Planting Seeds Podcast

Rob Hayne is the founder of Chur Kaha , a CrossFit gym built on community, love, and the belief that everyone deserves to feel proud of themselves — no matter where they start. In this kōrero, recorded on a trip to Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa, Rob opens up about where his deep sense of care comes from (his mum, unsurprisingly), the leap of faith it took to open his own gym, and the philosophy that drives e...

What got you here won't get you there. In this Grow With Me Q&A, I unpack the belief of why running has never once solved anything. This week's Grow With Me session is a community Q&A — real questions from the Planting Seeds whānau, answered through lived experience rather than theory. I move through identity, healing, relationships, and what it actually takes to build a community...

You can be giving everyone the best of you AND still be running on empty. What happens when you finally choose yourself — and why that took courage for Nepia Takuira-Mita? Nepia Takuira-Mita is an actor, musician, and creative — known for his work on Ahikāroa , one of Aotearoa's first bilingual dramas. But before the screens and the stages, there was a kid raised on te reo Māori, kapa haka, an...

What if the reason you can't get to where you want to go… isn't about what you're doing but who you're being? It took me half a year to learn this lesson. And one simple shift at 4:15am changed everything. This is a Grow With Me solo episode, coming straight off the back of our brother-to-brother wānanga where tāne came together in person after 12 weeks of journeying online. I'...

What if the system that's meant to heal us is actually the thing keeping our whānau sick? Dr Nina Scott has spent six years fighting for something basic: a seat at the table for Māori in cancer care. And the government still said no. In this kōrero recorded at the World Indigenous Cancer Conference in Aotearoa, I sit down with Dr Nina Scott — one of the most respected Māori health leaders in t...

In this episode I sit down with Professor Jason Gurney, epidemiologist, researcher, and author of The Twisted Chain, to unpack one of the most uncomfortable truths in Aotearoa: that the health outcomes for Māori aren't a story of personal failure. They're a story of systems. Jason's work studies the causes, patterns and spread of disease across populations and the data tells a story mo...

What got you here . . .won't keep you here. The old version of me was quietly running the show AND I almost didn't catch it. This is a Grow With Me episode, just you and me, no guest, raw and reflective. From my 34th birthday to my 35th, I made a commitment to ask myself one simple question every single day in my journal: "What will I embody today?" It's been the most groundi...

Deeply honoured to be joined by Dr Jacquie Kidd, a respected Māori health researcher, advocate, and wahine toa whose life's work has been about creating equity within Aotearoa's healthcare system. This kōrero was recorded during the World Indigenous Cancer Conference, hosted by Hei Āhuru Mōwai and Te Rau Ora, a gathering that brought indigenous voices from across the world together to talk...

What if you put yourself first? I'm 66 hours into a 4-day juice fast and I want to take you inside what's actually happening — physically, mentally, and spiritually. I aligned this fast with my deload week of training on purpose. Giving back to my tinana by giving it the space to rest, recover, replenish and rebuild. In the second half I get into something I've been sitting with for a...

Meth is in almost every whānau in Aotearoa — whether we want to admit it or not. This kōrero might be the one that finally cracks it open. Marley Taipeti is a third-generation Black Power member who walked through the fire of addiction, dealing meth, violence, and the kind of pain most people never speak about. But instead of leaving the environment that nearly took him, he chose to stay in it AND...

This episode is about the theme of the upcoming wānanga on the 2nd of May , held at Otamarakau Marae. If you're keen and ready to step into a space of growth, healing and connection you can register using the link below. For the first 5 people who register will receive $200 OFF when you use code: SEEDS Planting Seeds Wānanga: Find out more

Beauty comes from struggle . In this episode, I sit down with Jesse Wynyard , a purpose-driven creator expressing himself through hip-hop, music, and movement, while supporting others through healing and transformation. This conversation goes deep. We talk about breaking through conditioning. Moving through healing. The power of forgiveness. And learning the lessons from the breakdowns that guide...

"Boring is where the unlock is. Results don't come quick but they MUST come eventually." I just turned 34, and this season of life feels different. Not because everything's changed, but because I finally stopped waiting for the big moments and started finding purpose in the everyday, boring things. This kōrero is about gratitude, gaps, showing up fully, and why the next 365 days...

