Whāia te iti kahurangi

 

Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tuohu koe, me he maunga teitei

Seek the treasure that you value most dearly, if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain. 

This week a fresh perspective on this whakataukī was shared with the participants at Taku Reo Rahiri / Taku Reo Ora.

Many have seen this whakataukī referring to the importance of setting goals and pursuing your destiny. The whakataukī speaks of perseverance and endurance, refusing to let obstacles get in your way while striving to reach your goals.

But for those navigators gathered at Wairewa Marae this week, they also reflected on the notion that the biggest battle in ambition and aspiration can be in facing the maunga from within.

It resonated with me as I reflected on the musings shared by Rangitihi Rangiwaiata Tahuparae, Ko au te taupa, kihai i puāwai ōku moemoea . I am the only boundary, to the fruition of my dreams

How do we climb our own mountains, take on the internal struggles that limit the breadth and depth of our potential? That self-talk that reduces our capacity to live up to our potential, to thrive in the knowledge that we are all born of greatness.

Ka hāhā te tuna ki te roto If the lake is full with eels

Ka hāhā te reo ki te kāika If the home resounds with speaking

Ka hāhā te takata ki te whenua The land will be inhabited by people

The majestic landscape of Wairewa, the home of Wairewa Runanga, was home to Whānau Ora Navigators this week.

Wairewa means water lifted up.Te Roto o Wairewa was the last lake to be dug out by the legendary Rākaihautū. On completion, he thrust his famous kō (digging stick) into Horomaka Banks Peninsula) forming Tuhiraki (Mt Bossu), this act constituted the lifting up.

Similarly, our Nav Nation was lifted up literally this week, by the intention of Taku Reo Rahiri / Taku Reo Ora to create: “Inspired, intentional, reflective kaitiaki (Navigators) that whakamana whānau, hapū and iwi.”

Tāku Reo Rāhiri is a Whānau Ora engagement framework that builds on the mōhiotanga of Navigators who work alongside whānau. This week began the second level titled as Tāku Reo Ora.

Ui Consultancy Ltd have been involved in developing and delivering the training programme Tāku Reo Rāhiri to several groups of navigators over the past three years. The focus has been in the development of mōhiotanga of navigators in an effort to provide a mātauranga Māori foundation for the provision of navigation services. A second level of training was requested to maximise the outcomes reported by the navigators by participating in the first layer of Tāku Reo Rāhiri.

The second level programme – Tāku Reo Ora, focuses on the analysis of the transformations that have occurred in each navigator and how these have been transferred into their practice. Exploration of these transformations will provide insights for each navigator, continue to shape their aroha practice and support them to honoa their learning with organisational values and kaupapa.

The goal of this project is to position and provide Navigator training from a bicultural lens grounded in mātauranga Māori to address the following;

1.    Kia whakamana te whānau and tautoko their wellbeing

2.    Facilitate whānau mana

3.    Increase Navigator confidence in their own mōhiotanga

4.    Increase Navigator’s proficiency in guiding whānau ora.

5.    Apply māramatanga with the values and kaupapa of each organisation the navigators work for.

It such a wonderful opportunity to bring together rōpū of navigators simultaneously sharing wānanga space. The first rōpū will participate in Tāku Reo Rāhiri and the second rōpū will participate in Tāku Reo Ora. The photo below features the Group gathered in front of the whare tupuna, named after distinguished ancestor Makō Hakirikiri.

 

 

COVID-19 Vaccinations

This week the national tally for how many New Zealanders have received a COVID vaccination grew to 2.2 million. Of this, 95,000 vaccines have been undertaken in Te Tauihu – 44% of qualifying population have had their first dose; 27% have had both doses. In the last seven days Te Tauihu did 10,000 doses – including taking strategic advantage of the secondary kapa haka event in town to recruit more whānau.

A major challenge across Aotearoa has been promoting the opportunity for COVID vaccination amongst the younger population. The graph below demonstrates this.

 

 

Book online: Book My Vaccine

Booking online through Book My Vaccine is the quickest way to make your vaccination appointments. Currently, you can book online in English and te reo Māori.

Book My Vaccine

Calling all Māori business owners in Ōtautahi!

This is an initiative to bring the Boost with Facebook program to a place near you.

These workshops are all kanohi ki te kanohi, where you’ll learn how to use Facebook and Instagram to start or grow your business. The event provides the most up-to-date education for small businesses directly from the Facebook team.

Registrations will fill up fast! Tell a friend or sign up today.

Whāriki Māori Business Network (whariki.co.nz)

To secure your place at the Waitaha Boost with Facebook workshop, please enter your details below.

