The art of whakairo has long been held close at Te Āwhina Marae o Motueka. Resident Tohunga Whakairo, kaumātua John Mutu (Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama), arrived at Te Āwhina in 1987, carving the wharenui Turangāpeke, which opened in 1990. His work spans Te Tauihu, from Te Ao Mārama, the wharenui at Onetāhua in Mohua (Golden Bay), across to Kakati at Whakatū Marae, to Arapoua at Waikawa Marae, near Waitohi (Picton).

Although, it is Te Āwhina where he has stayed, making the wharewhakairo, Te Ara Toki, what I am told is the longest continuously occupied marae-based wharewhakairo in Aotearoa.

It has been an honour for Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu to be able to support Te Āwhina Marae with RUIA funding to run a series of introductory Hei Taonga wānanga to help nurture the next generation of whakairo. The final wānanga was held at the end of last month under the sunny skies of Te Tai-o-Aorere.

Tutor for the course, ringa toi Kahu Paki Paki (Te Ātiawa, Taranaki Iwi, Ngāti Ruahine, Ngā Rauru, Ngāi Tahu), says the Hei Taonga series is part of a wider revitalisation strategy to nurture the next generation of carvers and secure the future of the artform.

As part of that strategy, last year, with support from Manatū Taonga and Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, Te Ara Toki moved into its own building on the marae; previously, only four could carve at the same time; and now, wānanga are possible. The marae has also recently brought in its first official residential carving apprentice, rangatahi Hoani Broughton-Hippolyte (Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Koata, Rangitāne o Wairau, Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Raukawa, Taranaki iwi, Ngāti Porou), and employed a project lead, established carver Roni Petley (Ngāti Pāoa). Petley has also been supported by funding from Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu in another Wave initiative.

Which takes me back to RUIA, and the RUIA whakataukī agreed to in 2019 when the fund was launched in partnership with Rātā Foundation and the Ministry for Youth Development. How true it stands today. “E kore au e ngaro, he kākano i ruia mai i Rangiātea. I will never be lost, for I am a seed sown in Rangiātea.”

What excites me is the potential that the next round of RUIA initiatives can realise. If you have an idea to help grow the next generation of rangatahi, be sure to get your application in before noon on Friday, June 16.

Growing knowledge

The Kōanga Kai panel met recently to evaluate the 2023 investments, which will be announced in the coming weeks. Thank you to Pounamu Skelton, Richard Hunter, and Moko Morris, whose expertise is valued and helps guide this growing kaupapa.

While in Ōtautahi, the panel took the opportunity to visit a couple of our Kōanga Kai investments from 2022. First, it was off to Whānau Whanake, where they were hosted by rangatahi Sarah Millar, Sophie Elstob Gradwell, Siani Wyatt, Amber-Rose Te Huia, Helen Kelly and Cate Grace, and enjoyed shared kai from their maara. The team at Whānau Whanake has been instrumental in developing a youth approach to connecting with kai. As well as growing and learning, they are also going on to produce some amazing dishes packed with nutrition.

Next, it was on to Te Pā o Rākaihautū, where the group visited the kura and had a look at their special seed-drying space. Then it was onto the maara and composting site, which sits within the kura ‘Ko Mahi, Ko Ora’ kaupapa.

It is always a joy to see the fruits of Kōanga Kai, a kaupapa that has touched the lives of so many whānau across Te Waipounamu.

Proud milestone for Murihiku

It was an honour to be at the reopening of Murihiku Marae at the end of last week and despite the chilly conditions, the warmth of the event was felt. All of us here at Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu congratulate Waihōpai Rūnaka on an incredible redevelopment.

The commitment of the rūnaka to environmental sustainability and community wellbeing is evident in the redevelopment, which takes in wānanga spaces, offices, meeting rooms, and a new wharekai, all beautifully designed to reveal a tōhora (whale) in the overall structure.

The next stage of the development will see additional housing for kaumātua as well as a medical facility onsite. This is a huge achievement, not only for the marae community but the wider Murihiku community, too. We look forward to many more visits with the Waihōpai whānau.

From coast to coast

This week Senior Contracts Advisor Mihi-Rose Tīpene, Outcomes Specialist Dr Nathan McCluskey  and Data Analyst Leanna Pardoe were in Hokitika working with Wave 17 entities from across Te Tai Poutini to co-design contracts. The workshops are always a highlight as a new wave of ideas begin to take shape – and it is always a pleasure to visit the Coast.

Te Hiringa Mahara webinar

Te Hiringa Mahara will hold a webinar on Thursday, June 22 (12pm-1pm) focused on improving mental health services for rangatahi Māori and young people. Director Mental Health and Addiction System Leadership, Tanya Maloney, and Principal Advisor Lived Experience, Kelly Pope, will share insights about young peoples’ experiences of admissions to adult in-patient mental health services, explain what the data tells us about this practice, and highlight what needs to change to reduce admissions of rangatahi Māori and young people to adult in-patient services to zero. Anyone interested in understanding more about the mental health and addiction system in Aotearoa is welcome to attend. To register, please email kiaora@mhwc.govt.nz

 

Have a great weekend. Mauri ora!