LOGIN:
Sometimes you get so stuck in the ‘do’, you forget to lift your head up. I know I am not alone in this. Mahi to do, things to do, people to see, whānau to support and care for, practice to get to, maara kai to tend to, appointments to keep, shopping to be done, traffic to beat and barriers to break.
This week, I relished a chance to pause and look up, both figuratively and literally.
The rising of Puanga-o-te-Rangi is particularly significant for the western tribes of Northland, Taranaki and Whanganui – it is Puanga, visible in the western skies now, that foretells the westerly winds and guides preparations for the coming year.
Coming from the east, I tuned into Che Wilson and his Te Paepae Waho Facebook livestreams this week to learn more about the northern Puanga traditions and kōrero. Che is involved in a rōpū of exponents who have brought their decades of research and knowledge together in the interests of sharing, educating and reviving the knowledge of their tūpuna in relation to Puanga. The tohu associated with Puanga that he spoke of and the related kōrero – like the pink, purple skies we saw this time last year being a harbinger of long spells of rain – remind us that if you just stop and take a look, the tohu and the knowledge of our tūpuna have always been there to guide us. In the age of busy, there they will remain, for us to look up to, re-learn and reclaim.
Something else that was inspiring this week was the opportunity to attend a two-day Women in Leadership Summit organised by the Women’s Leaders Institute in partnership with UN Women Aotearoa.
Poukōkiri Vanessa Hutchins also attended, and both of us returned feeling reinvigorated, emboldened, inspired, grateful and ready to make change.
A line-up of engaging speakers with rich kōrero mixed with the opportunity to be among like-minded wāhine (with a sprinkling of tāne), working in vastly different areas and hearing their experiences was rewarding and good for perspective. While sometimes it feels like we have a lot to tackle, it is not a race.
Taking the time to look after ourselves is something I think wāhine in general are not great at, but as we heard at the wānanga especially from Mai Chen, one of New Zealand’s top constitutional and administrative law experts, who talked about how she did not care for herself and as a result, burnt out, burnout is an emerging risk at all levels, not just management and leadership. As we tell all our kaimahi and the Navigators we work with, we cannot lift others if we do not look after ourselves.
Journalist, Carmen Parahi, Pou Tiaki Editor at Stuff, reminded us that ‘doing good’ is sometimes hard work. She contends that we have lost the art of challenging kōrero and are so concerned with causing offence and that to ‘do’ leadership we have to challenge ourselves and each other. She compared the hot mess that is menopause (which we also do not talk about it) or its impact on wāhine and the organisations they work in, and similarly, discrimination and its impact on wāhine (and other sectors of the community), and the organisations they work in and the fact that this is also not spoken about. Carmen shared her HRT recipe for Hot Mess:
So, as we prepare to farewell the old year, I hope you will also take time to consider what hauora looks like for yourself. It is OK to allow ourselves to prepare our hinengaro and tinana so we may greet the new year with purpose. If hauora is as simple as an afternoon with your phone turned off and a book in hand, then enjoy!
Vanessa, Carmen Parahi, Pou Tiaki Editor at Stuff, and I at the summit in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Last weekend, Tanita Bidois and I were honoured to attend the swearing in of District Court Judge, Tania Williams-Blyth, at Te Kouorehua Marae, Manaia in the beautiful Coromandel. I want to again take this opportunity to congratulate Judge Williams-Blyth on her appointment and an impressive career in family law. Tania was instrumental in the establishment of Te Korimako Training, a Māori initiative to educate and support whānau who come to the attention of Oranga Tamariki and the Family Court. I was one of the original participants of the inaugural wānanga in 2018 at Waikato University. At the time, Tania was supported by many other wāhine Māori, who were also lawyers and who have all since gone on to become judges, including Judge La-Verne King and Judge Ophir Cassidy. Since that first wānanga in 2018, Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu has encouraged and supported the attendance of many Whānau Ora Navigators, Tū Pono and Mokopuna Ora Connectors, and kaimahi to learn more about how to tautoko whānau who find themselves before the Family Court or engaging with Oranga Tamariki.
At the swearing in, Judge Williams-Blyth was supported by her friends and whānau including her brother, Sir Joe Williams, the first Māori appointed to the Supreme Court. It was a truly special occasion, one we were blessed to be able to attend.
What a beautiful moment in Whakatū on Thursday with Wiremu Wiringi, who gave the go ahead to transfer into this Kainga Ora whare in Stoke. The garage has room for Wiremu to continue his passion to carve and the whare has room for twin moko (due this month) and their māmā to visit. Huge thanks to the efforts of champion Navigator for Ngāti Kuia, Cliff Saxton, and Emily Robertson and Rochelle Hall from Kainga Ora (all pictured with Wiremu) who have worked together with Wiremu to get to this momentous day. The team now moves on to wrapround support planning with Wiremu and local support services. Karawhiua!
Gina Malcolm’s journey with mātauranga Māori holistic rongoā has been life changing. Now, with Māmā Gee, the business she set up in Invercargill three years ago, Gina encourages whānau to intuitively seek out their own pathway for healing. Māmā Gee offers mirimiri hauora sessions, ascension coaching, rongoā- rau infused products, hauora programmes, workshops and wānanga – all based around the vision of te raranga i te whakapapa whakaora – to weave the whakapapa of wellbeing and wellness within whānau. You can read more about Gina and her journey with Māori holistic rongoā here.
To celebrate Matariki, Te Kotahi o Te Tauihu Trust, a collaboration of the eight iwi of Te Tauihu, has joined up with hauora agencies to host a Whānau Fun Day for tamariki at Stadium 2000 on Saturday, June 25 (10am-3pm). There will be health and wellness checks for both tamariki and their parents, information sessions on Māori birthing knowledge, hapūtanga care and free childhood immunisations. Old-school egg and spoon races, games and play areas with bouncy castles as well as loads of giveaways and prizes. This is an awesome chance to come together to celebrate Matariki and think about hauora.
The Broken Movement Trust is organising a wānanga for tāne aimed at addressing both historical and current trauma. The primary focus is on equipping participants with strategies to overcome trauma and improve their mental health, enabling personal growth and transformation. The ultimate goal is to support participants to become leaders within their community and foster stronger bonds and connections with their whānau and the wider community.
A safe and supportive environment for participants to express their emotions and discuss their struggles, this wānanga encourages deep introspection and facilitates the exploration of past issues, leading to personal healing and a profound sense of positive change.
The wānanga will be held at Kōkōmuka Lodge, Eyrewell Forest from 4.30pm on Friday, July 7 and July 8. If you know someone who might benefit from this kaupapa, contact Jacob at the Broken Movement Trust on jacob@thebrokenmovement.org
