Whakanuia! Celebrating one year of Taurikura

He puna wai, he puna kai, he puna reo, he puna ora, ita a ita | A spring of water, a bountiful spring, a spring of language, a spring of health – hold fast 

July 2024 saw the one year anniversary of a wai journey alongside mama, papa their pepi and wider whanau in our Taurikura initiative. 

For more than twelve months, Healthy Families East Cape have been working collaboratively to explore a Te Ao Māori approach to water safety with whānau and their pēpi across Te Tairāwhiti. Taurikura is grounded in a Māori worldview and draws upon the foundations of mātauranga Māori to impact and improve wellbeing for whānau, hapu and iwi in, on and around the water. 

The rise in confidence of all whanau members in, outside of and around the water safety lessons is not only an opportunity to further foster deep relationships between our whanau and their pepi, but it is also providing a deeper connection between whanau Māori and wai.  

Historically, the relationship between Maori and wai (water) is deeply interconnected, with Maori engaging with water in ways that see it touch all areas of our lives. The impact of colonisation has impacted on our relationship with wai, with rapid movements from rural into urban areas and mindsets shifting towards an attitude of fearfulness around water. 

Māori are over-represented in Aotearoa’s drowning statistics and overall statistics relating to chronic illnesses. 

In 2023, Healthy Families East Cape began a journey to understand the lived experiences of māmā, pāpā their pēpi and wider whanau with regards to water safety, and their connection to the water environments around Te Tairāwhiti. We set out to explore and understand the overwhelming drowning statistics of whanau Māori in our region and the connection to overall wellbeing, stemming from tamariki experiences in and around water. 

The approach adopted by Healthy Families East Cape was to create a supportive, whānau and tikanga-led environment centred around the education of swimming and delivery of swimming lessons for pēpi.   
Twelve months on, we are excited to celebrate coming to the end of our explore phase which saw us dive deeper into whanau experiences and aspirations and seeking to improve health outcomes. It has also improved relationships with water, and created a roadmap for future generations to reconnect to our whakapapa through wai, beginning with their own pepi. 

Healthy Families East Cape have been invited to present on the journey and key findings of Taurikura in its first year at the Waves 2024 Conference Eke Panuku, Eke Tangaroa in Lower Hutt on 28 – 30 August. We are excited to explore how we can create meaningful relationships throughout the system to build a resilient, responsive sector that puts whanau and tamariki at the centre of our decision making. 

Initial key findings throughout this first year have revolved around the importance of whanau-centred approaches that put matauranga maori at the heart of services for whanau and tamariki Maori.  

Through Taurikura, māmā, their pēpi and wider whānau have been able to feel included, supported and a strong sense of belonging. Whanau celebrated at the end of July with koha gifted by Kaupapa partner to participating pepi and their whanau. 

If you are interested in knowing more about Taurikura, please contact: 
Tomairangi Higgins [email protected]