The Underworld or Rarohenga.
Emma Te Rina Smith from Awa Wahine had a kōrero with Josephine on the work involved with ngā mahi o te Matakite.
Emma Te Rina Smith: Mahi Matakite covers a big realm and is tied in to Atua and tīpuna, how do you show gratitude to that whakapapa?
Josephine Raukawa: Gratitude to that whakapapa is done in many ways but the very first and most important way, is to always be myself. Mainly because this is the first thing they always ask of me, of any of us really. This took some time though. At the beginning of this Matakite journey, I had no idea who I was.
Little did I know, I started finding myself a year prior, 2017. My studies at Te Herenga Waka the University of Wellington led me to learn my physical whakapapa. I had tried many times beforehand however, the knowledge never really stuck. This attempt was different, everything about my whakapapa clicked into place, came easily and made heaps of sense. I went from a wāhine who shuttered at doing her mihimihi to a wāhine who proudly loves to express where she comes from and gets very excited to hear other people's mihimihi.
The second form of gratitude, is honoring that whakapapa and being the best version of myself that I can be. This means that I am forever growing and changing. Just when I think I know who I am, life throws me some challenges and poof, I'm reminded otherwise. The third form is actual gratitude. Gratitude not only to our tūpuna and Atua, but to everyone and everything that plays a part in my life story. Which is a massive change from my previous, 'Life Sucks' narrative.
Those are the main, daily and most natural forms of gratitude.
ES: What is your background with mahi matakite?
JR: It was always around us as kids. Koro had stories, as did the aunties, the uncles and the older cousins. Some stories were wondrous and amazing, other stories were sad and disheartening. Growing up, the kupu 'matakite' was mainly associated with curses, dark magic, bad people, punishment, ghosts, seeing spirits, deformed creatures and anything that gave you the 'heebie geebies'.
Thankfully, Mum and Koro always showed me the lighter side of Matakite. One thing was always made clear though, being matakite, was a gift and should always be respected. Although some may use that gift unwisely, it was still a gift nonetheless and because a gift is something that is given, you never go asking for it. It will be given to you when the time is right. They firmly made it known thatknown, that those who sought after it, would end up doing all of the above. That felt like the truth to me, and so I never went looking.
I became an observer and kept my thoughts to myself. This stuff was not widely accepted so, I never openly talked about it nor actively participated. Except for dreams. Dreams were different. Our whānau have always openly discussed our dreams. Especially if we had seen our passed loved ones in them. Dreams appeared to be accepted in society, so this was okay.
In February 2018, it appeared that the time was right. Unbeknown to me, my neighbor was matakite and my main tūpuna had gone to her with a few messages for me. From that day on, they started teaching me how to do this mahi. At first, tūpuna had to go through her until I was able to receive my kōrero directly. She couldn't teach me how either, all she could do was pass on messages and confirm my mahi. Connecting to them, was something I had to do myself.
I have been living in the mahi ever since and all that I thought I knew, or understood about the kupu 'Matakite', was all undone, relearned and I have never been the same again.
ES: Tell us about the particular mediums you use and how you started using these mediums?
JR: My main preferred and particular medium I use, is kōrero. Whether it be in a wānanga or a one on one session, or even just a casual catch up with a friend, kōrero is where I flow best. I feel it's mainly because I'm not interrupted by my ego. When I'm doing art or writing, sometimes my ego can come in and criticize me as I'm going, whereas, in kōrero, my thoughts and words are going so fast, she can't get anything in.
It's a medium that started from the get go. My neighbor and I would kōrero at least once or twice a day. The more I shared, the more I would receive and before I knew it, I had a mountain of knowledge about Self-Awareness, Healing Trauma, Learning Life Lessons, Universal Consciousness, The Earthly Realm, The Human Journey and all things Energy, especially Source Energy. There is still a lot I don't know, however, I try to serve as best I can with what I do know.
The medium that is used to convey the kōrero, is Te Ao Māori. The vibration of our reo, the creation of our kupu and the guidance of our tikanga and beautiful pūrakau. My main tūpuna and his interpretation of Te Ao Māori is very different to what I learned throughout this lifetime. It's deeperIt's more deeper and more beautiful than I had ever imagined. It has helped my Son and I see the world with completely different eyes and it is with this view, that we are so grateful to be alive and a part of i Te Taiao.
ES: What tools do you use to help you and how do you cleanse your tools?
JR: I am my best tool. My body and my energy must be in unison in order for me to function well and be at my best. They are my wairua and I cleanse them every single day using many methods. Each cleansing method has itsit's purpose depending on what has or is happening. For example, if I get triggered, my cleansing method is to release the heavy emotions that come with it and, do this in private so that I do not hurt anyone. If I am finding it difficult to emotionally regulate and am overthinking, my cleansing method is to 'offload' and vent it all out to our tūpuna or Io. If my body is in pain, yin yoga and stretching becomes the cleansing method.
Practical tools that also help are Crystals, Himalayan Salt Lamp, Plants, Colour, Photo's of Animal's/Tūpuna/Loved Ones, Incense, Candles, Herbal Teas, Meditation Music, Meditation, Shakti Mat, Clean Water, Workout equipment, Mirimiri and Rongoā (when needed). Crystals are always cleansed with blessed water (except a few) in a black bowl and placed under Hīna during her Rākaunui phase (full moon) on a clear night. If the clouds cover her, we cleanse them with our Selenite lamp and wait for the next cycle. There are other ways to cleanse them i.e. the Sun, River, Ocean, Earth etc. but Hīna works best for us. Her soft wāhine energy helps balance out the strong tāne energy in our home.
ES: Tell us about your upcoming wānanga series for wāhine Māori, what can they expect?
JR: The wānanga is called, 'Te Mahi ā Whiro', in English, it's known as 'Shadow Work'.
Shadow Work is nothing new to the spiritual world in fact, many people have written much about this kaupapa. I used to read it when I was going through my dark moments. The Lonerwolf website, Teal Swan, Carl Jung etc. there is much out there. Sometimes it resonated, other times, I was left wanting. This is where tūpuna would guide me and show me the importance of Shadow mahi. I'm not going to lie, shadow mahi was the hardest thing I have ever had to learn but in all honesty, it's the most rewarding.
The aim of the wānanga is to share a unique Te Ao Māori understanding of Low Energy or Dark Energy and how it helps us heal emotional trauma. The Shadow mahi is just another piece of being able to balance and align ourselves with our tūpuna and our Atua.
The wānanga shares a unique perspective on the behaviors that society or most people either reject, hide or condemn. Tūpuna have taught me to understand that these emotions or behaviors are necessary. They call them, 'Ngā Uri o te Pō', energy vibrations of the dark and they are necessary, to balance, 'Ngā Uri o te Rā', energy vibrations of the light. Te Taiao is the realm of all energy. High and Low. Denying one side leaves an imbalance therefore, Shadow mahi is quite necessary to keep the balance.
The key, is finding the best way to live in the highs and lows, which is usually, Te Ao Mārama me Te Ao Arohā, the world of understanding and love.
