A new whare for neurodivergent whānau has opened in Whangaparāoa, north of Auckland, creating a space where neurodiverse people can connect with Māori approaches to wellbeing.
Founder Tamara Grant (Ngāti Uenuku) says Whare Wairua is a safe space for neurodivergent whānau of all backgrounds.
“This is a space that’s ran by neurodivergents for neurodivergents. It’s just a space for us to find home for our spirit, for our neurodivergents.”
The Whare Wairua was founded by Xabilities - a neurodivergent-led organisation founded by Grant that supports neurodivergent people through community, education and advocacy.
Whare Wairua brings together mirimiri, rongoā, wānanga and community space, helping people better understand and navigate their minds, tinana, emotions and sensory experiences.
“We have wānanga at night time to also educate on [what’s] your go-to to connect with the taiao? What’s your go-to with your sensory perspective?” Grant says.
“Just being able to be in a comfortable space to explore that when there isn’t that judgment and with people with the same lived experience.”
Neurodiversity describes the natural variation in how people’s brains process information, communicate, learn and experience the world. It includes differences such as autism, ADHD and dyslexia.
He tūhono ki tōna taiao, ki tōna ao Māori
Grant says the kaupapa was born from her personal experience with neurodiversity.
“I’m a mother of two tamariki and I am also autistic [and] dyslexic,” she adds.
“I was on a lot of medication, [just] to be able to be there for as a solo parent to my tamariki. And with that, it just got worse and worse and worse.”
She says connecting with te ao Māori and the taiao has changed how she understands her own wellbeing.
“The method of [a] te ao Māori view has changed my life. And not just because it’s my whakapapa, but because [that] gives you a connection and a grounding in yourself.”
Kua tuwhera ki ngā iwi katoa
Te Herenga Waka o Orewa Marae were there to support the opening of Whare Wairua this week, highlighting its importance for local whānau.
“We’re an inclusive marae, and a lot of our tamariki have takiwātanga, or neurospicy, shall we call it. And so just having a space where those tamariki, outside of kura or with their whānau” says spokesperson Holly Aymer.
Although Whangaparāoa is predominantly Pākehā, with 86 percent identifying as European and 9.5 percent as Māori according to the 2023 Census, the whare is open to everyone.
“This [space] could be quite scary for Pākehā or Māori, being open and being moved, but the thing is that from the people that have already received this type of healing, it works.”
The Whare Wairua also operates in collaboration with Neurolinks in Whangaparāoa, which works with neurodivergent whānau navigating learning.
Grant says bringing Māori and Western approaches together is an important part of the kaupapa.
“Having those two different views of the world can be really powerful, because it can help us show that it’s okay and that it’s not scary because it’s different.”
Te kanorau ā-hinengaro a ngā tamariki
Around one in five young people in Aotearoa are estimated to be neurodivergent, according to the Neurodiversity in Education Coalition.
ADHD is said to affect five percent of tamariki aged 5–14, rising to around nine percent among tamariki Māori, according to the 2023/24 NZ Health Survey.
Grant says supporting neurodivergent tamariki is key to supporting whānau.
“I want to build a school. X-Abilities is named after X-Men. My dream for the future, I would love for this to become an emotional intelligence museum, for us to be able to experience our emotions in different rooms,” she adds.
“For emotions in general to be seen as intelligence, not as something that, again, gets pushed to the side or suppressed and is hurting our people.”
He mea tautoko nā te hapori tonu
Almost $1.7 million is allocated in 2025/26 to support disability community capability, including tāngata whaikaha Māori. However, there is no specific funding identified for Māori autistic, ADHD or dyslexic communities.
Grant says much of the work behind Whare Wairua has been funded through the community and small grants.
“Everything I’ve done has been from the community and Spectrum Foundation and Foundation North - that’s very small funds and everything else has just been with travelling on the road, it’s just been money in the pocket,” she explains.
“There’s not really much support for things like this, but then also I think that’s no reason to give up.”
The Whare Wairua will operate from the Neurolinks Growth Centre every Monday and Friday.
