TE KURA NUI O WAIPAREIRA
3: KOTAHITANGA

This issue brings together critical insights, experiences and journeys that each contribute to a heightened awareness and deeper understanding of the ways in which the notion of kotahitanga is given authentic, meaningful expression, specifically within the broader context of Te Whānau o Waipareira. Each article contained within this edition of Te Kura Nui o Waipareira (Issue III) represents a unique perspective in regards to kotahitanga and in fostering a greater awareness of the extent to which it is increasingly given expression across various whānau and community settings. Kotahitanga, at its core, is shaped around community-driven action. It is about the manifestation of unity – whānau supporting whānau, the wider community becoming unified by a critical sense of purpose, and a higher collective consciousness. Te Whānau o Waipareira continues to evolve delivery of its services, its research, and its strategic imperatives in order to provide the necessary support to ensure that every whānau is appropriately valued, acknowledged and empowered. Kotahitanga in action then, helps to nourish the physical, environmental, spiritual and divine repositories of mauri and mana. When kotahitanga is activated, mauri and mana coalesce, with each dimension duly enhanced, enriched and uplifted with a high degree of complementary and synergy. The ‘Waipareira Way’ has been and will always be about concern for our wider community, about ensuring that our whānau can and will flourish through embracing the virtues of kotahitanga as demonstrated so purposely by our tūpuna, our forebears. Te Whānau o Waipareira has continued to evolve the ways in which kotahitanga is expressed, to align with what is relevant across our communities, and to ensure that above all else, our whānau can flourish, strong in who they are, in where they are from, and in who they can become. This edition of Te Kura Nui o Waipareira adds another level of evidence-based outcomes to support the view that our kaumātua are flourishing, our pakeke are empowered to make a difference in the lives of our whānau and community, and our tamariki and mokopuna now have opportunities before them that will enable them to fulfill their true potential. The continued advancement and progression of Wai Research means that we now are able to collect wide ranging data and deep, informative insights that reflect to us an accurate and real time picture of that which is happening within our world and our community in the here and now. We invite you to join us for this, the very first peer reviewed edition of Te Kura Nui o Waipareira, Issue III. Utaina mai rā ko te kura nui, ko te kura roa, ko te kura whakatiketike o Te Whānau o Waipareira.

Author: Stacey Morrison

Te Reo Matahīapo is a new Māori language revitalisation programme, funded by the Māori language revitalisation agency Te Mātāwai, which has a vision to restore te reo Māori as a nurturing first language. Based in Auckland, it brings together three Urban Māori organisations: Manukau Urban Māori Authority (MUMA), Manurewa Marae and Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust. Te Reo Matahīapo will be strengthened by a collaborative approach across the three organisations, however the rollout of kaupapa will be distinct to each community. Providing opportunities to address common barriers such as whakamā, or embarrassment and language trauma from past experiences, activities can be approached with fun and whanaungatanga. The development of new, whānau-based indicators will provide meaningful information and data, ensuring that whānau and community narratives are captured. In coming together as three Māori organisations, co-designing with our communities, and being led by whānau, Te Reo Matahīapo is an example of how sharing experiences and resources can strengthen approach, and boost results and healing of language trauma.

Key words: te reo Māori, language, Collective Impact, trauma, kotahitanga

Author: Rita Wakefield

Co-design is a process of collaboration between groups of people for the purpose of gaining new insights into problems and creating solutions (NSW Council of Social Services, 2017). Māori have often been the subject of unilateral research carried out by Pākehā practitioners, the results of which ranges from minimal material impact on community wellbeing, to being actively detrimental (Cram, 2012; Dreise & Mazurski, 2018). Co-design offers the opportunity to synergise Western and Māori knowledge in approaching community engagement, being well aligned with kaupapa Māori research and with core Māori values, and enabling whānau to take an active role in research and community advancement.

