Tūhono supports mothers of all ages

Our Tūhono programme has recently supported an older māmā, hapū (pregnant) with her seventh pēpi (baby), to give birth to a healthy girl, while also helping her keep her whare and support her other tamariki, as told by her Te Piki Oranga nurse.

Tūhono is an innovative Te Piki Oranga programme that provides kaupapa Māori intensive, personalised interventions for a small number of whānau, designed to develop and support the relationship between māmā (or matua) and pēpi.

One of our beautiful hapū māmā came to Tūhono not long after she discovered she was hapū with her seventh pēpi. Due to her age and the size of baby, she needed some extra support from the health system for the first time. 

Our Te Piki Oranga dietician Brittani was a huge advocate and support for her throughout this journey. A referral to Sonia at our Te Hā Aukati Kaipaipa Pēpi First program proved to be a success and our māmā managed to stop smoking during her pregnancy.

We were also able to provide this māmā with a new push chair and car seat through Tūhono, pay for her many and much needed growth scans and offer emotional support through some of the daunting decisions she had to make as an older māmā.

Tūhono also played a pivotal role in ensuring the whānau were able to keep their whare by organising and funding some vital property maintenance. During lockdown and school holidays we were able to assist with kai, and scrapbooking stationary for both māmā and her five young tamariki, as getting out and about was proving difficult.

The māmā gave birth to a beautiful, healthy girl naturally, using the wrap-around team’s support and encouragement to follow her intuition.

Nau mai e te pēpi ki te ao mārama.

Strength in unity and activity

Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei

Te Ropu Tane Kotahi Rau recently won the Stuff ‘Time to Shine Award’, one of six ASB Homegrown Heroes Awards. The ‘Time to Shine Award’ celebrates initiatives that have made a positive impact in the lives of a specific group in the community, in this case a group of tane living in Whakatū.

Underpinned by a te ao Māori approach, Te Ropu Tane Kotahi Rau kicked off in September 2019 and, since then, the men who participated have improved their physical fitness, quit or reduced smoking, made healthier food choices, lost weight and addressed other individual health needs. They’ve also strengthened their kotahitanga (togetherness), taha tinana (personal identity) and mana.

Back in the early days of the programme, the tane all weighed more than 100kg and had secondary health issues as a result, but other challenges facing them included homelessness, criminal records, addiction and poor mental health.

Equipped with a new pair of cross trainers and hoodie, the tane—who whakapapa to Ngā Puhi, Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Koata, Ngāi Tahu and the Cook Islands—partipated in activities every Thursday for 16 weeks.

Each session started with a karakia and acknowledgement of Atua, to engage with their own wairua and support each other’s mana.

Te Piki Oranga and Te Waka Hauora Māori Mental Health provided awhi, and funding was obtained to pay for the exercise gear and kai for the men, with picnic lunches, BBQs or a Nikau House meal following each session.

During the 16 weeks, the tane explored Te Tauihu’s great outdoors, tackling tracks at the Centre of New Zealand, the Abel Tasman, the Grampians, Tahunanui Beach, Rabbit Island and Days Track, over the Tahunanui Hills. The men also used the outdoor gyms at Tahuna Beach, Saxton Park and Riverside Pool, along with mau rākau (traditional Māori weapons) to mix up the cardio sessions.

In November 2019, the tane successfully participated in the Nelson Half Marathon for the first time, then celebrated the end of the first year of Te Ropu Tane Kotahi Rau with a Te Piki Oranga health check, formal graduation and hangi at Victory Community Centre with whānau and friends.

A way to tautoko the waka

The programme’s success led to its extension into 2020, to offer continued support to the tane; a way to ‘tautoko the waka’ on which they were still travelling. Despite the challenges resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, several tane participated in the Half Marathon again last November, beating their 2019 lap times, while others played in the 2020 Nelson Touch tournament or joined a Seido Karate club.

The whāinga (purpose) extended beyond the pursuit of whairoa (wellness) and it has proved successful in other ways.

‘Te Ropu Tane Kotahi Rau is built on the importance of kotahitanga and the belief that, on their own and as a collective, “mana motuhake” whānau can govern themselves to achieve positive outcomes,’ says John Harris. ‘It wasn’t just about hauora (health).’

