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 […]
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 […]
Growing with Byron
Popular social media influencer Byron Austin visited Rotorua recently to explore exciting opportunities for a new food forest in collaboration with Healthy Families Rotorua. This kaupapa aims to enhance community health and well-being through sustainable food practices. Byron, who creates content under the pseudonym Byron Grows, previously assisted Kaharoa School in creating a mini food […]
Kai
Nurturing Change in the Kai System: Nau Mai e Ngā Hua Healthy Families Rotorua is dedicated to supporting Rotorua communities in creating positive, sustainable changes within the food system, while embracing cultural connections to kai. We recognise that food is far more than just sustenance – it represents identity, heritage, and knowledge that has been […]
Growing Sustainable Practices
Healthy Families Rotorua’s Nau Mai e Ngā Hua sustainable gardening workshops are connecting people with the whenua through practical, hands-on learning. In a world of increasingly pressing environmental challenges, these workshops offer timely solutions by blending mātauranga Māori with sustainable gardening techniques. Held at Maraeroa Mahinga Kai in Ōhinemutu, the series provides valuable skills in […]
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 […]
Volunteering for Kaumātua
Healthy Families Rotorua leveraged its network to help ensure the triumphant execution of this year’s Te Arawa Kaumātua Olympics, drawing on the collective power of community support. Lead systems innovator, Pirihira Whata, says when the call came out from kaumātua group Oranga Tinana o Ue leader, Dr Laurie Morrison, for volunteers for the Kaumātua Olympics, […]
Kai survey results
In an effort to understand the kai experiences of our community, Healthy Families Rotorua conducted a survey among Rotorua residents.
Matariki ignites ancient ways
Healthy Families Rotorua is part of a mātauranga Māori revitalisation kaupapa to celebrate Matariki. In 2022, the team helped Kai Rotorua plant and harvest kūmara at Te Puea Orchard for Matariki ceremonies. This year, the team participated in the revival of an ana kūmara to store our produce, including two ancient varieties. At this month’s […]
Te Arawa stories and cycling
Te Arawa stories will be at the fore of a new activation to get more people walking and biking on the city’s shared footpaths and roads.
