Ben connects to the moana at Piha Beach | Matariki

How do you like to connect with Papatūānuku?

Ben shares the kōrero he received from his nana and his mum growing up and his abiding love for the ocean.

“She would always tell me stories about when she was a little girl. So I’ve held on to those. When we did go to the beach with my mother, I remember her telling me to be thankful. Acknowledge the ocean, acknowledge Tangaroa, Papatūānuku and Ranginui,” explains Ben.

“If you're in the city, you know I'm pretty close to the waterfront, I’ll go and sit there and just soak it all in. You want to take it in and really appreciate what we actually have got in our own backyard and what we’re to do to look after it.”

This is the first in our Matariki series where our Zoo kaimahi share the ways in which they experience to te taiao (the natural world). Celebrate with us this Matariki! We’re open all long weekend - aucklandzoo.co.nz/matariki.