We are thrilled to announce that we have partnered with Te Hā o Kawatiri and Whare Manaaki to deliver the Healthy Homes Initiative for Te Tai o Poutini. This initiative aims to provide warm, dry and healthy homes for low-income families with children, pregnant people, and those who have been hospitalised with housing-related conditions.

We recently attended a conference in Pōneke where we learned from the experiences and successes of other providers across Aotearoa. We were inspired by the stories of how our fellow kaimahi are making a difference in the lives of whānau by helping them access insulation, curtains, beds, heating, repairs, and alternative accommodation as needed.

We also had the honour of meeting Dr Ashley Bloomfield, the former Director-General of Health who led New Zealand’s health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He shared his story of being a leader for the nation during a challenging and complex time in relation to our now housing crisis. He praised our work and encouraged us to continue our mahi with humour and grace.

We met some amazing people who are doing incredible mahi for their communities. We are grateful for their support and guidance as we embark on this journey. We are eager to get started and to see the positive impact of our mahi on the health and wellbeing of our whānau.

We will keep you updated on our progress and achievements. Together, we can create healthier homes and happier families for Te Tai o Poutini.

We had a great team building day today, welcoming our new youth worker as well as all learning about personalities, including our strengths and vulnerabilities. It was a valuable opportunity to get to know each other better and to appreciate our diversity and uniqueness. We also had a chance to reflect on our work and our mission, and to share our feedback and ideas for improvement.

Another memorable activity was a beautiful stroll along the beach, where we remembered our Totara tree that has fallen today. The Totara tree is a symbol of strength, resilience, and longevity in Māori culture, and we felt a connection with it as we work with whānau who face many challenges and need our support. We also sent our love to the whānau at this time, as we know they are going through a difficult period. We expressed our gratitude for her being part of our lives and this community.

The day ended with a delicious Jamaican kai cooked for us by our hoa Jax. She prepared some amazing dishes, such as jerk chicken, rice and peas, scallops, and coconut cake, tino rika! We thoroughly enjoyed the food and the company and got to learn a little about Jamaican culture and history.

We are thankful for this opportunity to bond with each other and to grow as a team.

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet Heather Muriwai.

Heather Muriwia is a passionate and visionary leader who has dedicated her life to serving her people. She has over 20 years of experience in the health

One of the most memorable things that Heather said during our meeting was: “If your whānau is not engaging in your service, then there is something wrong with your service, not something wrong with the whānau!” She explained that many mainstream services fail to understand and respect the needs, values, and aspirations of whānau Māori. They often impose their own agendas and expectations on them, without listening to their voices or involving them in decision-making. This leads to poor outcomes and disengagement.

This session enforced our mahi of acknowledging the strengths and potential of whānau Māori, rather than focusing on their problems and deficits. We need to build trusting and collaborative relationships with them, rather than treating them as passive recipients of our services. We need to support them to identify their own goals and solutions, rather than telling them what to do or how to live their lives.

Nau mai, haere mai!

Weekly sessions coming soon.

Our language is key aspect of Māori identity and is central to the transmission of cultural knowledge and traditions from one generation to the next.

Welcome to our new tari. I am very happy and proud to be here with you all today. This is a milestone for Te Hono o Ngā Waka.

I would like to thank Te Rua for coming in this morning and blessing our space for us. It was a beautiful and meaningful ceremony.

I would also like to acknowledge the people who have made this possible.

First of all, I would like to thank Whare, the founder and visionary leader of Te Hono o Ngā Waka. He saw the need and potential for more support for our whānau, and he initiated and led the establishment of this organisation. He has been a mentor and a call a friend to me throughout this journey, and I am grateful for his guidance and support. Without him, Te Hono o Ngā Waka would not exist.

Secondly, I would like to thank the Te Hono board for their wisdom and expertise. You have been instrumental in shaping the vision and direction of this organisation. You have helped us navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with being a new organisation, and you have always been there for me.

Thirdly, I would like to thank West REAP for their support and hosting us for the past two years. West REAP is our sister organisation that shares our kaupapa and vision. They were very welcoming and supportive, and they put up with us and our tamariki for the past two years! We appreciate their kindness and generosity, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with them in the future.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge my team. You are the backbone of this organisation, and you have made our vision of having our own space a reality. Te Hono o Ngā Waka is leading the way in upskilling whānau to support whānau in this community. You are addressing the issues of colonisation and trauma with courage and compassion, and you are excelling both personally and professionally. Your dedication and commitment are inspiring to everyone, as we witness your growth through your mahi. This then inspires more whānau to make the changes, find their passions, and join in the movement of intergenerational change.

We are excited about what lies ahead, we have a vision and mission of providing support that is culturally responsive, relevant, and inclusive. We love Te Reo Te Ao Māori, and as part of our kaupapa, we are also re-indigenising ourselves and our whānau. We want to share it with everyone, shout it from the rooftop, as we know this is the way to not only honour our culture but empower our people.

