Kōpū

13/07/2023

From one star to others: Mānawatia a Matariki — Happy Māori New Year! ✨

Mānawa maiea te putanga o Matariki.
Mānawa maiea te ariki o te rangi.
Mānawa maiea te Mātahi o te tau.

Celebrate the rising of Matariki.
Celebrate the rising of the lord of the sky.
Celebrate the rising of the New Year.

While kōpū (Venus as the morning star) is not part of Matariki, we hope this year, you will dare to learn more about its meaning.

Et une Bonne Fête du 14 Juillet 🇫🇷 (Happy Bastille Day) à toute notre audience française 😉

On our documentary journey, we were told there was no coincidence but providence. It is particularly special to celebrate today the French Revolution against the economic power of the time (1789 - aka the Monarchy) on the same day Matariki is celebrated in Aotearoa New Zealand - a fairly new proclaimed bank holiday representing a revolution on its own.

21/06/2023

Opening up a new chapter.

Envision a world where the time women spend raising children is seen as equally valuable as building a business.

Introducing you to kōpū: Unconventional Motherhood Wisdom. A documentary exploring the rich diversity of motherhood and the far-reaching skills that the experience yields. A purpose-driven production company using storytelling to advocate for equity, fostering multi-ethnic and pangender solidarity.

Ko te whaea te takere o te waka | Mothers are the hull of the waka (ship)

Kōpū, the Māori word for womb, represents the great life-giving power that mothers possess. Another Māori term for the uterus, te whare tangata, literally translates to “the house of the people”--the original origin of us all. Kōpū is also the Māori word for Venus as the morning star - a persistent feminine symbol in many Western cultures but also, as the brightest object in the sky, a guiding star in several mythologies, religions and provincial cultures.

Our eponymous film channels the wisdom that accompanies this power and examines its influence on different spheres of life. In recent years, mothers have been thrust to the sideline of our culture as they care for their children. Yet care is the life-giving force that sustains health and well-being, binding together societies and ecologies. While motherhood archetypes have gently evolved, a constant remains: the perceptions bound to the role. Our film reexamines and reinvigorates our understanding of motherhood for a new generation of parents juggling career and parenthood, to help us re-learn the truth that mothers learn a valuable range of skills through the experience of child-rearing.

Read the rest of our synopsis by visiting our website: www.mykopu.com
Sign up for our newsletter to follow us on our documentary production journey.

A documentary & social movement exploring the far-reaching skills that the motherhood experience yields. We believe that by breaking the stigma associated with motherhood, there lies the potential to reach gender equity once and for all.

13/09/2022

“Never forget that it only takes a political, economic or religious crisis for women’s rights to be called into question. These rights can never be taken for granted. You must remain vigilant throughout your life." Simone de Beauvoir.

This quote hasn’t aged (sadly).

Last year, we wanted to conclude our documentary crowdfunding campaign pitch with a quote from a longtime favourite French author and staunch feminist.

Yesterday, we were reminded how relevant are these words by outstanding women in the heart of Aotearoa NZ Parliament House. Saunoamaali'i Karanina Sumeo Nina Santos from Kiri Hannifin ngā mihi nui for all the work that you do. Words have mana and the energy you shared in the room this evening was tangible.

We will continue the mahi and ensure no bystanders are left unshaken in the quest to

Thank you to National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ) for the inspirational event that brought us together and happy 125th anniversary 🎉

28/12/2021

The first milestone as a team ✅

Can you remember the last time you set yourself a goal with narrow chances to hit it?
When we embarked on our crowdfunding journey, the odds of making it through were abysmal.

One of us was starting a new job meanwhile anchoring down in a new home and having to deal with the unfathomable grieving pain of losing a relative overseas with no other option than “zooming in” at the funeral.

One of us was going through rounds of laborious interviews and a myriad of obstacles to access a dream job.

One of us was moving a whole family across the globe during a pandemic and having to reinvent a new life on a new continent.