Key words: co-design, kaupapa Māori, methodologies, social innovation

Author: Angelique Reweti

This paper is a case study analysis exploring the social, cultural, and health benefits of whānau involved in a whānau-based triathlon hosted by Sport Manawatū in the lower North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. Using an inductive approach, experiences of whānau were used to develop a framework – Tū Kahikatea, which highlights the concept of whanaungatanga as a catalyst for wellbeing. The framework shows the effectiveness of whānau inspired programmes that are based on Māori cultural principles, in this case manaakitanga, kotahitanga, and whakapapa, and the successes that can be derived from programmes that are aligned to whānau values. Tū Kahitakea adds to the evidence base on whānau-centred approaches and provides a framework, which from a whānau perspective, demonstrates the key areas upon which success can be achieved.

Key words: whānau, whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, kotahitanga, whakapapa, intergenerational

This story was adapted from an interview with a whānau who is currently engaged in Kaiārahi services at Waipareira. In this interview, she talks about her experiences with Waipareira services, and of being a caregiver and guardian to her whānau member’s tamariki.

Author: Salome Lawe Ravonokula

The Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme prototype (2018) was developed with the initiative of the Māori Health Gains team, supported by Waitematā District Health Board Cardiology Department and Te Whānau o Waipareira (TWOW); specifically for Māori, Pacific and Quintile 51 patients within the TWOW catchment area in West Auckland. The programme aims to support whānau following acute coronary syndrome event (heart attack/unstable angina) with the emphasis of incorporating kaupapa and tikanga Māori frameworks and Whānau Ora best practice within a 12-week programme to promote better whānau health outcomes. This case study depicts kotahitanga due to the combined effort of the wrap-around services that have contributed to the patient ‘hitting the road’ to recovery with short-term goals achieved and working progressively towards long-term goals.

Key words: cardiovascular disease (CVD), coronary, rehabilitation, whānau, Whānau Ora

Author: Elica Safari Mehr

Māori have been at the forefront of the delivery of a whānau-centred approach to health and wellbeing services. In this paper, leadership in this area is explained and examined from a relational viewpoint. Māori values and practices are further examined in order to unpack key aspects of this type of relational leadership. The resulting research contributes to an explanation of how values such as kotahitanga and whanaungatanga contribute to collective participation by Māori in the realignment of the health system toward achieving Māori goals and aspirations, ultimately, as a means of improving Māori health outcomes.

Key words: Kaupapa Māori, kotahitanga, relational leadership, Whānau Ora

Author: Chelsie Parayko

In this modern world, Indigenous peoples find space for our original ways of knowing and being, and their own understanding of what their role is within it all. Weaving together our original ways of knowing, the western world and our individual journey we create a path that allows us to find connection and unity among our nations

Key words: Bridge-walker, connection, relationality, two-eyed seeing

Author: Wendy Hayward-Morey, Anita Hakaraia

The Whānau Ora Navigation Cancer Care Pilot was a Whānau Ora co-designed Cancer Navigation Programme developed in partnership with Te Whānau o Waipareira and the Waitematā District Health Board. The pilot involved a three-year research and development phase as part of cancer control strategy implementation project. The success of the pilot led to the Waipareira/WDHB Community Cancer Navigation service, a Whānau Ora and whānau-centred model by Māori for Māori which was evaluated in 2017. In 2019, Whānau Ora Navigation Cancer Care identified an innovative idea to make a difference to whānau engaged by the service, and were able to secure Pitch Local community funding, for ‘Vidjourn’. The Vidjourn concept being, that a video of whānau who have been through the cancer journey, can be shared with newly diagnosed whānau to provide support and help them through their journey ahead.

Key words: cancer, whānau, Whānau Ora, co-design, navigation, innovation

Adapted from an Interview with Witeri Williams

This article is pulled from an interview with Witeri Williams, the data analytics and performance manager within Te Whānau o Waipareira’s ‘Wai Intel’ team. In his interview Witeri discusses Collective Impact (CI) and explores its role within indigenous Aotearoa. He talks about the process of tangihanga and its synergies with the principles of Collective Impact but, more importantly, showcases how a Māori model of Collective Impact should have a distinct flavour.
Witeri also talks about Te Pae Herenga o Tāmaki, detailing how and why it emerged as a regional hub, and its journey and conception as a Collective Impact across partners in Tāmaki.

Key words: Collective Impact, place-based, indigenous, whānau, Whānau Ora