Before there were worksheets and apps, there was rhythm and voice.

In te ao Māori, kōrero, waiata, and chants have always been used to settle, to ground, and to bring people back into sync with themselves and each other. That's the whakaaro behind the manawataki , short, rhythmic kōrero composed by tohunga Te Waata Cribb specifically for Te Hā Waru. Each one carries a hononga: a connection to the natural world, to whakapapa, to belonging.

The five manawataki are

• E Rere te Kotare (begin again after a hard moment),

• Turou Whakatahā (let go, reset, make space),

• He Aha te Mātuku (awareness, readiness, focus),

• Tuia te Kāwai Tangata (identity, belonging, grounding), and

• Tērā Koia ko Rona (balance, rhythm, settling).

Each card tells you when to use it, which mauri state it suits, and how to get started. You don't need to get the reo perfect , not at all. It’s the intention and breathe. Saying one line at a time, perfect, say two lines, kei te pai, let the rhythm do what it's always done. The more you come back to them, the more they become part of how your whānau settles together, nei te koha.