Friday 20 August, 2021; 12:00pm – 5:00pm

Tī Kōuka, University of Canterbury
90 Ilam Road, Ilam, Christchurch 8041

Whānau Dynamics and Whānau Diversity

I love the Whānau Ora Diploma and Certificate courses of learning. They are an amazing platform for the liberation of learning, for transformation to take place. There is no greater evidence of this than the remarkable Marg Rolleston (Maniapoto).

This beautiful woman was involved in a serious car accident on New Years Day up in Northland, along with her Husband Maru and their daughter Tiaria.

For months we have been watching from afar as Marg travels the road to recovery, firstly from her bed in Auckland Hospital and later from home in Rotorua. Marg has beaten all odds – fighting her way back to wellness with a phenomenal attitude that places ORA at the core. She is inspirational in her approach to life – and this week we were profoundly moved to share her progress as she joined up out at Waiora Trust with the Diploma and Certificate course participants.

I absolutely cherish the time with these amazing Whānau Ora advocates. They speak with honesty and conviction; they are reflective and wise; challenging and hilarious. They have the courage to look inside at their own ‘maunga’ ; to be both vulnerable and visionary. It is a privilege to be in their space.

I love the way that the opportunity to learn has truly become a whānau project. We have had mothers and daughters; husbands and wives; sisters in solidarity – as we do on this cohort with Amber Lee and Crystal Evans.

 

 

This week, the remarkable Caroline Tipene shared her talents at Waharoa; treating all of her peers to her gifts of the voice.

People from the Pa

 

 

A quiet revolution has been brewing at Tuahiwi Pa – the flourishing fortunes of a young band mentored and inspired by the legacy that is House of Shem. This week our hub was literally buzzing with the sweet sound of success as on the pathway towards releasing their first single, the Pa Boys made a special trip to Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu to acknowledge our part in their journey.

In their words of our own champion, Gina-Lee Duncan, these rangatahi inspire us all:

“That no matter how many people try to influence your outcome, the way we create belief in our people is sometimes all one needs to create greatness. 

The most powerful tools one can offer is belief and time. 

Thank you! – So much healing that can happen within music”.

Community Capability and Resilience Fund (CCRF

The second round of the Community Capability and Resilience Fund (CCRF) online application is now open – and live until 14th September 2021.

Community Capability and Resilience Fund – Ministry of Social Development (msd.govt.nz)

The focus for round 2 will be on initiatives that support communities to rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Recent refinements to the process include:

• New online application tool: user friendly for our communities to apply

• Clear information online: to support communities to understand the process to apply for funding; and ensure regions are equipped to support communities.

• Assessment and moderation process: we have deliberately allocated four weeks to assess applications with regional input so we can ensure a fair and equitable process.

• Prioritising Māori, Pacific and CALD communities: The unprecedented disruption of COVID-19 exposed and further compounded the disproportionate social and economic inequities for Māori, Pacific and CALD communities. Therefore, the targeting of the fund to initiatives led by Iwi, Hapū, Māori, Pacific peoples and culturally and diverse communities will be maintained.

• Regional endorsement: we will continue to work closely with the regions to help to identify opportunities and endorse initiatives.

Please email at ccrf@msd.govt.nz for any other enquiries and questions.

Canterbury Foodbank

If you want to see service, sacrifice and commitment in abundance, a trip to Canterbury Foodbank shows it all.

 Foodbank Canterbury is a secular, independent non-faith based, non- politically aligned, not activist controlled food rescue organisation with a singular mission in mind: to fight hunger, feed hope and reduce food waste.

Every year, Foodbank Canterbury provides $21.4m social value to the city.

They work with 157 social service agencies, 200 volunteers, 25 schools and create a thriving ecosystem of hunger action teams.

This week I was humbled to visit their site, to catch up with John and Ritchie Milner and to see in action, the miracle of moving from food rescue to food relief.

John Milligan and his team have moved from making fifteen sandwiches five years ago, to moving 560 tonnes of food between January and June.

Two of the team of 200 volunteers who come in every day, Penny and Liz

Hāpaitia – Rise

To Rise, Realise and Reimagine is the kaupapa of Hāpaitia. Born from the community focussed rangatahi events hosted around the South Island known as Marangai Mai, Te Waipounamu, Hāpaitia is a revitalised event based in Murihiku, Southland. The team had the opportunity to work alongside the Tawaroa whānau working with youth on illustration workshops, branding, web development and jamming out with Whenua Patuwai and his gnarly waiata skills. Hāpaitia provides opportunity for community connection and development. Engaging whānau, building capacity and growing leadership. The inception of all of this started with a foundation kaupapa called Mana Wā – which focussed on suicide prevention and creating safe spaces for youth to connect through kaupapa based activities.

Hāpaitia provides opportunity for community connection and development. Engaging whānau, building capacity and growing leadership. We are so proud to be involved in supporting this.

To follow up, contact Leoma Tawaroa . Leoma@tumuainnovation.co.nz.