One of us was taking on a new contract of work while co-sharing the burden of homeschooling two primary school children during a 4 months lockdown.

One of us - also in lockdown - was kickstarting a new freelance career while tending for 3 little kids, mostly on their own.

One of us was utterly challenged professionally having to raise investment for the company they led while isolating at home with children.

Some of us - if not all - were pushed to the edge of what our mental health could take on.

Yet, we made it through. We hit our very 1st milestone as a team thanks to the generous support of 46 sponsors who contributed to raising $2,240. A touching gesture of trust that was purely built on our words + each and everyone’s commitment to achieving a 9km challenge for 5 days.

We are beyond grateful for what took place over the last 3 months regardless of the challenges. This milestone is allowing us to build confidence in the following chapter and what we can achieve next.

With only 3 days left before our Give A Little page ➡️ https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D closes for good, we want to thank you all.

Whether sponsor or not, your attention in sharing or discussing our message has been priceless. And for those of you who left it to the last minute - now is the time to contribute.

Rest assured there will be other opportunities & we will keep you posted on our progress.
It is undeniable you deserve that.

Bring on 2022! Mā te wā

📷 Herve Villard from

07/12/2021

270 km in, sore legs but final stretch!

As we close in on our crowdfunding goal, AJ had a sit-down with Claire to discuss what we aim to accomplish through a documentary that explores the unique skills associated with motherhood.

Watch the video for a taste of it :)

A gigantic THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us in our journey so far. We are humbled to see so many of you cheering us on and joining our quest for gender equity - we can’t wait to take our filming to the next level.

Your astonishing generosity is allowing us to kickstart the work required for a pitch trailer starting with branding, digital assets purchase, travel expenses and video equipment rental.

More than ever, we are determined to put ‘the motherhood penalty’ to rest and that’s precisely what we intend to do through compelling, action-oriented media.

Fundamentally, our , inspired by the 9 to 5 Movement has reminded us that we should "never doubt a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world" - Magaret Mead. Beyond our crowdfunding campaign efforts, we have reached hundreds of individuals across the globe and triggered conversations on gender equity in many households, according to the feedback we have received.

This is an undeniable win on its own, but it's only a start.

With $180 missing, it is our final stretch and our last call to help us get there. We're asking you to donate if you haven't already or share this campaign today simply because we need to secure more funding to cover the forthcoming documentary making costs.

Ngā mihi nuī, thank you very much, merci beaucoup, ačiū from our international team.

01/12/2021

"Then 2020 happened."

When one crisis accentuates another.

Day 3 + day 4 ✅ - while we can keep pointing out all the unfairness in this world, we also want to show you what could take place if we were to shift our mindset a little when it comes to motherhood. And being so close to hitting our goal, it looks like we might be able to :)

Go on Daniel Tomlinson last few kilometres may get us to bring our documentary to life.

Women start a lot of businesses, but when it comes time for them to grow, many hit a wall, or the women founders end up losing control. Why? We bring you two indicators on women and work from our daily podcast The Indicator. Also, Amanda and Stacey go on a picnic to prove a point. | Subscribe to our...

25/11/2021

Day 5 🥳 and the end of #9 👏

A massive thank you to her for her input and determination. Fitting this challenge while in a lockdown with 3 minis to look after and contract work to deliver... RESPECT 🙂

"The end of my 9to5challenge -our crowdfunding venture to support women who work that happen to be mums! 🎉 Thanks Bec for joining me on this epic forest walk.

DONATE HERE ⬇️

https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D

We want to help women reach their full potential while raising children and support employers in retaining valuable talent, breaking the stigma associated with motherhood and reaching gender equity once and for all.

Consider the below statistics:
- 9.9%: the gender pay gap in NZ, which sits in 9th position in the Global Gender report
- 22.5%: percentage of NZX directors that are women
- 4.4%: the average drop in hourly pay once women are re-employed after having children
- 27.8%: the percentage of women who work full-time or are self-employed three years after childbirth, versus 90% of men.

