By Trina Toma – Pūkenga Manaaki (Whānau Navigator) for CAMHS
Earlier this year, one of the tamariki working alongside Trina in Te Piki Oranga CAMHS (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services) team attended a ‘Being with Horses’ equine therapy course.
Here is her pakiwaitara:
Torin learning horsemanship skills with Poppy.
Ko Torin Lum, nō Ngāti Tūwharetoa ia e whitu ana tau (aged seven years old).
Torin attended Being with Horses, a form of therapy developed by Julie Smith. Julie is a social worker and equine therapist who uses the hōiho as a therapy tool.
Torin was very comfortable in the presence of the hōiho right from the first time he met Poppy, the head mare of Julie’s therapy horse herd.
When they met, Poppy instinctively knew that Torin was needing some extra manaaki and aroha due to the sudden changes in his whānau unit. You can see in the photo how she is draping her head around Torin to give him a big awhi.
Torin listened and followed the instructions from Julie confidently. He learnt how to care for the hōiho, to groom them and how to read their body language so he could identify what the hōiho were wanting or feeling.
Torin learning horsemanship skills with Poppy.
Torin also identified when he needed to manage his own kare ā roto (emotions) from how the hōiho were reacting to him. He was able to reassure the hōiho with his kōrero and tone of voice. This interaction also created a space for Torin to relate his own kare ā roto with that of the hōiho.
Torin worked with another hōiho, a minature pony called Alfie. Torin created an obstacle course and learnt how to lead Alfie through it. The pony was a bit nervous about going through the course but Torin guided him with his positive kōrero and manaaki that Alfie needed.
Torin was proud of the skills he had learnt and the connection he had made with the hōiho, proudly showing these to his mum.
This form of therapy has allowed Torin to reconnect, regain his mana and heal with the hōiho. The hōiho are now a connection to his whakapapa.
Ānei te whakataukī Kaua e wareware ko wai koe, kia a kaha koe ki tō whakapapa.
Remember who you are, your strength is your genealogy.
Leading Alfie through an obstacle course.
Trina’s pepeha
Trina’s whānau: From right, Tiana, Kaylie, Trina and Lance Toma (hoa tāne). Trina says, “I could not bring the taonga in my mahi to our Pā Harakeke without my whānau. Tāku whānau, tōku manawa, tōku pounamu (my whānau, my heart, my treasure).”
E ngā kaumātua, e ngā whatukura, e ngā mareikura tēnā koutou katoa i te wāhanga o kōanga,
Kei Pā Harakeke i tēnei ao hurihuri tēnā koutou katoa,
Ka tū mai te ātua ko Rongo mā Tāne, nau mai a Hine Raumati.
I te taha o tōku māmā
Ko Ngātokimatawha tōku waka
Ko Tapapa tōku awa
Ko Hokianga ā Kupe tōku moana
Ko Mangamuka tōku marae
Ko Ngāpuhi tōku whare tūpuna
Ko Ngāpuhi tōku iwi
Ko Kohatutaka, Te Uri Mahoe ōku hapū
I te taha o tōku pāpā
Kei te rere te toto nō Ingarangi Nui nō Pāniora ki tōku tinana
Ko Lance Toma tōku hoa tāne
Ko Tiana rāua ko Kaylie ā māua tamahine
Ko Trina Toma tōku ingoa
He Pūkenga Manaaki ki hinengāro hauora ki Pā Harakeke tāku mahi ki te tari ki Motueka.
E ki ana te whakataukī ko tōu reo, ko tōku reo te tuakiri tangata, tīhei uriuri, tīhei nakonako.
Your voice and my voice are expressions of identity. May our descendants live on and our hopes be fulfilled.
Nō reira ki ngā hāpori ki ngā kōhanga tēnā koutou katoa.
