Former Ngāti Kahungunu chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana stated in the days following the stand-off that “not one more child will be uplifted and iwi will intervene at all costs”.
The iwi held a series of wānanga at Waipati Marae with whānau that year to understand their stories and the personal experiences they had with Oranga Tamariki and the wider care and protection system, eventually commissioning a report, Kōrero Mai Whānau.
Children’s Minister Karen Chhour and Oranga Tamariki chief executive Chappie Te Kani attended the opening of the new hub on Friday at Taikura House, Fitzroy Ave in Hastings, on the same floor as the Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated offices.
“Every young person wants to know who they are and where they come from and have a connection with that no matter what that is,” Chhour said.
“We have communities that are willing to reach their hands out and show those young people where they belong and I can’t see any negatives in that, all I can see are positives.”
Chhour said she saw this as an example of what can be done across the country, but she believed that the voices of different iwi would need to be involved in other places because each community had different needs.
Chrissie Hape, NKII chief executive, said there were over 400 children in care in the East Coast region, 60 per cent of which were Māori, and described Te Ara Mātua as a waharoa [gateway] programme.
“This is about capturing whānau before they go into care as well as looking after those currently in the pathway. We want our whānau to maintain their mana motuhake (self-determination) and their decision-making around where their tamariki need to be at this point at time,” Hape said.
She acknowledged the whānau who shared their experiences as part of the Kōrero Mai process and commended the efforts of the kaimahi (workers) from the iwi, Te Wero and Oranga Tamariki.
She said the lease had been signed for a similar hub planned for Ahuriri (Napier) should be operational by the end of August.
Bayden Barber, Ngāti Kahungunu chair, said the iwi knew how to best nurture and care for its tamariki.
“Te Ara Mātua is our iwi partnership with Oranga Tamariki, and this is a model that’s based on our tikanga, our reo, our whanaungatanga and our whakapapa with our people,” Barber said.
James Pocock joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2021 and writes breaking news and features, with a focus on the environment, local government and post-cyclone issues in the region. He has a keen interest in finding the bigger picture in research and making it more accessible to audiences. He lives in Napier. james.pocock@nzme.co.nz