In Episode 257 of the Planting Seeds Podcast , I sit down with D’Angelo Martin , known to many as Tuturu Māori. A proud Māori tāne from the far north, devoted pāpā, and creative known for his humour. But this kōrero goes beyond the laughs. D’Angelo opens up about a major shift in his life direction, navigating a challenging season where he is currently based in Aotearoa while his whānau are in Vie...

In this Grow With Me episode, I speak openly about the season of change I’m currently navigating. I’ve had space recently to go deeper into my why, purpose, and identity and in doing so, I realised that I’ve been operating from an outdated foundation. It served me. It got me to where I am today. BUT it won’t take me to where I’m going. I also answer a powerful question from the Seeds of Self commu...

In Episode 255 , I sit down with Hinerapa Rupuha , a mana wahine deeply anchored in te ao Māori, with a passion for te reo Māori, traditional navigation, and voyaging. Raised through kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa Māori, Hinerapa attributes much of who she is today to her whānau and the strong foundations laid within Hoani Waititi. Her journey began with a love for the moana through waka ama, which...

In this Grow With Me episode, I answer two powerful questions around identity, change, and purpose . How to navigate the transition from your old identity to a new one, especially after separation? How to stay on the path of your passion? This kōrero is about staying grounded while stepping into who you’re becoming. Not rushing the process, not forcing it BUT honouring the shift . KEEn to hear you...

In Episode 253 of the Planting Seeds Podcast , I sit down with Jordaan Tuitama , also known as Creative Taro , a brother from the Waikato who is passionate about thrifting, reselling, and working alongside rangatahi. Jordaan shares his journey growing up in an environment shaped by violence and street life, and how over time he became desensitised to it. But instead of continuing down that path, h...

This Grow With Me episode is a real check-in after missing last week . . . and why. Life has been hectic but in a good way. Travel, kaupapa, mahi opportunities, training, everything moving. But in the middle of that, I started noticing early signs of burnout . In this kōrero, I share what’s been coming up for me, how I recognised it early, and the adjustments I’ve made to rebalance and recharge be...

In this episode of the Planting Seeds Podcast , I sit down with Whatanui Flavell , a Māori storyteller with over a decade of experience bringing stories to life across the media landscape. From presenter, camera operator, director, and producer — to now leading his own kaupapa Haututū Creatives , Whatanui shares his journey through the world of storytelling and the deeper responsibility that comes...

In this episode, I sit down with Riki Nia Nia , CEO of Te Rau Ora , a Māori health organisation committed to strengthening the Māori health workforce, supporting rangatahi leadership, and ensuring whānau receive culturally grounded care and wellbeing support. Te Rau Ora plays a vital role across Aotearoa through initiatives that support workforce development, mental health and addiction services,...

In this Grow With Me episode, I reflect on the inspiration that came from watching one of my closest brothers complete a FULL Ironman in Taupō over the weekend. I also share insights coming from Week 2 of the Brother to Brother kaupapa , where the theme is Identity . This week has been powerful. Tāne are stepping into the weight of the roles we carry, while also taking time to look beneath the lab...

In this episode of the Planting Seeds Podcast , I sit down with Kaukaohu Wahilani , a Hawaiian elder and activist who accepted the invitation to share a kōrero during Waitangi this year. Our conversation explores the deep similarities between Hawaiian and Māori cultures , histories, and experiences under colonisation. Kaukaohu speaks openly about a powerful identity shift in his life, reclaiming h...

In this Grow With Me episode of the Planting Seeds Podcast , I reflect on the month of February as we’ve already stepped into March. I unpack some of the gems that came out of our recent wānanga, where the theme was DIRECTION, bringing focus back to what truly matters and creating simple, actionable steps that support clarity and forward movement. March isn’t about doing anything different. It’s a...

In this episode of the Planting Seeds Podcast , I sit down with Tāmati Rākena , Far North District Councillor, co-founder of Taiao , and a dedicated father and partner. Raised around Waitangi and immersed in the many kaupapa of the Far North, Tāmati shares how his upbringing shaped his worldview and commitment to service. We talk about what it truly means to become a councillor and the mahi he is...