For example, Te Ropu Tane Kotahi Rau supported one of the tane, Daniel Timms, to lead a successful campaign against the restructure of Nikau House. He hand-delivered a 4,500 signature-strong petition to then Nelson MP Nick Smith at Parliament House in July. As a result, the District Health Board announced in August that Nikau House would not only stay open, but that they planned to expand its resources and increase its accessibility.

Te Ropu Tane Kotahi Rau is a one-of-a-kind programme in Te Tauihu but wouldn’t have succeeded without the support of many other agencies and organisations including Nikau House, Nelson City Council, Devine Fitness, Saxton Field Sports Complex, Whakatū Marae, Fish and Loaves, The White House and many more who have contributed to the wellbeing of the tangata whaiora.

A similar programme for wāhine will start in October this year.

Smashing it at the 2019 Nelson Half Marathon

Reaching the top of the Centre of New Zealand

Winning the Stuff ‘Time to Shine Award’. Left to Right: John Harris (Te Piki Oranga), Ryan Edwards (Sports Tasman), Kahu Kumeroa (Te Ropu Tane Kotahi Rau).

It’s all about kōtuitui

After five years on the Te Piki Oranga management team as Te Pou Taki (Cultural Adviser), Sonny Alesana has a new role, as Kōtuitui Hapori (Community Connector).

‘We were already doing a lot of work with the community and had also been asked by other organisations to provide cultural advice on health,’ Sonny explains.  ‘In this role, it’s about Te Piki Oranga engaging with service providers to support families.’

He commenced the role in November 2020 and, since then, has been focusing on ensuring individuals and whānau can access Te Piki Oranga’s services with ease.

Being responsive

The Kōtuitui Hapori role was initially created in response to the pandemic, to help mitigate the negative social impacts of Covid-19 for whānau, but Sonny says it is about being  responsive and creative to find solutions for the needs of whānau.

‘Covid-19 has been difficult for some families but there have also been positives,’ says Sonny, ‘and I like to focus on the positives. There’s employment out there but now it’s about how we prepare our whānau for those employment opportunities. It’s also about preparing others who might have lost their jobs and working out how we can utilise their transferrable skills to ensure they can transfer into other industries and jobs.’

Supporting tamariki and rangatahi at school is another focus. ‘Covid-19 really identified that, for some of our families, they didn’t have the digital equipment they needed to support their children in their education or they had the equipment but didn’t know how to use it to access student portals. We had to be creative in the way we worked.’

Sonny adds, ‘Then you have families ring you to say their child’s at home and they’re not willing to go to work. It’s about looking at how we can provide services early to avoid bigger costs in the long run. Prevention is better than the cure.’

He also sits on a gateway panel with Oranga Tamariki to ensure whānau are getting the right support when their children are being returned from care.

Looking ahead, Sonny will be working with a team of five to six other community connectors in Te Tauihu. They are planning to meet in person soon to determine what services can be offered, ensuring they are not duplicating what is already available. 

Read about how Sonny connected with a local shearer, who with a new driver licence says he is ‘unstoppable.’

Sonny Alesana has a new role, as Te Piki Oranga’s Kōtuitui Hapori (Community Connector)

‘Shot Bro’ tackles depression

A repeat performance at Victory Boxing of Rob Mokaraka’s one-man theatrical show, ‘Shot Bro: Confessions of a Depressed Bullet’, left audience members feeling more informed about the impacts of depression.

A few months ago, Te Piki Oranga teamed up with Victory Boxing to bring the play back to its base in Whakatū Nelson, after it had premiered there several years earlier.

Inspired by Rob’s life story, ‘Shot Bro’ is the product of his nine-year journey of healing and self-discovery.

In 2009, the highly acclaimed actor and playwright experienced undiagnosed depression that resulted in him trying to commit ‘Suicide by Police’ (a suicide method in which an individual ‘deliberately’ behaves in a manner designed to provoke a ‘lethal response’ from law enforcement).

As well as performing, Rob also co-wrote and produced this extraordinary show.

