Rangatahi Mental Wellbeing
Healthy Families Rotorua is exploring ways to better understand how to support the mental health and wellbeing of rangatahi Māori. Practice & Development Lead Pirihira Whata is in the early stages of a new kaupapa focused on mental wellness, working alongside an ecosystem of local organisations and experts committed to rangatahi wellbeing. “We know that […]
Sound of smokefree future
Healthy Families Rotorua is leading a smoking and vaping cessation kaupapa, using the koauau (traditional Māori wind instrument) as a central tool. The koauau-based smoking and vaping cessation prototype combines mātauranga Māori, pūrakau, maramataka, and tikanga-based practices to create a holistic approach to improving respiratory health. Integrating hands-on learning with taonga pūoro, this innovative model […]
Saving Seeds, Growing Futures
Iti noa, he pito mataA small seed can sustain many. This whakataukī refers to replanting a small amount of uncooked kumara to produce many more. It speaks to the relationship between people and whenua (land). The final Nau Mai e Ngā Hua workshop focused on seed saving, a key practice in building self-sustaining gardens and […]
Trip along State Highway 35
Healthy Families Rotorua with the Te Raukumara Pae Maunga Team based in Te Kaha.
Year of Growth & Development
A year of growth and development has been the driving force for Healthy Families Rotorua. Manager Jenny Kaka-Scott says that by taking a broad, aerial view of the local prevention system, the team has improved its systems thinking approach and deepened its understanding of social issues. “We’ve explored multiple solutions and are now better at […]
Our Kai Māori Legacy
Healthy Families Rotorua was thrilled to co-facilitate the Rongoā Waitawhara: E Kai! wānanga this month, bringing together whānau and community members for a hands-on experience in integrating rongoā Māori and traditional Māori cooking. Led by chef Joe McLeod and his dedicated team from E Kai Māori, the three-day wānanga at Kearoa Marae focused on revitalising […]
Rūru Parirau
From Insight to Action – Tikanga Māori illuminating the way forward According to the Rotorua Healthy Families community survey (2023) 64% of people surveyed said that alcohol consumption in urupā (burial sites) is common, while 67% expressed a desire to return urupā to being waipiro kore or alcohol-free places. Some kaupapa stir up strong emotions […]
Matariki Heri Kai
This year’s Matariki theme is Matariki Heri Kai – or the Feast of Matariki. Kai being a connector of people helps to bring us together and what we have gathered for our shared feast speaks volumes about the unique places we come from. With Matariki Heri Kai in mind, Healthy Families Rotorua dived into its […]
Year of impact and collaboration
Healthy Families Rotorua’s year was marked by two distinctive phases: zoning in on our impact strategy for the first six months, followed by building team capability over the next six months. Manager, Jenny Kaka-Scott, says a highlight of 2023 was working across every key focus area of the Healthy Families NZ contract. “This year was […]
Planting at puna
Rotorua’s eastern suburbs recently became the focal point for a transformative environmental initiative as part of the Waitawa Restoration Project. Twenty-five volunteers spent over five hours in the rain planting 1,500 riparian plants at the Waitawa Puna. Species included toitoi, harakeke, mānuka, carex, taratara, akeake, and black matipo. Puna Ora lead, Lorraine Hall, orchestrated the […]
