Just over two years ago Healthy Families Rotorua facilitated the development of the community of practice now known as Ngā Pātaka Kōrero o Te Arawa.
A community of practice is a group of people with a common interest, with a common goal of improving by sharing experiences.
The group is made up of experts and practitioners of Te Arawa Maramataka and are connected to a range of settings such as marae, community gardens, rangatahi – Wai Warriors, climate change – Te Urunga o Kea, workplace settings and schools/kura/early childhood centres.
Healthy Families Rotorua leans towards the group for insights, learnings and where appropriate testing of ideas to ensure the mana or integrity of the Maramataka approach, remains constant.
The version of Maramataka most commonly used by the group is founded by late Te Arawa leaders Irirangi Tiakiawa Tahuriorangi and Toby Rikihana NZOM.
DATA AND INSIGHTS:
Ngā Pātaka Kōrero o Te Arawa is made up of Te Arawa practitioners who champion Te Maramataka o Te Arawa where they live, learn, work and play. More than 10 dedicated members help to advise and grow the movement and some of the applications and impact of their work is outlined below:
Principal Renee Gillies and Director of Te Reo Māori Anaha Hiini use Maramataka as a planning, evaluation and reflection tool for all 12 staff members and 100 students at Te Rangihakahaka Centre for Science and Technology. Maramataka as a traditional knowledge base is integrated into their core curriculum.
Eraia Kiel champions Maramataka in the Te Puia New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute (NZMACI) workspace. Maramataka is used to enhance daily activities with the view to optimise their work practices.
Te Puia NZMACI are hoping to host the inaugural 2021 World Ai’Malama Conference in Rotorua. This symposium will bring together a collective of Maramataka experts and practitioners from throughout the Pacific and other indigenous cultures from around the world to share and grow this ancient knowledge and showcase modern applications and solutions to some of today’s tough challenges such as climate change, food security, food sustainability and increasing mental health and resiliency.
Mihi Tibble champions Maramataka through her mahi with Tuhi Stationery drawing her knowledge base from both her Te Whānau a Apanui and Te Arawa whānau. Mihi has developed workshops to grow the capacity and capability of Maramataka practitioners throughout the country and developed exciting resources encouraging people to journal their Maramataka observations and begin to timeline their experiences and insights.
Bob Te Aonui and Dallas Te Aonui from Apumoana Marae are in the business of growing people and gardens. The Te Aonui whānau draw on Te Maramataka o Te Arawa to address food sovereignty and food security issues and to help reconnect Maori to their language, culture and identities by applying Maramataka knowledge to the community gardens.
Ngareta Delamere and Canaan Tuhura facilitate the use of Maramataka for Workplace Well-being for Te Arawa Whānau Ora, Healthy Families Rotorua and Kōwhai Health Associates.
MĀORI SYSTEMS RETURN:
Māori Systems Return or Kaupapa Māori is an approach that normalises traditional practices to lead in health and wellbeing.
Maramataka is an example of a traditional Māori system that continues to show value and relevancy as a solution for achieving and maintaining health and wellness.
BACKGROUND:
The Healthy Families Rotorua approach is a move towards a more collaborative, whole of community, collective approach to prevention.
Healthy Families Rotorua support normalising traditional practices such as Maramataka that increase community wellness where our people live, learn, work and play.
More recently, in a collaboration between Healthy Families Rotorua, Ngā Pātaka Kōrero o Te Arawa, Te Puia NZMACI with the Society of Māori Astronomy Research and Traditions (SMART) are hoping to host the next World ‘Aimalama Conference 2021 or World Maramataka Conference in Rotorua.
NZMACI General Manager Eraia Kiel has seen the rise of many kaupapa Māori; Te Puia NZMACI’s annual Matariki celebrations, Maramataka symposiums & workshops.
We believe that innovative practice to attain good health for our communities is embedded in cultural knowledge and concepts of wellbeing. Returning to our traditional practices and cultural frameworks sustained our whānau in time of challenge and prosperity.
In August 2017, Healthy Families Rotorua held its first insights gathering and Maramamataka wānanga at Tarewa Marae. From this meeting a small group of practitioners joined together to form the Te Arawa Maramataka advisory group.
In May 2018, Healthy Families Rotorua saw the need to develop a Community of Practice for Te Arawa Maramataka practitioners and a second wānanga was held at Pounamunui Marae, to assist in facilitating this need.
In August 2018, in a wānanga held at Te Puia NZMACI the Te Arawa Maramataka advisory group changed their name to Ngā Pātaka Kōrero o Te Arawa.
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