Te Arawa Māngai Nui Ūpoko Tūtakitaki is a well-known proverb with pūrākau or historical accounts supporting the term used to describe a unified and determined Te Arawa tribe.

The underpinning philosophy above is a Māori systems return approach adapted to guide and create Te Arawa COVID-19; a collaboration of marae, hapū and organisations across the Te Arawa region to help support the people and the community through the current pandemic and state of emergency.

Healthy Families Rotorua has been sought for advice on how to adapt both a short-term and long-term response to COVID-19 by what is known locally as Te Arawa COVID-19.

Healthy Families Rotorua manager Mapihi Raharuhi says, “We are seeing the Te Arawa COVID-19 approach already making a significant impact at a collective impact level. Key decision makers, organisations and ministries are contributing to solutions that respond firstly to keeping whānau safe. Secondly, understanding that solutions for COVID-19 is going to have impact past the current four week Alert Level 4: Lockdown. We will be feeling and managing the impact of this and the months past the minimum four week lock-down.”

Along with the nation’s efforts to Unite Against COVID-19 Te Arawa too, have combined their resources and information across the region to ensure no-one falls through the gaps.

“Understanding what gaps are in the system is very important to finding long-term solutions. While Healthy Families Rotorua works in prevention, our guiding principles have enabled our communities to move towards a more collaborative, whole of community, collective approach to long-term sustainable solutions.”

“It’s about unleashing transformational leadership to make changes to the systems that influence the health and wellbeing of families and communities.”