Shop Indigenous this Christmas
2020 more than ever we have realised the importance of investing our hard earned putea into Indigenous businesses all around the world.
This Christmas at AWWA we are buying all of our christmas presents from Indigenous businesses - heres what's on our list!
Be Humble
Our pick - Whiti glow body oil
Tuhi Stationary
Raised by their nannies who loved to journal, these 2 Wāhine Māori create bespoke stationery inspired by language, culture, environment and values. We LOVE their Maramataka staitonery for both tamariki and adults which is a great starting base and the perfect gift this Christmas.
Our pick - Ngā mata o te Marama - Faces of the moon
Kōaka
Developed by Māori Pharmacists Through using natural ingredients that Papatūānuku (Earth Mother) and Ranginui (Sky Father) they provide, we are capable of healing in the most natural way. In January 2019, Kōaka's founders Brendon McIntosh and Brad Lake had been selling their nutritional hemp seed oil at the Riccarton Markets in Christchurch and were researching the benefits of hemp for skin health.
Kōaka is loosely translated as simply meaning 'hemp' in Te Reo Māori, a national language of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Hemp is a plant of strength and toughness, but it offers so much more.
Our pick - Hemp lip healer
Taatahi Merchants
Ataahua beach umbrellas and more. A small family owned and run business from the small coastal town of Raglan. We love their Koi Beach Umbrellas, not just because they are stunning but because they been designed with the environment in mind using materials and processes that are better for the earth.
Kiri Nathan
A high end label inspired by Māori Culture and indigenous practices in Aoteaora. Kiri produces bespoke fashion, pounamu and contemporary hand woven kākahu.
AWWA
Ethical womxnwear made by this Indigenous NZ brand - AWWA create ethically made period proof underwear and have a range of christmas gifts available including the 'EMPOWER HER' pack - a pair of organic cotton AWWA and a matching Nisa singlet and a gift card thanking the giftee for also donating a pair of AWWA to Women's Refuge this Christmas!
Our pick - AWWA/NISA collab
Nuku
If you are not already following Qiane Matua-Sipu's passion project Nuku, then where have you been the past 2 years! Nuku is a movement made by and for Indigenous women.
Using a creative, storytelling platform, our non-profit social enterprise amplifies 100 Indigenous female change-makers and leaders through audio podcasts, photography, videography, books, art and live events. They are wāhine doing things differently. Stories of women who do not conform to a ‘mainstream’ image, but dare to carve their own unique portrait, showing us how the world can be shaped by our unique Indigenous voice.
Nuku have a range of Kākahu that we think will be amazing Christmas gifts and all the profits go towards completing the Nuku100 and the book which we hear will be out by Matariki next year!!
CultureFlow
Creator Sarah Reo has been teaching Te Reo for over 20 years and has recently launched Culture Flow's easy online learning courses. I have been lucky enough to be one of the learners trialling the new course and can honestly say that in the last4 years that I have been learning te reo - culture Flow has been the easiest style to pick up! Culture Flow have introductory online courses right through to more advanced and we think this would be a beautiful gift for your special someone.
Self Awareness still doesn't begin with self - Hana Tapiata.
A staple summer read for every women!
Māori Mermaid
Māori Mermaid (Jessica Thompson Carr) creates art which embraces and reacts to her endless journey into her māoritanga.
Something to read this summer
At AWWA, we are so inspired by the work of Dr Ngāhuia Murphy. She has created two books - Te Awa Atua and Waiwhero.
Te Awa Atua: Menstruation in the Pre-Colonial Maori World
An Examination of Stories, Ceremonies and Practices Regarding Menstruation in the Pre-Colonial Maori World. Based on a Masters Thesis.
Te Awa Atua is the book that inspired the creation of AWWA period proof underwear - it teaches us our pre colonial tupuna stories of our ikura (period). A wonderful addition to your library that you will not put down and never lend out!
Waiwhero: He Whakahirahiratanga o te Ira Wahine: A Celebration of Womanhood
This book is based on Te Awa Atua but has been written specifically for whanau, rangatahi, the education and health sectors. Waiwhero is also bilingual, having been translated by the wonderful Sean Ellison, making it a great reo and kaupapa Māori sexual health resource (a rarity!). Regan Balzer has also illustrated the book and provided beautiful paintings of the cosmological origin stories for menstruation.
This book is the perfect read for a teen or pre teen and a wonderful bonding read between mother and daughter of all cultures.
Something special for the tamariki:
Kids Korowai create children's korowai to empower and inspire. What a beautiful gift for your child, giving them the opportunity to wear a Korowai and stand in their own mana.
Happy gifting whanau and Meri Kirihimete from AWWA xx