Rob told the audience that he created the piece to communicate an ‘internal perspective on mental health and depression, in a safe way’ and, by doing so, he hoped to bring about social change regarding these topics.

Given the subject matter of his show, one would expect it to be a solemn and heavily dramatic piece yet, although there are elements of this, there were many heartful and hopeful moments resulting in both laughter and tears.

After the performance, Rob provided the opportunity for reflection, then invited audience members to give feedback.

The collaboration was an opportunity to further strengthen the relationship between Te Piki Oranga and Victory Boxing, given both organisations have developed a strong standing within the community when it comes to mental health and depression.

The show successfully inspired a shift in perspectives and more understanding about appropriate responses to depression and suicidal behaviour.

Calling in the dolphins to support mental health and wellbeing

Wild dolphins brought big smiles to the faces of tamariki and rangatahi towards the end of last year, during a special boat tour off the coast of Waitohi (Picton).

Te Piki Oranga’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in Wairau arranged the special tour through local wildlife tour company E-Ko Tours, which provides the opportunity to encounter several species of dolphins including dusky, bottlenose, common, and the rarer hector’s dolphins, as well as orca.

Recent research shows that cetacean species (whales and dolphins) have achieved a level of social-emotional sophistication not achieved by other animals, including humans. In addition, the hypothesis of biophilia—which recognises that human beings need to commune with nature in order to thrive—and the success of other animal-assisted therapy approaches, inspired the initiative.

Mātauranga Māori provided a model for the journey; the children learnt about the relevance of whales and dolphins to Māori, their own whakapapa connection to the dolphins who guided their ancestors to the area, and increased their environmental awareness of, and knowledge about, ways to protect the whenua (land), moana (sea) and taonga (dolphins).

The Te Piki Oranga organising team, which included Paola Montarnaro, Karena Martin and John Hart, conducted ancient Hawaiian and Māori ceremonies to help prepare the children for their interaction with the dolphins. This included blowing the Pumoana (shell trumpet) to call them in.

‘The trip out to the dolphin sanctuary did not take long and, as the journey progressed, the group began to engage more fully with the kaupapa,’  says Karena.

When the pod arrived, they brought with them their babies, some as young as two days old. The dophins surrounded the boat and made direct eye contact with the children, responding to the group’s signals, sounds and waiata with joyful and social behaviour. Both the children and adults alike greeted them with delight. 

John Hart, Te Piki Oranga Pukenga Manaaki (Whānau Navigator), says, ‘The captain said that our efforts and calling our Tipuna Taniwha (water spirit ancestors) brought the dolphins in close and we enjoyed their company for a solid hour of laughs and excitement.’

Paola Montarnaro, Te Piki Oranga CAMHS Mental Health Clinician, adds: ‘The children were able to see and experience their social interaction from a very close distance and let the dolphins perform their healing magic. Once back on land, we could see smiles and a sense of peace and ease, even in the expression of the most reluctant participants. It was a very special and profound therapy session.’

Paola says CAMHS selected E-Ko Tours because they strive to be good kaitiaki (guardians), by using profits from their tours to fund conservation projects that contribute to the sustainability of both whenua and moana.

‘It was amazing to observe the positive changes brought about from the interaction with the dolphins,’ says Karena. ‘The trip back to Blenheim was filled with lively discussion about what had been seen and experienced.’

Mātauranga Māori provided a model for the day

Pumoana calls the dolphins

Here the dolphins come

Supporting rangatahi to get out of the youth justice system

Supporting rangatahi to get out of the youth justice system

Marissa Pou is passionate about her mahi with rangatahi (youth). As part of the HEEADSSS Assessment programme, the Te Piki Oranga Whakatū community nurse creates unique solutions for rangatahi and their whānau, to help get the rangatahi out of the youth justice system.

“Each rangatahi is their own person. They have different whānau dynamics and different reasons for why they are where they are at in their lives. This means my approach to each of them is different, it is not just a matter of ticking boxes, it is more holistic than that. Sometimes it also makes sense for the mother to be involved, and sometimes it is the aunty or kuia as well,” she says.

