At this year’s ACE Aotearoa Adult Learners’ Week He Tangata Mātauranga Festival, food was more than just something to eat – it was a way of connecting, learning, and celebrating identity. Tai Wright and Christina van der Velde, founders of Whakatipu Mana Kai in West Auckland, brought their kaupapa to life by hosting a hands-on wānanga on how to make Rēwana Māori bread.

Whakatipu Mana Kai was born from Christina and Tai’s shared vision: to grow the mana of kai. For Tai, who studied Māori food sovereignty at university, this work is about much more than cooking. It’s about exploring the historical and cultural context of kai through whakapapa, identity, and connection to the land. “Food sovereignty is about more than being self-sufficient,” he says. “Food sovereignty is the idea that communities and people should have the right and power to control their own food systems – from how food is grown, harvested, and distributed, to the cultural values and traditions that shape those practices in Aotearoa. It’s about forming a different relationship with food and looking at it through a Te Ao Māori lens.”

Before founding Whakatipu Mana Kai, Tai and Christina spent a month living solely on food they had harvested or gathered themselves. That experience kept them grounded in their community and inspired them to share their journey with others. They soon found that many people were hungry – not just for kai, but for knowledge, connection, and ways of living differently.

Tai’s personal story also shaped this kaupapa. Growing up in Auckland, away from his whānau land, he often felt disconnected. But summers with his grandfather – learning how to go eeling and to lay a hāngī – planted the seeds of reconnection. Whakatipu Mana Kai is now a space where others can also reconnect with whakapapa, whenua, and each other through kai.

At the Festival event, held at Manutewhau Community Hub in West Harbour, ten participants gathered for four hours to knead, bake, and learn. They didn’t just leave with a recipe for Rēwana bread – they left with stories of whakapapa, cultural history, and the shared warmth of baking together.

Christina says the real joy was in creating connections:

“Our focus was on food and baking, but really it’s about growing relationships. Food creates identity and a sense of place. The skills people learned will go into their kete – something they can draw on in the future.”

For Christina, who has always loved food and teaching, the wānanga was also about sparking confidence and creativity. “It’s exciting to see something click for people,” she says. “When they feel comfortable and confident, it’s a real joy. Our wānanga are about well-being – because being connected to food and identity is essential for people to flourish.”

Thanks to ACE Aotearoa’s support, this free community event gave participants more than just bread-making skills. It offered a chance to celebrate adult learning, to strengthen connections, and to share in the joy of kai. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive with comments including:

“I really appreciate your making this workshop free to the community – you’ve given me a whole new perspective on food and connection,”

“What an awesome wānanga, I love what was covered/ contents. Delicious soup. Warm and lovely facilitators. Thank you both!”

As Tai and Christina remind us, food is not just something we eat – it is a pathway to identity, connection, and community.