‘Wawata Moon Dreaming’ by Dr Hinemoa Elder
Wawata Moon Dreaming is the companion book to Dr Elder’s previous book Aroha.
Aroha featured Maori wisdom of deep connections between ancestral wisdom, thinking and emotion – aroha and whakatuaki. Taking the human search for meaning and making sense of the environment. Her philosophy is that traditional Maori life lessons can add value and depth to our personal views of the world in modern life.
Wawata Moon Dreaming brings wisdom from Hina, the Maori Moon and adds to the lives we live. ‘30 different faces to illuminate life’s lessons’ Across a day for each month. It’s personal for Dr Elder, seeing the wisdom and having wished she’d had this knowledge earlier in life, inspired her to bring this ‘manual’ to print. It’s an interconnection between ancient wisdom from tipuna, drawing her to know and understand and in turn, have others listen and learn for this strange new world. This all adds to our human existence.
After the lockdowns and global impacts from a pandemic, Dr Elder has seen the disconnect and displacement through, not only her medical practice but the observations of life and seeing societal shifts. She seeks to restore connectivity, intimacy and deeper wellbeing.
Themes include thoughtfulness and consideration to heed warnings and to make amends, times to rest or gather, being prepared in various life seasons and solace in uncertainty.
Old maramataka Maori Calendars have sparked her curiosity to bring people back to ancient wisdom. Dr Elder’s desire is to pass on the knowledge of Hina’s movements and names of moon’s face around the cycles within a month. She feels that lost wisdom personally and seeks to restore new insight and enlightenment.
Rather than being a book read cover to cover once, this book is more of a handbook to return to with each added or enriched experience in life, to re-read throughout ongoing months. Dr Elder provides the words and meanings of her philosophy to be building stones from which to carve out a life lived with Hine’s influence.
SOLD OUT: Dr Hinemoa Elder will be attending the Featherston Book Town Karukatea Festival at the Mrs Blackwell’s Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea: Wahine Go Wild!
