Abstract
He wāhine, he whenua e ngāro ai te tāngata
“by women and land men are lost”
Kuia held key roles such as whare Mātauranga (repositories of knowledge) within whānau, linking past with the present and it is these roles that were valued and protected within whānau, hapū and iwi. Kuia nurtured and protected these roles and were the kaitiaki (guardians) of whānau, hapū and iwi knowledge thus ensuring the well-being of whānau, hapū and iwi. Historically many of these traditions were passed down through waiata, haka, whakataukī, mōteatea and were the primary means of transferring knowledge, values and belief. However, these traditional means of transferring knowledge have evolved with the advancement of technology and moving into the 21st century. Kuia were and are the kaitiaki (guardians) of the maintenance and transference of history and knowledge for future generations