“As a trusted person from outside the whānau, I can uncover what is behind the rangatahi’s behaviour and provide solutions that work to stop that behaviour happening again. You can’t just say to a young person “stop hanging around bad influences and go back to school”, you need to work out the “why” – why they are not going to school and why they are choosing those people to hang out with. The answers might be because they can’t easily get to school, they are hungry, they are bored, or there could be a raft of health reasons. When you know the “why” and then know what they enjoy doing, you can help with the solution.”

Marissa says she works alongside the key whānau members on her suggested recommendations and next steps, so there is buy-in and no surprises. These recommendations are usually for both the rangatahi and the whānau.

“It may be the rangatahi that is referred to me by Oranga Tamariki, but my recommendations always cover support for both them and their whānau. It is important for rangatahi that their whānau, particuarly Mum, is in a good space. That’s when we really make the difference and stop the youth justice system being their norm.”

Marissa says recommendations could include seeing a counsellor, a psychologist or alcohol and drug services. Other recommendations could be to provide support for an educational programme or help with starting a career in something they are interested in, like music or woodworking.

“I love working with rangatahi. The mahi we do with them has the power to transform the trajectory of their lives.  That’s why I am so passionate about this area of work. My brother went to jail for 13 years when he was 17. I can see how that could have changed for him if we’d had a programme like this,” she says.

In June 2019, Te Piki Oranga began working with rangatahi through the HEEADSSS assessment process on behalf of Oranga Tamariki. HEEADSSS stands for Home, Education, Eating, Activities, Drugs and Alcohol, Suicide and Depression, Sexuality and Safety. Marissa has completed 15 assessments across a mix of male and female, Māori and Pakeha rangatahi between the ages of 11-17.

Learning to drive, gaining independence

Learning to drive, gaining independence

Ko Maunga Tapu toku maunga.

Ko Maitahi Toku awa.
Ko Aorere toku moana.
Ko Tainui Toku waka.
Ko ngati koata, ngati kuia, ngati toa rangatira oku iwi.
Ko whakatu toku marae.
Ko kakati toku whare tupuna.
Ko Tysxun Aiolupotea toku ingoa.

Kia ora. My name is Tysxun Aiolupotea and I was born and raised in Nelson. I am 19 years old and have lived here my whole life and I am of Samoan Māori descent.

I play basketball for the Nelson Giants and have hopes of becoming a full-time professional athlete. To do this, I have set a range of goals, and try my best to achieve them every day. As a young athlete, I have been blessed with having mentors who support me to achieve my goals. Through basketball, I hope to give back to the younger rangatahi and support them where I can.

Being a young male Māori in Nelson has given me the opportunity to connect with my culture. My iwi are also from this region meaning I have had the privilege to be able to connect with the land, and people.

By gaining my restricted driver licence, I can now drive my car to and from training and work without any hassle. Through Te Piki Oranga’s He Tangata programme, I was able to get the support I needed in order to gain my restricted driver's licence. I just want to say a huge thank you to Emani who mentored me into doing so.

Kia ora.

Read more about He Tangata here.

Wairau basketballers, on a path to greater hauora

Wairua CAMHs Rangatahi Basketball Team Finish 3rd Year of playing together

It’s well known that rangatahi who stay active and participate in sport, are less likely than their sedentary peers to smoke, drink or take other health risks. Basically, there’s less time to get into trouble!

Over the last three years, John Hart, Whānau Navigator in our Wairau office has encouraged rangatahi supported by Te Piki Oranga’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHs) mentoring programme, to get involved in playing sport, in particular basketball. During this time, he has put forward a team in the Marlborough Basketball Associations Winter League.

John says: “Most of the players don’t play any other team sports, so being involved in basketball is a great vehicle for greater hauora.”

The players are aged between 12 and 16 years of age, and play in a senior mixed competition on Wednesday evenings over the winter months and often bring their friends along as ring-ins.

Two of the players are from the original team from three years ago and one of the team’s youngest players has been asked to trial for a under 13 rep team!

With the winter season now at an end, the team has secured additional funding from Kaitoa Charitable Trust for the summer league. And the team are taking things seriously by moving into the gym for boxing and cardio training, as well as playing fun games.