We want to keep creating spaces and opportunities for people to learn and use Te Reo Te Ao Māori, and to grow their language and express their māoritanga. We have a vision of making Te Reo Te Ao Māori a normal and living thing that enriches our lives and our community.

We also believe that being Māori is a superpower that we need our whānau to know, believe, and unleash. We have our own answers if we are allowed to follow our solutions. This is because we have a rich and diverse heritage that gives us strength and resilience. We have a unique and dynamic worldview that helps us understand and appreciate the world around us. We have a vibrant and expressive language that connects us to our ancestors and our culture. We have a collective and collaborative spirit that enables us to work together and support each other. We have a creative and innovative potential that allows us to adapt and thrive in any situation.

Being Māori is not a disadvantage or a burden, but an advantage and a blessing. Being Māori is a superpower that we can use to make a positive difference in our own lives, our communities, and our society.

Finally finally lol, my heartfelt gratitude to Wesley. You are a tremendous help for us in all our projects. You are an example of a superpower who can make such a difference. This space would not be the beautiful place it is for us today without your hard mahi and dedication. I can’t thank you enough Wes!

Thank you for being here today. Thank you for your interest, involvement, and collaboration with Te Hono o Ngā Waka.

Today is our first week in our new tari. We had a great morning tea with croissants, bacon & eggs, blue cheese and pear paste as well as jam a cream cheese, tino reka!

I Just want to say thank you so much to all the West REAP staff for putting up with us.  We arrived slow and steady and then got fast and loud and have remained that way!

I want to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for your generous and continuous support of Te Hono O Ngā Waka. Without your help, we would not have been able to launch and grow our organisation.  On that I say a special thank Whare for inventing Te Hono and his ongoing support and guidance and to Julia for her ongoing support. Yous believe in Te Hono as much as me which has been so amazing for my confidence and growth!  I thank you for your unwavering support and dedication.

Yous have been more than just a sister organisation to us. You have been a true partner, a mentor, and friends. You have welcomed us into your Tari, shared your vehicles, resources, and expertise, and joined us in our events and activities (biscuits and milo). You have also provided us with financial assistance, which has enabled us to cover our operational costs and invest in our programmes and services.

We know that we have not always been easy to work with. We have been noisy, messy, and demanding at times. We have asked for a lot of extra support from each of the staff members, who have always been patient, kind, and helpful and we hope that you understand how much we value and respect you all.

We are proud and honored to be associated with WestREAP, an organisation that shares our vision of enhancing the wellbeing and potential of our communities. We look forward to continuing our collaboration and friendship with you in the future. 

It is with mixed emotions that I write this message. On one hand, we are happy for you as you embark on a new chapter of your life, but on the other hand, we are sad to see you go. You have been more than a colleague to us all, you are our whanau.

You have always been there for everyone and anyone in our community, offering your help, support, and encouragement. You have always been positive, cheerful, and optimistic, even in the most challenging situations. You have always been creative, resourceful, and innovative, finding solutions to any problem. You have always been a mama and now a taua, caring for your loved ones with all your heart.

I want to express my admiration and appreciation for how you have embraced our Māori culture for your son. I know it is not easy to learn but you have done everything you could to do that with enthusiasm and respect.

You have shown a genuine interest and curiosity in our history, values, and beliefs and are an allie for our people. You have taught your son to be proud of his heritage and identity, and to respect and honour his ancestors for that I’m so grateful!

You have done a wonderful job of bridging his cultures and creating a rich and diverse environment for him. You have given him a precious gift that he will cherish for life.  Thank you for being such a wonderful person and parent.

You are one of a kind and we will miss you dearly. I’m sure we will see you again and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors. You deserve nothing but happiness and success.

You have made a lasting impact on us all and we will look after your son as one of our own as you know!!!  Love and respect x

Te Hono O Ngā Waka is a kaupapa Māori organisation that supports whānau and meets the needs of Te Tai o Poutini. We are looking for a passionate and motivated youth worker to join our rangatahi team and help us empower our young people to be the best version of themselves.

As a youth worker, you will work with rangatahi aged 15 to 24 who are not currently in education, employment or training. You will provide them with individualised support, mentoring, guidance, and opportunities to develop their skills, confidence, and aspirations. You will also collaborate with other agencies, schools, employers, and community groups to create pathways for rangatahi to achieve their goals.

To be successful in this role, you will need to have:

A relevant qualification or experience in youth work, social work, education, or a related field.

A strong understanding of and commitment to kaupapa Māori values and principles.

Excellent communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills.

A positive, flexible, and creative approach to working with rangatahi.

A full driver’s licence.

Pass a police vet check.

If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please send your CV and cover letter to jenny@tehonoongawaka.org by 3rd August 2023 We look forward to hearing from you soon.

