Mokopuna

"Carriers of Sacred Light"

In Maori society, mokopuna are not merely children — they are sacred treasures, direct gifts from the many Atua, embodying the divine essence of creation. From the moment they enter this world, they are considered tapu — holy, precious, and filled with their own inherent mana.

This mana expresses itself through ihi (vital life force), wehi (awe), and wana (exhilaration and movement). It is not something earned — it is inherited, passed down through whakapapa from the celestial lineage of Atua Tupuna. In the great purakau of creation, the offspring of Rangi and Papa emerged into Te Ao Marama, the world of light, curious and free — exploring, creating, growing without restriction.

This sacred story is also a model for how we nurture our tamariki. Like the Atua, our children are born into a world full of wonder and possibility. They deserve the freedom to grow, the safety to explore, and the space to discover who they are. When we recognise their divine origin, we treat them not as empty vessels to be filled, but as radiant beings already carrying the spark of the universe within.

To raise a child in te ao Maori is to honour their wairua — their spirit — and to foster the conditions in which that spirit may thrive. It is to remember that we are not owners of their journey, but guardians of their becoming.

In every mokopuna, the legacy of the Atua lives on — unfolding, glowing, seeking its rightful place in the world.