The team has been possible because of support from the Marlborough Violence Intervention Project, Marlborough Lines, Te Piki Oranga and the Kaitoa Charitable Trust.

Thanks to these organisation and John’s dedication our rangatahi benefit in many ways.  The team has been given the opportunity to get out and use their energy positively, find their competitive sides and change their values for the better. They have been able to grow positive friendships, improve their social skills and better their hauora.

One noticeable comment from the bench was that “bullying is not acceptable within this team.” What a wonderful lesson to learn in such a positive and fun environment.

Pēpi Comes First For Naomi. Smoke Free and Loving It

A young woman’s strength to quit smoking for the sake of her unborn baby was celebrated with a special gift and acknowledgment. Naomi Te Kiri’s was supported to quit smoking with the guidance of her quit coach Sonia Hepi Treanor.

Sonia and Naomi came together through Pēpi First, a free programme that supports pregnant women to quit smoking and rewards them with grocery vouchers along the way.

“It was such a challenge to quit, the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Having a quit coach beside me was the 20% extra I needed alongside the 80% I put in myself,” Naomi says.

Sonia, Te Hā Pūkenga Manaaki of Te Piki Oranga Māori Wellness Services, says that the Pēpi First model of one-on-one support is key to success, especially for hapū mama.

“It’s all about building relationships and trust. We continue to support women for six weeks once pēpi is born but usually find that if a wahine is smoke-free in the second or third trimester she is usually smoke-free post-partum,” Sonia says.

Naomi is gifted donated a beautiful flax basket designed for the burial of a pēpi’s whenua (placenta) and pito (umbilical cord) by Flax Farewells for going the extra mile to honour a pēpi who is growing inside.

Ending period poverty in Marlborough

Let’s talk periods! 

It is a fact of life that sanitary supplies are a necessity that many wahine go without. More than half* of Kiwi women find them too expensive, with a third prioritising buying other items like food and nappies for tamariki over the purchase of these products for themselves.

Worringly almost 30% of teenagers aged below 17 years old have missed school or work because they have their period and don’t have sanitary items. This is gender inequality, pure and simple. Our rangatahi should have no barriers to going to school or work.

Over the past 12 months, Te Piki Oranga in Wairau has had the privilege of accessing support through Pink Packets. Pink Packets is a women-led Marlborough charity providing free sanitary items to women in need throughout the region. Their mission is to end period poverty in Marlborough by collecting donations of sanitary products and putting together packs to be distributed through local agencies.

We are so grateful for the mahi these wahine toa do for our mothers, sisters, daughters, and wider community of women in Marlborough. Ka nui te aroha to you Pink Packets!

If you are in Marlborough and wanting to contribute to the fight against period poverty, please look out for the pink donation bins around local supermarkets and visit the Pink Packets Facebook page for more information on how you can help.

If you know someone who needs help accessing sanitary products in Marlborough, please do not hesitate to contact our Wairau office or contact the ladies at Pink Packets directly on the contact details below.

www.facebook/pinkpacketscharity

email: marlbwomanscentre@gmail.com

phone: Milinda 027 389 7816

* 2018 nationwide survey

Whānau give back to their community and work on their wellness

Whānau give back to their community and work on their wellness

In August this year, our Wairau team started to run the award-winning Te Pae Oranga programme with the Police, with successful outcomes in the first month. 

Rather than ending up in court or a cell, Te Pae Oranga is an opportunity for people 17 years and over to repair the harm their minor offending has caused their community, and to have health challenges addressed. Te Pae Oranga is credited with bringing an 11.9 percent fall in reoffending among Māori aged 17 to 24.

People who have perhaps shop-lifted, stolen a bike on the street, or driven without a license, meet with an Iwi Community Panel to talk about who they are, where they are from, and why they did it. The panel listens and uncovers any unaddressed issues, before agreeing to appropriate reparation and accessing health services for the offenders. 

In its first month, the Wairau Iwi Community Panel worked with 21 people, mostly aged between 18 and 25 years old, with great success. Two examples of reparation for minor offences include a fisherman giving Te Piki Oranga 20 kilograms of fish for whānau in our Wairau community who need food. Another person has committed to assisting a local rugby club with coaching. These are positive outcomes that are appropriate to these people and their offending, and are meaningful to the community.