We had a wonderful and memorable graduation ceremony for our wahine at Arahura Marae on the weekend. It was a celebration of their achievements, their resilience, and their potential. We were honoured to have the support of our whānau, our tamariki, and our community.

Our wahine have been training hard learning about various kaupapa that are important for our people and our future.

Our wahine have shown great courage and strength in their journey of learning. They have overcome many challenges and obstacles along the way. They have balanced their learnings with their responsibilities as mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, and friends. They have supported each other with aroha and manaaki. They have grown as individuals and as a collective.

We are so proud of our wahine and what they have achieved. They have made us so poroud and inspired. They have honoured their ancestors and their descendants. They have fulfilled their dreams and aspirations.

We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this kaupapa and made this graduation possible. We are especially grateful to Maia, Lucy, Missy, and Jerry for their guidance, encouragement, and expertise. They are amazing teachers and mentors who have shared their knowledge and wisdom with our wahine.

The graduation ceremony was a beautiful and emotional event that put goose bumps up our spine and tears to our eyes. We sang waiata, we listened to speeches, we presented awards. We felt the spirit of whakapapa and kaupapa in the air. We felt the love and pride in our hearts.

We can’t wait to start the next round of learning with our wahine. We know they have more potential to unleash and more goals to achieve. We know they will continue to make us proud and make a difference in the world.

The tamariki of Te Kura Motuhaki ki Arahura have been busy painting Puanga.

A time of learning.

After months of physical activity during the warm months, winter was a time to feed the spirit and mind, to learn chants, genealogy and history. This is continued today throughout many whānau, hapu and iwi.

The team have been working hard as we move forward towards our own new Tari.

One of the main goals of our new Tari is to make it a welcoming and inclusive place for our whanau (family) to come along and hang out. We want to create a community space where we can offer support, advice, education, and opportunities for our whanau, as well as celebrate our achievements, culture, and traditions. We want to foster a sense of whanaungatanga (relationship) among our whanau, and encourage them to participate in our activities and initiatives.

We believe that moving to our new Tari will bring many benefits for our team and our whanau. It will also allow us to reach out to more people in our community and provide them with quality services and programs that meet their needs and aspirations. It will also strengthen our identity and pride as Te Hono, and as Māori.

We are very grateful for this opportunity to move to our new Tari, and we are so thankful to WestREAP who have supported us so much along the way. We would not have got to where we are today without our sister organisation. We are eager to start this new chapter in our journey and we invite you to join us in making our new Tari a home for us all (opening date to be confirmed).

On a beautiful sunny day, our staff gathered at the Hokitika zip line at the tree top walk for a fun and exciting team building day.

The zip line adventure was a great way to experience the stunning native forest from a different perspective, as well as to challenge ourselves and step out of their comfort zones. The staff “enjoyed” flying through the air at speeds of up to 50 km/h, feeling the adrenaline rush and the wind in their faces.

We admired the views of the Maunga and lakes Kaniere and shared pūrākau of the Mahinapua battle.

The team building day was not only fun and adventurous, but also connected us as a team.

We returned from the team building day with a sense of accomplishment, joy and camaraderie. We had a lot of laughs and memories to share and felt more motivated and inspired to continue our mission of supporting whānau and meeting need in Te Tai o Poutini.

Rock climbing was a fun and challenging activity that can helped our tamariki develop confidence, strength and resilience in Charleston. It was a great way to foster our tamariki physical, mental and spiritual well-being. What a beautiful environment we are blessed to be a part of!

We are deeply saddened (but excited for her) to see Kararina leave. She is such a fresh of beath air with her positive, inspiring and bubbly personality. She was a valuable member of our Board, and we appreciated her energy and input immensely. It is rare in this community to find someone like her, so we are grateful for the time we have had!

Tungia te ururua, kia tupu

Whakaritorito te tupu o te

harakeke.

Clear the undergrowth so that the

new shoots of the flax with grow.

1 month in and the Wahine are making amazing progress and loving it! Ka mau te wehi!

Here are some of the things offered with our Youth Pathway Service!

One of our awesome kaupapa is the West Coast Youth Pathways Service for Te Tai o Poutini with funding from the Ministry of Social Development. The service supports rangatahi/youth aged 15 to 24 years into education, employment and training through an individualised programme that works with each participant at their own pace.

It is with a heavy heart that I write this message to say goodbye to you as you leave Te Hono O Nga waka. You have been a great work colleague and a friend to me and many others. You have contributed so much to our team and our kaupapa with your skills, knowledge, passion and aroha.

I will miss your cheerful presence, your wise advice, your creative ideas and your generous spirit. You have inspired me to grow professionally and personally, and I am grateful for all the support and guidance you have given me.

I wish you all the best for your future endeavours. I know you will succeed in whatever you do, because you are talented, hard-working and resilient. I hope we can keep in touch and share our journeys.

Haere ra Naomi. Thank you for everything. You will always be part of our whanau.

Our awesome helper giving out meals to the pensioners of Hokitika last week, they were still warm!