Healthy Families Rotorua is in the planning stages of a wānanga that aims to change the way the community understands and responds to alcohol harm.
Rūru Parirau: Rewriting Our Alcohol Story will bring together whānau, hapū and iwi leaders, health advocates and community champions to share lived experiences, celebrate Māori identity and develop new approaches that strengthen wellbeing.
Systems innovator, Teteira Ormsby, said the wānanga is focused on moving away from deficit-based thinking and reframing the narrative around alcohol.
“Rūru Parirau is about gathering solutions and sharing change. This is a movement to shift the way we talk about alcohol and to place whānau strengths, culture and wellbeing at the centre of the story,” he said.
A community survey carried out in the months leading up to the wānanga revealed strong support for change. Respondents called for more alcohol-free spaces and family-friendly events, rangatahi-focused initiatives, and education campaigns that promote prevention rather than waiting for crisis.
“The vision that emerged was of a community that values hauora, safe spaces and connection, where belonging and relationships are prioritised over substance use,” says Teteira.
“The kaupapa has also been inspired by the first kauhau of Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po, who urged Māori to define identity beyond struggle, practice kotahitanga in everyday life and reclaim narratives of strength.
“These themes will shape the wānanga, from group kōrero and whānau storytelling to creative activities that highlight solutions already working. Karakia, waiata, taonga pūoro and rongoā will be interwoven to ensure the environment is holistic and affirming, while remaining firmly in te ao Māori,” he says.
Healthy Families Rotorua lead provider, Te Arawa Whānau Ora, alongside marae and hapū leaders, will help shape the kaupapa to uphold tikanga. At the same time, local champions with lived experience will reinforce the message that change is possible and already happening. Rangatahi will also have opportunities to contribute their aspirations and take part in leadership activities that point towards a future free from alcohol harm.
Teteira said these contributions can encourage intergenerational change, strengthened by role models and a strong sense of identity.
“The kaupapa is not only about addressing alcohol harm but also about lifting up Māori strengths and everyday acts of identity. The hope is that participants will leave inspired and committed to collective action that strengthens whānau wellbeing,” he says.
Healthy Families Rotorua plans for the wānanga to build momentum well beyond the initial gathering. Insights will be shared back with the community and used to influence services and policies, driving long-term systems change.
“For many, it represents a chance to reclaim narratives, to restore whakapapa and to begin writing a healthier future for Rotorua,” says Teteira.
Rūru Parirau: Rewriting Our Alcohol Story is scheduled to take place in Rotorua on December 5. Further details will be confirmed shortly.
