Strength, Vulnerability & Hauora with Aaron Hāpuku

03/16/25 • 49 min

What does it mean to be a good tāne? How do we define true health and well-being beyond just physical fitness? In this episode, I sit down with Aaron Hāpuku to talk about hauora, identity, mental resilience, and the power of Te Ao Māori in shaping strong, grounded men.

Key kaupapa:
✅ Beyond the gym—how relationships reflect your true hauora
✅ Mau rākau & taiaha as tools for building strength—inside & out
✅ The unspoken struggles of tāne Māori & how to navigate them
✅ The everyday superheroes we don’t acknowledge enough

This is a must-watch for tāne, whānau, and anyone looking to better understand the balance between strength & vulnerability.

Drop your whakaaro in the comments ⬇️ Let’s talk.

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This is a must-watch for tāne, whānau, and anyone looking to better understand the balance between strength & vulnerability.

Drop your whakaaro in the comments ⬇️ Let’s talk.

🔔 Subscribe for more raw, real, and relevant kōrero on business, life, and growth!

Previous Episode

The Truth About Unconscious Bias – You Won’t Believe How It Affects You!

Did you know that you can watch this in video here:

Are you making decisions without even realising it? 🤯
In this episode of Beyond the Hustle, I explore unconscious bias - how it works, how it influences our daily lives, and why it’s shaping the world around us (whether we realise it or not). From the 11 million unconscious decisions your brain makes every second to the hidden biases baked into our systems, we get into it all.
💡 Key kaupapa:
✅ How your unconscious mind decides who to trust (without you knowing)
✅ The "bookshelf" analogy that explains your internal biases
✅ Why systemic bias exists (even when it’s unintentional)
✅ How to challenge and rewrite your unconscious programming
This isn’t just theory - it’s real life. Bias impacts who gets hired, who gets opportunities, and even how people are treated in healthcare and justice. So the big question is: How much of it is influencing YOU?
Drop a comment below ⬇️ - Did any of this kōrero hit different for you? Let me know what you think. If you love this kind of content, I’ll make more of it. If you don’t, I won’t 👊

Next Episode

Kicked out of school... to respected academic – Meet Dr. Phil Borell

You can watch this on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/YylH01Uz9ww

In this episode of Beyond the Hustle, I sit down with Dr. Phil Borell – educator, researcher, rugby league advocate, and proud tāne Māori.

We unpack his journey growing up in Ōtautahi, navigating identity as a young Māori boy, being kicked out of high school, and the mentors who helped shape his future. Now a respected academic, Phil shares his groundbreaking research on the lived experiences of Māori and Pasifika athletes in professional rugby league – including the heartbreaking stories behind youth suicides, identity struggles, and the role of whānau in sport.

You’ll hear real kōrero about: