Manawa Hou - great initiative

Tangata whenua face many challenges in today's world and one of them is how to instill cultural knowledge in our youth, many of whom live away from the rohe and their traditional tribal lands. Ngāi Tahu have developed a great initiative to facilitate this called Manawa Hou

a youth initiative designed to pass on knowledge of traditions, history and stories, to help rangatahi get a sense of their Ngāi Tahu identity.

These rangatahi are immersed in their culture and

learnt about Takahanga Marae and toured the historic Kaikōura Peninsula. They stayed on Te Ati Awa's Waikawa Marae; and they visited the ancient Kaihinu Pā site in Tory Channel – the first Ngāi Tahu settlement in Te Waipounamu.

as Tā Tipene O'Regan says

The idea of the hīkoi is to take them to a few places of our forebears and ancestors and help them to develop a sense of who they are as Ngāi Tahu. To let them practice and enjoy some of the cultural traditions and be participants rather than observers. It's also important that the rangatahi meet each other, so that the inter-relationships within the tribe are on a personal level rather than just on a theoretical, academic basis - so they know each other as people.

What an awesome program and so very important to help our people reclaim their heritage and build their relationships with the iwi.

Te Karaka

Manawa Hou is a long-term programme with the vision of eventually having four per year in different parts of Te Waipounamu. Place-based learning is the main characteristic of Manawa Hou, with learning taking place outdoors on marae and in other places of cultural significance.

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police state obvious

Anyone who knows anything knows that Māori get targeted by the police. The release of the latest police statistics shows that, not only are Māori youth being apprehended more in most categories but, they also have more prosecutions against them. Think about that, what a terrible indictment upon a group of young people in our country and for no reason other than the way they look - because sure as hell they won't be checking whakapapa records will they.

JustSpeak have released the following excellent infographic where the picture tell a thousand stories of hardship and discrimination.

Good on them for putting the data out there in such an understandable way. The hard data is compelling too I recommend you go here to read the numbers of apprehensions which have alarming consequences for young Māori. In general more get apprehended and more definitely get prosecuted - that is a double whammy right there. The sickest thing is, guess who gets blamed for this - that's right young Māori do. And sometimes to spice it up they blame all Māori. 

The real blame is hardly ever attributed to the correct place, but as Anthony Robins points out in Poverty Watch on The Standard when describing the Office of the Children’s Commissioner (OCCC) 2012 report “Child Poverty in New Zealand evidence for action" - the truth doesn't pull any punches.

"OCC report pulls no punches at all.

Mäori poverty needs to be considered against the backdrop of colonisation. Recent research documenting the experiences of Mäori whänau living in financial hardship notes that any analysis of the financial and material deprivation of whänau is incomplete without understanding Mäori economic development pre-colonisation, and the impact of land confiscation and war (Baker K., et al., 2012). The alienation of land and resources saw the loss of a cultural, spiritual and economic base (Cram, 2011). It has had a long-reaching impact that continues to shape attitudes towards Mäori in New Zealand. The devastating effects of racism and discrimination in health and elsewhere have been well documented (Reid, 1999; Robson & Harris, 2007; Mills et al., 2012). The legacy of colonialism has been the ‘differential distribution of social, political, environmental and economic resources and well-being within this country with Mäori bearing the brunt of disparities in many areas’ (Cram, 2011, p156)."

No one is suggesting that we go back in time to right the wrongs that occurred there - we can't, but we can move forward and to do that requires a few changes. The big one is that Māori have to be trusted. The evidence is that we are a long way away from that today. The destruction caused by young Māori being targeted by the police by apprehension and then getting prosecuted more, is felt within all Māori communities and this country feels it too. It is too foolhardy to believe the police attitudes will change any time soon, they won't. They are a reflection of the Government attitudes to Māori. Will middle NZ change - I don't think so, they may adjust their cushion but that's about it from them. No, the change has to come from Māori and people who support the kaupapa through belief in equality, whānau, love or for whatever reason we support the kaupapa, that is where the change has to come. We must talk loudly about this injustice against these youth, the mana must be reestablished for our rangatahi.

keep your eyes open

News that Youthline has had a massive surge in calls is a real worry. Don't forget those latest (2007) suicide statistics which showed young maori men kill themselves more than 4 times more than the national average. Now is the time to be there for our rangatahi, now is the time to be available to them, to talk and listen to them. This time of year creates big pressures and many of us have not been taught very good coping skills. When it gets really tough there doesn't appear to be any way out, the answers are just not there. Keep your eyes open and spend some time with your tamariki and mokopuna.

From stuff

"A major increase in calls to a youth helpline points towards "disconnect and distress" in society, Youthline chief executive Stephen Bell says.

This Christmas has seen a rise of nearly 70 per cent in telephone calls to the help line compared to the same period last year.

A survey of calls received on Christmas Day showed prevailing concerns included self harm, eating disorders, relationships (particularly with family), friendships, loneliness and the loss of friends, through death or otherwise.

A survey by the organisation of 600 youths in October found that embarrassment was the leading cause that prevented young people from seeking help. "There is always a danger that, if people need help and don't seek it, they will continue to withdraw from those around them putting themselves more at risk," Mr Bell said.

It is positive that people are seeking help but invariably they will be the tip of the iceberg. A large number of young people will be struggling and embarrassed that they are struggling. Keep your eyes open. Thanks.