As well as working through how people would repair the harm they caused, the panel identified a number of undiagnosed or unsupported health problems, such as mental health or drug issues. Links have now been made to appropriate services to help them get better. 

Addressing the underlying reasons for offending is an important part of the holistic Te Pau Oranga process, rather than incarceration, after which, the statistics show, it is highly likely that people will reoffend.

Te Piki Oranga has been running Te Pae Oranga for 26 months in Whakatū, with more than 200 people having successfully worked with the local Iwi Community Panel.

Graduates champion the “Stop Meth Use” programme

Graduates champion the “Stop Meth Use” programme

Kia Taumata Te Oranga methamphetamine programme was launched in Stoke in October. Within the year it has had its first two graduates, Colby Kelly and Joseph Batchelor. The completed eight months of the community-based, abstinence treatment programme and more than 100 hours of face-to-face group attendance time.

In acknowledgement of their part in our ‘Te Piki Oranga, Ngaru tuatahi’ first wave, Colby and Joseph were actively instrumental in helping us pioneer and shape the programme.

Their contribution to the group and overall programme, the sharing of their wealth of experience, and knowledge of methamphetamine helped catapult the programme.

“I could have continued making my recovery on my own but found that being on the programme helped me gain further tools and understanding,” said Joseph. “The programme covered extensive conversations that I may not have thought of by myself, which I felt was relevant to me and my recovery journey. I had been declined other services but heard of the Te Piki Oranga Kia Taumata Te Oranga methamphetamine programme. Today I’m proud of the milestones that I achieved.”

Colby agrees, and he felt that additionally, the programme allowed him to be himself, to share with like-minded people, and having the ability to learn from each other, support each other’s stories and journeys. He felt the programme was highly needed and he could think of many other people who might benefit from it. He would like to continue attending as part of his ongoing commitment to his recovery and responsibilities of maintaining change.

Nga tino mihi ki a korua kua eke ki runga I te taumata otira te mutunga o te wa kia korua me o korua mahi i waenganui I a matou, Kia Taumata Te Oranga, Te Piki Oranga.

As Joseph and Colby progressed in their recovery, they became an inspiration to the other Matrix programme whānau/clients, especially those who were in the early stages of recovery, or those who thought that abstinence was impossible. They are role models that everyone looks up to.

Essential business giving back to our community

Essential business giving back to our community

By: Brenda McQuillan, Pūkenga Manaaki CAMHS - Whakatū (CAMHS Navigator - Nelson)

Nelson Community Food Bank Trust had been running for more than 20 years. We deliver food parcels to whanau experiencing hardship in the Nelson area. We are a partnership of six organisations, BUWT, Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul – Nelson and Stoke, Te Piki Oranga and Whakatū Marae.

Since the lockdown came into effect we have been four times busier, the organisation's reach had expanded beyond central Nelson. We rely on the generosity of our community. The Food Bank is staffed by volunteers and funded by individuals, trusts and local businesses. The kai in our food parcels is designed to last a whanau or individual up to three days. We purchase 80% our ingredients, including meat and vegetables. We also include donated kai and grocery items. Below is an example of a parcel for a whanau of three.

Local businesses donate goods as well, we have received honey, potato chips, cheeses, treats, vegetables, and meats. Over the past year the NCFBT delivered approximately 108 parcels per month from requests from the partner organisations.

In a normal five-day week, Te Piki Oranga, Whakatu, would request between 3 – 5 parcels. The week 01 April to 08 April, NCFBT was only delivering three days per week, Te Piki Oranga requested 17 food parcels for 53 Whanau. Overall NCFBT food parcel requests have increased by 300%.

The NCFBT has also linked in with the Civil Defence Welfare Group, NCC and TDC, we have partnered with the DHB Te Oranga Alliance, delivering over 100 parcels to whanau at Franklyn Village.

We have also partnered, temporarily, with the Homelessness Sub-group to deliver food parcels to the Homeless whanau in temporary accommodation – we have been asked to supply up to 50 parcels per week. The Civil Defence Welfare Group have donated the use of the Trafalgar Park Pavilion temporarily as we have passed capacity at our current shared premises with Nelson Environment Centre.

