Hine Te Iwaiwa

Let me introduce in this period of the Matariki, our new business insignia, Hine Te Iwaiwa whose ‘Mana’ I respect and honour. From the deity of women, Hine Te Iwaiwa is the one who received the first amulet, heitiki from her father ‘Tane’.

Emerging from a flax bush with a baby on her back, Hine Tei Iwaiwa was created by my late cousin’s daughter and dear friend, Colleen Waata-Urlich, clay artist, of Dargaville, New Zealand.

Hine Te Iwaiwa supervised all tribal herbal healing with medicines derived mainly from the flax plant (harakeke). Her strength was particularly women’s health, childbearing, fertility, and menses as well as that of presiding over the art of weaving from flax plants. Also just as important, was her role in the teaching of traditional arts and crafts. Iwa means ‘nine’ so this may be a reference to the ‘nine’ moons of carrying preceding childbirth. ) May Hine inspire us all to continue helping ourselves and others, in the search for optimum health!