Pounamu Skelton is deeply connected to her traditional landscapes and Maori culture in Taranaki. An inspirational speaker and leader she lives passionately by planting seeds of wellness amongst her community through education of growing Hua Parakore kai and living naturally with plant medicine of essential oils. 

Pounamu is the Tumu Whakarae at Te Waka Kai Ora and has been an integral part of developing the Hua Parakore verification system. Her wealth of knowledge and passion for educating whanau in Kai sovereignty reaches across Aotearoa and Australia by developing online spaces for iwi māori. Pounamu has been embedding the Maramataka into her Maara Kai practises for the past 8 growing seasons and continues to be guided by the maramataka for best practice in her professional and personal life.

Pounamu not only grows an abundant Hua Parakore maara on her tupuna whenua but has spent the past few years diving deep into healing with her people through the art of “Maara Kai” and reconnecting whanau to their inner Atua.

The magic of healing occurs when we increase the mauri of the whenua and grow mauri rich kai that gives us mauriora or a sense of wellbeing. He oranga whenua he oranga tangata. 

Te Maramataka: Your guide to a bountiful harvests

The maramataka is a traditional Māori calendar that provides guidance on the best times for planting seeds, harvesting crops, and tending to your garden. By following these guidelines, you can maximize your chances for a bountiful harvest and ensure that your maara remains healthy and vibrant throughout the year.

Whether you are new to gardening or have been planting crops for many years, the maramataka can be a valuable resource.

Using this ancient maramataka to guide your maara decisions can help you achieve success no matter what type of crops you are growing. The maramataka can help you determine when to sow seeds, when to prune and harvest your plants, and even when it is best to rest your garden so that it can rejuvenate itself.