Empowering wāhine through connecting to the ocean

By Mahi Tahi Media

“We can re-engage and reconnect with that mātauranga, we can also understand how to respect our taiao, how to respect our moana.”

In 2020 Renee Taylor (Ngāti Ranginui) established Salt Aotearoa to help wāhine connect with the ocean and their identity through freedriving.

Renee is speech language therapist, a spear fisher, and freediver. She created Salt Aotearoa to help wāhine create a deeper relationship with the environment. The programme provides safe access to the ocean to teach participants about freediving, breathing and kaimoana. 

“I just wanted to find ways to get other wāhine to be able to connect to the ocean using a feminine lens.”

Now hapū, Renee has found the ocean has an even deeper meaning for her. 

“It’s made everything even more deep and meaningful. You’re carrying an ocean inside you.”

This is part of our reo Māori series, Ohinga, created by Mahi Tahi Media, with funding from Te Māngai Pāho. Stay tuned for a new episode every week.

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