Wild Coast Collective

I’m Kiri…Let’s chat. ‘Cos I’m not your typical yogilates business owner. But you wouldn’t want me to be, right? I’m proof you don’t have to burn sage-sticks, drink cacao or collect crystals to practise wellness. As an ambitious Māori kid from Queenstown, NZ, my first dream was to be a pro snowboarder. I had all the gear, and lots of ideas. But the realities of being a NZ professional athlete hit me hard, and between the untasty sandwich of financial struggles, lack of support and a talent for getting injured, I needed to choose a healthier path. One that prioritised a healthy body and a healthy mind. So I changed tack, became a chiropractor and got savvy on the structure of our body, nervous system regulation and overall health and wellness. Annnnnd sought out ways to share my love of movement to others *here’s looking at you, Wild Coast Collective.* Wild Coast Collective’s not just for the woo-woo crowd (although, we love them, and not just for the free herbs from their garden)...it’s for the people like me who don’t just want to move, but who need to. For mind, body and soul. So you don’t have to be spiritual to join our crew. But you do have to move (and breathe, and stretch, and drop it like a squat). And that’s where movement’s our gift. While people come and go, the land remains. Us and sustainability? It’s an ongoing conversation. Our health depends on our planet, so we respect it. The creation of our mats is pretty cool, and the planet thinks so too. Each mat is made with the sap of a native Amazonian rubber tree called the Hevea Brasiliensis, a sustainable and renewable source. When the tree reaches maturity, the sap is gently extracted to make rubber, just like a maple tree is tapped. The natural rubber base is bonded with a soft, luxurious microfibre surface made from recycled plastic bottles (who knew plastic could be so comfy?). Later, our iconic photos are printed onto the mats with a non-toxic water based ink. As well as being the best eco-friendly yoga mat, natural tree rubber provides a high traction base, better durability and won’t retain moisture like other synthetic rubbers. Our mats are free from PVC, silicone and phthalates, and we’re into respecting the planet…we ship without plastic, using recyclable cardboard boxes instead. Wild Coast Collective’s mission is guided by the principles of te whare tapa whā, which teaches the way to holistic health. Te Whare Tapa Whā was developed by leading Māori health advocate, aka legend, Sir Mason Durie in 1984. He compares health and wellbeing to a wharenui (meeting house with 4 walls). And together, each of these elements is an equal player in creating our health. The foundation represents our connection with the whenua (land) The 4 walls represent: 1. Taha wairua (our spiritual well being) 2. Taha hinengaro (our mental + emotional well being) 3. Taha tinana (our physical well being) 4. Taha whānau (our family + social wellbeing) When all these things are in balance, we’re good. When one or more of these is out of balance, it’s not such a great picture. Which is why we’re investing in community and Māori movement classes, with a goal to enhance overall wellbeing for Māori, because when we move with intention, with others, with respect for the resources of the land, we’re all elevated together.