Creating Natural Taonga (small uncarved taonga pounamu to wear)

Creating Natural Taonga (small uncarved taonga pounamu to wear) - Empowering mana that ripples outwards.

Creating Natural Taonga is a tikanga-led, wairua-safe wānanga centred on the significance of the mauri of pounamu - our precious taonga tuku iho of Te Wai Pounamu.

Guided by Loren and Connor Fitzpatrick, you'll create your own natural pounamu taonga through the mindful practice of sanding, binding and braiding. More than simply creating something to wear, this experience invites you into a relationship with pounamu as living whakapapa - born of the whenua, shaped through time and held as a taonga.

Together, you'll explore kōrero about pounamu, whakapapa, kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga while embracing the mindful practice of working with stone. The process invites you to slow down, reconnect, reflect, and recognise that wellbeing is nurtured through patience, presence and intention.

As you complete your taonga, you'll learn simple binding and braiding techniques, creating a piece to wear that carries the story of your experience and serves as a lasting reminder of your connection to self, others, te taiao and the enduring wisdom held within pounamu.

No previous experience is needed - just curiosity and a willingness to learn.

Recommended for ages 14+.

Ordinary Wonders includes a five-week programme of FREE workshops, performances, conversations, film screenings, and creative activities designed to celebrate connection, belonging, and the memories that shape our lives.

All events are FREE, but registration is encouraged, with limited places available for some workshops.

About Loren and Connor Fitzpatrick:

Loren Fitzpatrick (Waitaha, Ngāti Māmoe, Ngāi Tahu) and Connor Fitzpatrick (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kurī) are a husband-and-wife team who are passionate about strengthening Māoritanga, cultural connectedness and uplifting whānau through the relational whakapapa of pounamu.

Connor is a kōhatu kaiwhakairo (stone carver) and experienced kaupapa Māori youth worker. Loren is a registered social worker, kaupapa Māori practitioner and cultural supervisor with extensive experience supporting whānau and communities. Together, they weave their complementary skills and knowledge to create meaningful experiences that nurture wellbeing, strengthen relationships and foster connection through te ao Māori.

Their kaupapa, He Whakamana Ngaruru - Empowering mana that ripples outwards, invites participants to slow down, reconnect and engage with pounamu not simply as stone, but as living whakapapa. Through shared kōrero, creativity and reflection, Loren and Connor create welcoming, wairua-safe spaces that uplift mana, nurture mauri ora and inspire a deeper sense of kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga and whanaungatanga.