We believe that a documentary exploring the unique skills that accompany motherhood is the best way to set this paradigm shift into motion. 🔥

Thank you for your support. Dad, if you haven't donated already please do. This cause isn't just about women ;) x"

24/11/2021

Day 4 ✅ well done with your 👏 some very powerful words you shared too:

"Today’s post is a shout out to mums. It’s only fitting to give credit where it’s due.

The pandemic has been a rough ride for mothers and carers. The uncertainty and anxiety we’ve had to navigate not only for ourselves but our kids too have been pretty exhausting. And that’s on top of work commitments, managing remote schooling and finding yet another activity to keep everyone entertained!

Mums - You do a lot of work that is unseen.

You do a lot of things that seem insignificant.

You do something that millions of women before you have done but the work is more important than many realise. You raise generations. These incredible skills deserve to be valued and recognised 💛 "

To complement Claire's words, we would like to point out some of the studies that have been run to recognise the impact of the pandemic on mothers. Here, in Aotearoa NZ, from the NZ Journal of Employment Relations, article "Exposing Gender Inequalities: Impacts of Covid-19 on Aotearoa ǀ
New Zealand Employment" by Annick Masselot & Maria Hayes: "Gender issues, in particular, are at the very core of the Covid-19 pandemic. If anything, this crisis has highlighted the central part played by women in the economy." (https://bit.ly/3c4OaQH)

Mums, we see you. We hear you. And we will continue our quest for you. ✨

👉 https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D

23/11/2021

"It’s Day 3 ✅ and I’m halfway! Legs are dead but I’m dragging them along…

Today I want to address Proximity Bias.

Hands up if you feel like you are less likely to be promoted working part-time or from home? The truth is it seems to be a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Where employers promote those who they can see.

Unfortunately, those lack of ‘water cooler’ moments equal missed opportunities.

The reality is women bear the burden of care because of the imbalance of maternity and paternity leave. Mothers do, of course, need this time to recover, heal, feed and bond but surely companies enabling flexible employment can allow a chance for men to step into these roles too.

Rather than questioning whether women working flexibly should do so, why not ask businesses to support ‘everyone’ working flexibly? From seniority to entry-level staff and whatever gender, so there isn’t a disparity.

We want more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces."

Photo + caption credit to 💞 a taste of why are teaming up to create a documentary that will change how we perceive and value motherhood.

👉 https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D

Dare to join our little quest 🔥

22/11/2021

Day 2 for Claire Prangley 💪

Kudos to her for fitting this in after a long day and finishing it just before 8.30PM! This goes to show all the determination we've got to get our documentary project up and running 🙂

How could we not be motivated?! We're in 2021 and only 27.8% of women will go back to work full-time 3 years after childbirth, versus 90% of men.

think this is just a socio-economics issue? Not quite - "women at higher pay scales and senior positions are likely to be hit harder by the penalty – as they see the slowest growth in monthly earnings (Ministry of Women).

This is in stark contrast to the fatherhood bonus: where the higher a male worker is on the pay scale when his children are born, the more he is poised to benefit from becoming a father in his career (American Journal of Psychology)." as reports Ava Wardecki in March 2021 (www.globalwomen.org.nz/news/motherhood-penalty/)

However, looking at the penalty motherhood can represent is not all. We must be able to flip the narrative if we want a shot at gender equity.

Help us to tell you more through our documentary:

👉🏿 https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D 👈🏽

We can't wait!

18/11/2021

Day 5 🎉 🙂 and one completed ✅

Very well done
Thank you for all your energy, knowledge and connections who are getting us one step closer to producing the documentary.

THANK YOU to the latest sponsors giving us wings ❤️

Passing on the baton to next!

For those joining in - we are crowdfunding for a documentary that will unveil the skills mothers (or fathers) develop while tending to children. We're aiming to change the narrative around the in order to break stigmas & unconscious bias that have hindered gender equity.

"With the ultimate goal of changing the way society values the experience. The motherhood penalty is alive & well, and it affects all of us – the conditions under which we’re raised, the way we perceive women, the way women perceive themselves… the list goes on."

