Ever wondered why the sun doesn’t always rise in the same spot? Or why our days are longer and warmer in summer?

Our tūpuna had a beautiful way of explaining this: through the pūrākau of Tamanui Te Rā, the sun, and his two wives - Hine Takurua, his winter maiden, and Hine Raumati, his summer maiden.

This isn’t just a love story - it’s mātauranga (knowledge). It’s about understanding the rhythms of nature, tracking the sun’s movements, and aligning our lives with the taiao.

This week on the blog, I share this kōrero, diving into how it connects us to the environment and why the summer solstice on December 22nd is worth celebrating. 🌿

If you’re keen to reconnect with the beauty of summer and the stories of our tūpuna, this blog is for you.

In this blog, we’ve taken a look back at the history of education in Aotearoa - from the devastating impact of the Native Schools Act to the rise of Kura Kaupapa Māori.

Native Schools were designed to assimilate Māori, stripping away our reo and tikanga, while Normal Schools thrived in urban centres with prestige and resources. But through generations of resilience and determination, we’ve reclaimed what was nearly lost.

Kura Kaupapa Māori are now transforming education for tamariki Māori, offering a pathway that honours identity, language, and culture.

This week, during Wiki Hā, we celebrate that progress. Rangatahi from kura kaupapa across the motu are coming together for sports, te reo Māori is flowing freely, and pride in our cultural identity is alive and well.

It’s a reminder of how far we’ve come - and how much we can achieve when we stand tall in who we are.

In Aotearoa, we value humility and staying grounded - but somewhere along the way, we’ve blurred the lines between humility and cutting people down. Tall Poppy Syndrome is a habit we’ve all seen (and maybe even been part of), and it’s time to talk about it.

Anton shares his ideas and experiences around Tall Poppy Syndrome in this latest blog

In this post, Anton talks about the thinking behind launching the podcast - Beyond The Hustle - and the importance of restoring a bit of balance to the conversation in a world of curated highlights online.

Today our whānau took part in the hīkoi mō te Tiriti - walking alongside fifty thousand other people in what felt like a momentous occasion, with millions showing aroha and tautoko all around the motu and world. Read about our experience here. Written by Anton Matthews, Owner of Hustle Group

This piece explores the role we all have to be great ancestors for our future generations. Being a good kaitiaki means making good decisions today that serve our tamariki and mokopuna. Written by Anton Matthews, Owner of Hustle Group

What does it mean to lead with manaakitanga and why is it such a critical part of te ao Māori? Anton Matthews, Owner of Hustle Group explains why

A heartfelt piece discussing the realities of running a business and whānau business and the constant pursuit of finding the perfect balance in life - written by Anton Matthews, Owner of Hustle Group

A blog post that explores the lessons learned from failure - written by Anton Matthews, Owner of Hustle Group