Sturrock and Greenwood refrigeration have donated a walk-in freezer for us to use during the increased demand. One of the realisations I have come to, is that we will never return to our previous small size, we need to expand to include Richmond, and we need to look at inviting more partner organisations to join us.

The team behind this amazing mahi are our treasurer, Megan Familton, she is carrying out the coal face mahi, packing parcels, shopping for groceries and coordinating volunteer drivers to deliver the parcels. She has been ably assisted by our previous co-ordinator, Delwyn Donaldson. Behind the scenes we have our volunteer fundraising guru, Eddie Lewis, he is a funding application machine. We have another volunteer, Vince van Beek, he crunches all our numbers and manages our stats, his job is particularly challenging at this time. And I am the current chairperson, representing Te Piki Oranga.

Covid-19 Homeless wellbeing response team

Covid-19 Homeless wellbeing response team

On the 25th day of March 2020 at 11:59 pm, Aotearoa went into level 4 lockdown and many homeless whānau in Nelson, which included at least 50% Maori faced uncertain times.

The Civil Defence led a multiagency COVID - 19 Homeless Wellbeing Response team which included the Salvation Army, MSD, The Male Room, Public Health and Te Piki Oranga, who all worked alongside the Nelson Police. Within the first week of the lockdown, the team was able to relocate most of the city’s 70 odd homeless whānau from the streets into emergency accommodation. Food parcels, clothing, blankets and further wrap-around support was delivered to those affected by mental health, addictions, COVID - 19 related redundancies and those stranded in Nelson due to the lockdown restrictions. All have appreciated the warm, comfortable beds, food and support that was received, of which their gratitude is given to all the agencies involved.

Tony, an Alcoholic of 30 years and rough sleeper from the streets said, “I’m three weeks sober now, having all this support has given me the motivation, that maybe this is my chance to change. I want to do AOD counselling now. Mihi nui kia kuotou, e te Whānau o Te Piki Oranga”.

Dwayne who lost his job and became homeless said, “I was so stressed when I lost my job, I’ve never been homeless, I am so grateful to have a warm bed and have food. Kia Ora Whānau”.

Another anonymous whānau stated, “Thank you Te Piki Oranga, I lost my job, had nowhere to go, thank you so much, to be able to have food, clothing and blankets”.

Another anonymous whānau said, “I haven’t been homeless before, I haven’t touched drugs or alcohol for five years, now I split up with my wahine and kids, I went down-hill and hit the piss, but with this support you guys offer, I’m going to take this opportunity to seek AOD counselling and get back on my feet.

A whaea with her two sons stated, “We arrived in Nelson pre lockdown looking for mahi and a whare. But things changed with COVID, and we were forced to live in our car. Thank you for the emergency accommodation and kai”.

Dean, pictured in the photo below, best summed up what the majority of the homeless have expressed, “We are blessed to have all this aroha and support. Many of us are now thinking of the next step, this emergency accommodation is a good stepping stone, but it is a first step to go on to better things”.

Successful flu vax at Ūkaipō

Successful flu vax at Ūkaipō

By: Ricky Carr, Pūkenga Kaiwhakahaere - Wairau (Site Manager - Blenheim)

Tuesday, the 12th day of May dawned, and there were several people gathered at Ukaipo (Grovetown, Marlborough) from 8.00 am onward. Rangitane staff had been preparing the Ukaipo site in the preceding days for what was to become the most successful flu vax site that Te Piki Oranga has been associated with this season.

The venue owned and operated by Rangitane is situated in Grovetown between Spring Creek and Blenheim. Event's organiser Donna Grace had been in touch with Rangitane iwi regarding this vaccine clinic, there had been one hundred and five responses to the initial invitation, and as usual, we had begged & borrowed vaccines to ensure we had sufficient stock on hand to ensure no one was turned away.

The clinic was planned to commence at 10:00 am till 2:00 pm; however, we were in the middle of our karakia at 9:30 am when the first of 150 participants started arriving.