Find out more about our project: https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D and dare to embark on our quest!

We can still use some precious help to hit our goals.

16/11/2021

Day 3 ✅ for Aj Reid

Nothing better than an early morning walk and meditation to reflect on ! May this exercise keep inspiring you for the documentary.

While here, we would like to take the opportunity to thank our latest sponsors and their words of encouragement.

To be quite frank, we think the world of you 😍

For those just joining in, we're crowdfunding for a documentary that will unveil the skills women (or men) develop while tending to children. With Asmeet Sran-maiden Hansra Dr Romas Malevicius Claire Prangley Claire Thiveyrat we want to change the narrative around - shake off the victim talk as well as the social construct that has been the root cause of gender disparities.

Dare to join the quest?

👉🏿 https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D

15/11/2021

DAY 2 ✅ for AJ Reid

"the common bias that says ‘becoming a mom is bad for your career.’ Have you noticed that this rarely applies to fathers? And how rooted this is in a patriarchal worldview that has always sought to limit women?

We have, and we want to do something about it."

It turns out this is not only true but was proven by Dr Laura Kray, Professor of Management at Haas School of Business, UC Berkley & Faculty Director of the School's Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership as well as Dr Margret Lee, Post-doc scholar at the Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership UC Berkley (https://on.wsj.com/3nftonO)

=======

Stigmas and biais can be broken. Allow us to show you how:

Stigmas and bias can be broken. Allow us to show you how:

👉 https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D

14/11/2021

Walk #5 Day 1 - meet our film director, the talented and award-winning documentarian Aj Reid who’s taking part next in the 🙌🏽

"Hi there! I’m AJ Reid, a filmmaker, artist, and digital storyteller. A career in digital media has privileged me to an exciting array of productions, exhibits, and now, working on this film.

My latest documentary, ‘BAD RIVER,’ screened at numerous festivals around the world and received accolades including the Audience Award for “Best Made in Alaska Short” at the Anchorage International Film Festival.

As a documentarian, I approach an array of projects with an open mind & heart and draw upon a diverse skill set to help tell compelling, contemporary stories.

I am a passionate advocate of gender equality and my intention with this film is to effect real, systemic change in the way we value mothers. I see the ‘motherhood penalty’ as the final frontier in the fight for gender equity and the documentary will join the fight, guns blazing."

Keen to get behind AJ and sponsor our project?

https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D

12/11/2021

Day 5 ✅🎉🙂 the last but certainly not the least of Claire Thiveyrat

For the first time since we started, 3 other women put up their hands to take part in the challenge. Thank you Lisa Edwards Elizabeth Walker and Megan Nielsen ❤️ your participation meant a lot.

While we are still miles away from reaching our seed funding goal we would like to:

A) Thank immensely all the donors so far! We will soon keep you posted on the latest updates with the documentary as we've been quite busy in the background :)

B) Invite you to take part in our challenge too 😁

Using the hashtags and the link:

👉🏿 https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D 👈🏽

What has become obvious over the last 3 weeks is our crowdfunding campaign is raising awareness on gender disparities which between climate change and a pandemic tend to be of very low priority.

An article from the Guardian pointed out: "The picture seems to be of a country (the UK) where there is a robust desire for social justice and a good grasp of its current contours of inequality – except when it comes to gender, which is only a few points above Britain’s lowest concern of all: inequalities between generations."

Tolerating this outcome is not an option.

“The pandemic is exposing and exploiting inequalities of all kinds, including gender inequality” (Guterres, 2020).

As an individual, what can you do?
9km for 5 days challenge may not erase gender inequalities but it will surely tell your network and followers, these disparities exist and they must not be forgotten.

10/11/2021

Day 4 ✅

was spoiled again with Aotearoa NZ natural beauty - always a good way to attract attention online 🙃

So while you stop by to watch a photo or two, remember to hit the link below:

👉🏿 https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D 👈🏽 to support our crowdfunding campaign to secure seed funding for a documentary that will revolutionise how we perceive and value motherhood.

