Essence of Matariki

The city’s inaugural Matariki civic ceremony will provide locals and visitors the opportunity to participate in a traditional umu kohukohu whetū. To honour Matariki being observed as a public holiday, Rotorua will hold an umu kohukohu whetū on Friday 24 June at Motutara Point on the shores of Lake Rotorua. A Ngāti Whakaue representative, Kingi […]

Puna hidden gems

Healthy Families Rotorua systems innovators Stevee Wikiriwhi and Teteira Ormsby discovered some gems during their research haerenga at Waitawa Puna last week. The pair mapped the puna from Owhatiura, through Lynmore, and towards Lake Rotorua as part of the Waitawa Restoration Project, which Stevee is leading. She will be fostering relationships with mana whenua, hapū, […]

Award for Papa Rereata

Healthy Families Rotorua congratulates Rereata Makiha for his achievement in the 2022 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards. Papa Rereata was announced yesterday as the recipient of the Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year (Te Mātāputu o Te Tau) Award. The award acknowledges people who have made a positive contribution to Aotearoa […]

Waitawa Bush Project

Teteira Ormsby & Mariana Vercoe with Lynmore School deputy principal Lisa Hohepa (centre).

Haere ra Jade

Healthy Families Rotorua and Te Arawa Whānau Ora bid farewell to our cherished rautaki Māori, Jade Kameta, as he heads for the sandy shores of the East Cape. Jade (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue, Te Whānau a Apanui) was given a send-off at Te Papaiouru Marae today by board, staff, whānau and people he has worked […]

Maramataka shifting mindsets

Te Hekenga-ā-Rongo presenter, Davina Thompson (Ngāti Awa, Te Arawa), is infiltrating her knowledge of maramataka amongst the country’s environmental policymakers. She is currently working on the Environment of Te Arawa 2022 synthesis report for Ministry for the Environment based on Matariki as a framework, in her role as policy analyst and mātauranga Māori expert. Davina […]

Congratulations Ka Pai Kai

Healthy Families Rotorua congratulates Ka Pai Kai Rotorua for its double success in the 2021 Tompkins Wake Rotorua Business Awards this month. Ka Pai Kai Rotorua received the Ministry of Social Development: Not for Profit & Social Enterprise Award and the NZME: People’s Choice Award. Ka Pai Kai Rotorua’s mission is to nourish the minds […]

Moving mountains

Healthy Families Rotorua and Te Arawa Whānau Ora continue to move mountains this year – starting with a trek up Mauao. The Piki Maunga crew began this year’s kaupapa with the Mount Maunganui hīkoi yesterday (20 February) in the spirit of workplace wellness. Last year, our crew completed Mauao, Papamoa Hills, Ngā Tapuwae o Toi, […]

Introducing Alex

Healthy Families Rotorua introduces its new project coordinator, Alexandria Knight. Alex previously worked as a kaiako at an early childhood centre, where she was responsible for nurturing, supporting and empowering children at the foundational development level of their education. She says she contributed to programme planning, assessment and evaluation, collaborative teaching and enhancing the visibility […]

Power of restorative sleep

Healthy Families Rotorua is collaborating with clinical and mātauranga Māori experts to co-design a Te Arawa Sleep Strategy to reduce toxic stress. Lead systems innovator, Ranui Maxwell, says He Āhuru Mowai is an iwi-led health prevention strategy which will not only inform Te Arawa, but can contribute to a national strategy around sleep. “Poor quality […]