Marlborough PHO staff; Glenis McAlpine, Ange Mills, Christine Andrews and Victoria Leo were swabbing and delivering the vaccines. Te Piki Oranga staff; Mary Johnsen, Brenda Chilvers and Viv Tuhimata - Weke were supporting with logistics and administration. The Rangitane team were headed by; Nick Chin (CEO) Taylor MacDonald, Allan MacDonald, Kereana Norton and Elsie Elkington.

At about 2.00 pm, staff were thankful that there was a lull in the car park traffic, which enabled those assembled to have a hearty lunch kindly organised by Rangitane staff.

There have been several positive comments about the organisation of this clinic and how effective this made the whole process. Our thanks to both, Rangitane, MPHO and Te Piki Oranga staff for such a marvellous outcome.

While this was the largest of the clinics held during the lockdown, two further clinics were held in April at Waikawa Marae and in the Health hub carpark in central Blenheim. Overall, there were more than 300 vaccines delivered through these mobile clinic initiatives.

Wairua Hauora

Wairua Hauora

By John Tipene

I have spent most of my life in and out of the justice system, which included spending time in prison. In October 2019, I was fortunate enough to attend the Māori Tikanga Wannga run by Te Piki Oranga at Te Hora Pa in Canvastown.

Te Piki Oranga Māori Wellness Service has been supporting me with my hauora since I moved to Blenheim and have set me in a path of wellness. To be accepted into the wānanga, I needed to undergo an assessment to find out what I knew about topics such as manaakitanga, whanau, wairua, Atuatanga and many other Māori protocols, practices and processes. These Māori values were not new to me as I was brought up by my kaumatua and kuia as a young boy. As I grew older, I began to lose my way and therefore lost the things that my kaumatua and kuia taught me. I started using drugs and alcohol, which led to committing crimes to feed my addiction which in turn isolated me from my ancestors and the teachings of my tupuna and messed my life.

At the Tikanga Wananga I was able to reconnect with the values of the marae, our kaumatua Pita Pou and kuia Ngawhakaara led us through tikanga and kawa of the marae. We woke up before dawn to the sound of our kuia’s karanga and karakia from our kaumatua. We were able to listen to the first waiata of the manu as the sun started to rise.

Our tutor Sonny Alesana took us into “knowing who we are” by providing us with a session on pepeha, he guided us through a presentation on manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, atuatanga and our roles as males and our wahine were also guided through these same topics by our kuia. The wananga was very intense, but at the same time, we were able to relax with kapa haka and of course plenty of kai.

As I touched on at the beginning of this article, I spent time in prison as a result of abuse, sexual abuse, violence. I was a patched gang member; in short, I was a feared man. I suffered from mental health issues as a result of many years of drug use and neglected the teachings of my elders. My wairua, my connections to my marae, ancestors and those important aspects of who I become a burden to me, played with my wairua.

My Journey Back to Me At the conclusion of the wananga at Te Hora Pā, I was given the opportunity to meet with Ariki Te Wairemana. This meeting took place in Motueka. Pūkenga Manaaki Brenda from Te Piki Oranga supported me. I was apprehensive and anxious about the meeting. Sonny met us, and we entered Ariki’s whare. The instant I entered the whare, I was transported back to the days I spent with my koroua and kuia. Ariki was able to tell me things about myself and my ancestors that only I knew. We did karakia, we sang old waiata, we did mihi, but mostly we sat in silence, and I started to cry uncontrollably. I felt an overwhelming sense of relief, clarity and calmness that I had not felt for a long time. My stomach felt lite for the first time in a long time! I didn’t understand what was happening to me, but I knew that my journey to knowing and forgiving myself has begun. As a young boy, I was exposed to these taonga through my kuia, but I had no understanding of it. I know that my journey will have its challenges, and I know that not everything will pan out the way I want it. I know that there is a long list of people that I need to connect with to try and make right the wrong I had caused. I also know that my mental health will continue to be a barrier. Still, I do believe that my wairua healing has begun.

My goal is to wean myself from modern medication slowly. Then continue my journey into wellness through my culture, my artwork and continuing to work with my Te Piki Oranga whānau.