Whakapapa - Herstory
Indigeniuswheke
Herstory – The Journey of Indigeniuswheke
Founded in 2021 by Ariana, Indigeniuswheke is the culmination of 25 years of walking alongside whānau through crisis, healing, and transformation. Rooted in kaupapa Māori principles, it honours the wisdom of tīpuna while empowering whānau to reclaim their strength, dignity, and tino rangatiratanga.
Born from the lived realities of whānau impacted by sexual and family violence, intergenerational trauma, and colonisation, Indigeniuswheke has grown into an Indigenous-led consultancy, training, and mentoring service. It weaves mātauranga Māori, whānau narratives, and practical solutions to uplift individuals, organisations, and systems.
More than a business, this kaupapa is a bridge between past and future—a space where healing is a reclamation of identity, power, and collective wellbeing. It is a continuation of generations of advocacy, aroha, and action, ensuring whānau not only heal but thrive and lead their own futures.
Indigeniuswheke is inspired by the teachings of the late Dr. Whaea Rose Pere and her Te Wheke model, which honours holistic wellbeing and whānau interconnection. This kaupapa is also a tribute to the grandmother power—the fierce, nurturing, and guiding force of our tīpuna kuia, whose wisdom flows through generations, shaping our mahi.
Indigeniuswheke – Guided by the spirit of the Wheke, strengthened by the power of our kuia.
Kaiwhakahaere - Creator Ariana
Taua Kiwa & our late mother Tania, mum and nana, my mentors, and my kaitiaki.
The Story Behind Indigeniuswheke
The Te Wheke model, created by the late Dr Whaea Rose Pere, expands on Dr Mason Durie’s Te Whare Tapa Whā, reflecting the Māori belief that well-being is holistic.
Like the octopus (wheke), whose eight arms act independently yet remain connected, this model acknowledges the many dimensions of our being. It includes our physical (taha tīnana), spiritual (taha wairua), mental (taha hinengaro), and social (taha whānau/whanaungatanga) well-being, as well as our inherited treasures (ngā taonga tuku iho), life force (mauri), emotions and senses (whatumanawa), and inner divine power (mana).
True well-being is a balance of all these elements, woven together like the arms of the wheke, embracing all that makes us whole.