Waiwhero: He Whakahirahiratanga O Te Ira Wahine

by Ngāhuia Murphy

Waiwhero: He Whakahirahiratanga o te Ira Wahine: A Celebration of Womanhood 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. Waiwhero is a smaller book and an easier read but necessarily leaves out a lot of related material. It’s perfect for mums, aunties and nannies to share with their girls. Having said that there is a reason why Sean Ellison translated the work. Men have a role and place in this korero. For our tipuna Waiwhero was a whanau issue not a women’s issue because it assured the continuation of whakapapa lines. Some of my biggest supporters in the mahi have been Māori men. I have heard wonderful stories around the motu about koro’s massaging their moko’s and preparing special kai during this time, solo dads doing the best they can to reclaim empowering tikanga for their girls, as well as the traditions of male midwifery that have been largely severed through the imposition of legislation. It’s important that Māori girls are taught about the mana and tapu of their bodies but it’s just as critical that the boys are taught too so they do not continue to perpetuate patriarchal and colonial attitudes.

42 pages, Unknown Binding

First published December 31, 2014

Reviews

[Sharlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the bilingual version at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa this afternoon.
Such an interesting read on the mate of our ladies. A good read for parents of young maori girls that want to explain periods and why they shouldn't feel ashamed of getting it.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have also got the academic version because I want all the information, but this is a beautiful pukapuka to read with your whānau, especially your daughters, to reframe te awa atua or periods. The illustrations are beautiful as well.

[Chloe Fergusson-Tibble · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚📚📚📚📚REVIEW (Māori Author) 📚📚📚📚📚
🐈: It’s another goodie!
👩🏽‍⚕️: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Waiwhero: The Red Waters - A Celebration of Womanhood - He whakahirahiratanga o te Ira Wahine. Written by Ngāhuia Murphy (Ngāti Manawa, Ngāti Ruapani, Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu).
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This short book shares pre colonial teachings, karakia (incantations), and pūrākau (stories) related to waiwhero (menstruation). It’s a book about how our ancestors celebrated menses with rituals that focused on the power of women and their direct connection to atua (gods).
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I loved the tips of ways to celebrate menses and waiwhero each month thereafter. I loved the power in the book. Waiwhero is a most divine process. To bleed is natural. To bleed is to carry on our whakapapa (genealogy) and continue the river of atua (gods) from which we all come from. I also loved the stories of Kurawaka and other atua and how they all connect to waiwhero. The illustrations are also INCREDIBLE (well done to Regan Balzer, artist).
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The book touches on how colonisation replaced traditional matauranga (knowledge) surrounding menstruation with ideas that bleeding was ‘dirty’ or ‘a woman’s sickness’. It’s up to us to reclaim the correct narrative.
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Mum gifted me a beautiful pounamu when I had my first waiwhero - perhaps she knew more than she let on.
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I read this to assist me in preparing to celebrate with my daughter. The book shared modern strategies that we can use and helpful karakia that I’ll learn so I can teach her our narrative. I’ll be sharing this book with my daughter and our whānau for sure.
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Another practical book for us on our decolonising journey. Totally recommend. This copy is from @mcleodsbooksrotorua
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FYI There is also a more in depth book by Murphy which is based on her thesis called Te Awa Atua: Menstruation in the Pre-Colonial Maori World. I’ll share it with you soon!

[Sarah Beshay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully illustrated and laid out book for all wahine! It’s rare to find a book that speaks to the sacredness and feminine genius of a wahine’s mate marama (menstrual cycle). It includes great simplified traditional and modern ideas of how a wahine can embrace her mate marama and acknowledge its gift of life. The book speaks with confidence on the natural beauty of the wahine’s body, especially on a topic that is only typically stereotyped by society as a painful nuisance.