More than a crowdfunding campaign, our efforts are becoming a statement - a refusal to persistent and universal gender inequities.

It is NOT okay to accept that at this pace, women may reach gender equity in 108 years.

We understand in these difficult times many of you can't support our project financially. However, if like us you feel connected to the cause then kickstart your it is time for the movement.

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi Engari, he toa takitini." - “My strength is not that of a single warrior but that of many.”

08/11/2021

Good morning Day 3 for 💪🏾

Can motherhood (and parenthood) ever become a form of legitimate professional development?

We - Dr Romas Malevicius believe so & keen on proving it!

👉🏿 https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D 👈🏽 link in bio)

Find out more about our crowdfunding project.

           

08/11/2021

Day 2 ✅of the for Claire Thiveyrat

Some delicious shots from the eye candy land of Aotearoa New Zealand. A place where the determination of wāhine brought them the right to vote in 1893 - the 1st self-governing country in the world in which all women had the right to vote in parliamentary elections. 💪

To this day, the ripple effect from these wāhine's strength lives on.

Trust that even from a little island, when united together women's influence can be limitless.

This time around, we're determined to change how we value & perceive motherhood in order to tackle what has been at the root cause of gender disparities so once and for all, we can close the gap - dare to join our movement.

Hit the link to learn more about our project.

👉🏿 https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D 👈🏽

04/11/2021

Day 4 ✅ for Dr Romas Malevicius

Thank you to our most recent sponsors! ✨

“Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini - My strength is not that of a single warrior but that of many.” is a Māori whakatauki (proverb) attached to our core values.

Your contribution to our project is one of its best reflection.

Our 9km for 5 days challenge has been set up to fundraise for a documentary that will unveil the skills women develop when tending to children. We aspire to change the narrative around the motherhood penalty which tends to be at the centrepiece of gender inequity.

However, it is fair to say our challenge is also our way to make a statement.

Gender inequities are exacerbated by the current pandemic and mothers in the workplace particularly are facing and feeling a pushback.

That is NOT okay.

If at the very least our challenge (or march as some may call it :) makes you aware of the depth of these inequalities, its ramifications and current status, then that’s a win. Perhaps in your own time you’ll decide to act.

For now, we do.

👉🏿 https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D

03/11/2021

Congrats! It's a girl.

Unfortunately, not even in her lifetime, she'll have the chance to feel equal.

According to the World Economic Forum’s most recent Global Gender Gap report, "at the current rate of progress, it will take another 108 years to reach gender parity"

Is that the outcome you'd expect for her?

If like us you'd like to help close the gender pay gap, please click on the link below to find out more about our project and provide your support! 🙏

👉🏻 https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D

Today was DAY 3 for Dr Romas Malevicius who completed his 9to5 challenge - a tribute to the that brought basic rights to women in the workplace. Grateful for his commitment to our cause.

Act now. Share or Sponsor.

📷 from Unsplash

02/11/2021

Day 2 - still raining yet, still powering through to achieve his 9km. Well done Dr Romas Malevicius!

And thank you for reinforcing in your LindkedIn post why we're doing this:

"(we) aspire to shift mindsets around motherhood so that women and their employers view it as a legitimate form of professional development. We want to help women reach their full potential while raising children and support employers in retaining valuable talent, breaking the stigma associated with motherhood and reaching gender equity once and for all."

We can still use your help to reach our fundraiser goal: https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D

Already a sponsor? Fantastic and THANK YOU! Can you help us get the page shared across a few connections now?

28/10/2021

Day 4 ✅ and the same enthusiasm (if not more ) as day 1 for Asmeet Sran thanks to all the attention we've received already and the generous sponsors.

THANK YOU to those who have already contributed one way or another to support our mission.

We're pumped up more than ever to deliver a documentary that will unveil the value of the motherhood experience.

For those who wish to participate visit the link below.

https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D