Mana Wāhine Week 2025
A Celebration of Strength, Storytelling, and Sisterhood
Mana Wāhine Week 2025 lit up Tāmaki from 28th September to 3rd October 2025, bringing together hundreds of wāhine for six days of wānanga, creativity, movement, healing, and connection. We were so excited to reignite the flame of our previous Mana Wāhine kaupapa, and what started as an idea quickly became a powerful reminder of what happens when wāhine gather with purpose and aroha.
This kaupapa was coordinated by The HEART Movement but could never have happened without the support of our funders, local organisations, facilitators, and a mighty crew of volunteers. Together, we created spaces shaped by wāhine, for wāhine - uplifting identity, strengthening whānau, and celebrating the wisdom found across generations.
What We Set Out To Do
The vision was simple and bold:
Create free, inclusive spaces for wāhine to learn, heal, and thrive.
Strengthen cultural identity with kaupapa grounded in Te Ao Māori and Pasifika knowledge.
Spark connection across Tāmaki by linking people, places, and community services.
Grow mana motuhake by encouraging wāhine of all ages to step into leadership.
And of course... celebrate joy, creativity, and transformation, because life doesn’t always need to be so serious.
This Is What Happened
507 people. 21 kaupapa. 6 days. Countless moments of magic.
From rangatahi to kuia, the mix of ages and experiences created an atmosphere of genuine intergenerational learning and aroha.
Some standout moments included:
Opening Ceremony
A powerful launch filled with karakia, waiata, dance, kōrero, and community spirit.Kahoa / Lei Making with Talanoa
A beautiful weaving of flowers and stories, honouring culture and connection.Peri/Menopause Upskilling Session with Niki Bezzant
Practical, empowering information for wāhine navigating this life stage.Rongoā Wai Rākau Workshop
A revitalising deep dive into traditional healing and plant wisdom.Her Space: Step In, Find Your Village
Over 16 organisations offering activities, information, and support - a real celebration of community.Celebration Ball
Music, joy, connection, and a whole lot of sparkle to close out the week.
The Ripple Effect
Community Strengthening
12 businesses donated epic spot prizes.
24 organisations and businesses supported or facilitated kaupapa.
New relationships and refreshed partnerships blossomed.
Around 14 new possible Change Agents and 16 new possible Member Organisations emerged directly from the week. Ka rawe!
Online Reach
Our campaign from 20 August to 18 October caught fire online:
Facebook: 65.2K views
Instagram: 33.6K views
Total reach: 98,000+
Engagement was strong and almost entirely organic - the community carried this kaupapa forward themselves.
What Wāhine Told Us
The feedback was raw, vulnerable, and beautiful:
“I didn’t realise how much I needed this space until I came here.”
“Stories bring out your own story... the aroha and wairua tonight was powerful.”
“It was an amazing week of healing for my tinana, hinengaro and wairua.”
Common themes emerged:
Wāhine felt safe, seen, and supported.
Intergenerational sharing was a huge highlight.
People want more kaupapa like this throughout the year - not just once.
An integral member of the working committee of Mana Wāhine Week 2025 - Jo Flavell - had this beautiful reflection to share,
“Māna Wahine Week created a deeply meaningful space for connection, reflection, and empowerment. Across the sessions wāhine shared how enriching the experience was not only for themselves but often also for their daughters who joined them.
Many participants spoke of arriving feeling isolated and overwhelmed yet leaving feeling lighter, uplifted, and more connected. Through open kōrero and shared experiences they discovered a sense of belonging and support, a reminder of the strength found within their wider village.
Mothers reflected on how the sessions inspired real change with one mother sharing of her reaching out to their daughters’ schools to invite guest speakers from the week to talk about sexual health from an empowering perspective, introducing mindfulness practices with their tamariki, and sharing new regulation and wellbeing strategies at home.
Participants highlighted how quickly trust and openness were built within and across the workshops which is a testament to the skilled facilitation and safe environment that allowed wāhine to feel seen, heard, and valued In just a short time.
Several wāhine shared of a new or re-connection to cultural spaces of belonging such as their Marae, where waiata drew them in and the manaaki and aroha was what filled their wairua and left them eager to return. Māna Wahine Week fostered genuine connection, empowerment, and the ripple of ongoing positive change across whānau and community.”
Gratitude List
We would like to thank our team of funders and supporters (profusely!) for everything that came together to make Mana Wāhine Week 2025 what it was.
Our funders, who ensured we had the means to put it all together include Rākau Tautoko, Tāmaki Regeneration Company and Maungakiekie- Tāmaki Local Board. Thank you!! Click their links to see their websites and the wonderful work they each do for our communities.
Wāhine Week Whānau!
Organisations who gave (including and not limited to…) their time, use of venues, koha, kai, generous donations, amazing expertise, support with promotion, abundant resources, boundless energy, and more! Include (in no particular order)…
Spot Prize Superstars!
A huge thank you to the wonderful sponsors of our awesome spot prizes! These businesses and organisations generously supported Mana Wāhine Week — please go to eat, shop and support them - as they generously supported us!
We’re so grateful for their contribution in helping us celebrate and uplift our wāhine!
Hapa NZ
Individuals & Volunteers
Some people went truly above and beyond over the lead up, during and even after the week and it was these volunteers that took our events to the next level.
Thank you so, so much to:
TCDT - Sirikit, Roxanne, Venny, Nadya
Rākau Tautoko - Jo, Gloria, Jani, Ren, Tara, Carla and Monie
Change Agents - Candace, Kirsty, Josephine, Maria, Whaea Margaret and Dee
Community Members - Sorcha, Kim and Tsana
To everyone who had a hand in this kaupapa - ngā mihi nunui! Your generosity created impact that will carry far beyond one week.
What We Learned
Like any big kaupapa, there were wins and challenges:
Successes
Strong attendance in many sessions.
Beautiful diversity in kaupapa and participants.
Collaboration was a real strength.
The kōrero was powerful, inspiring, and healing.
Challenges
Tight timelines... the classic community hustle.
Limited resources for coordination and promo.
A few kaupapa with lower attendance - timing or promotion likely played a role.
Key Learnings
Wāhine need more of these spaces, more often.
Balance deep kōrero with joyful, creative sessions.
Scale the event to the resources available - no more superhero-level sprints.
Invest in storytelling and digital archiving to capture the legacy of this kaupapa.
Where We’re Heading Next
The HEART Movement plans to:
Bring Mana Wāhine Week back in 2026, with stronger youth and intergenerational focus.
Create ongoing HEART Mana Wāhine kaupapa throughout the year.
Strengthen partnerships with funders and community groups.
Lean into online engagement and new marketing tools.
Build a strong digital archive to honour each kaupapa and guide future years.
In Closing
Mana Wāhine Week 2025 reminded us that when wāhine gather, magic happens. Stories are shared. Healing begins. Confidence grows. And connections deepen in ways that change whole communities.
To everyone who showed up - in person, online, or behind the scenes - thank you. Your belief and your aroha empowered wāhine across Tāmaki and amplified the kaupapa of mana motuhake, community, and joy.
Here’s to next year... and to all the stories still to come.