Mātauranga Māori has been severely impacted by settler-colonial agendas; however, continued efforts by Māori have supported mātauranga revival. This article examines interviews with 10 māmā and their journeys to reclaim ancestral knowledges for their tamariki. Māmā described reclaiming ancestral practices, including birthing traditions, wairuatanga, tikanga Māori, te reo Māori, rongoā Māori, weaving and food cultivation. Drawing on a whakapapa approach and the Hautū Waka framework, thematic analysis revealed a journey into the unknown, guided by tohu and shaped by challenges and resilience. These journeys involved ongoing cycles of connection and reconnection, reflecting efforts to embody tūpuna while forging pathways for mokopuna. Whakapapa and politics of love emerged as central to sustaining hope, highlighting how everyday acts of reclamation contribute towards processes of decolonisation.