Tihei: Combating anxiety for a better night’s sleep

Leaders of Toi Matarua (TM) have offered marae based wānanga to educate rangatahi on Indigenous ways of calming the mind, settling the spirit and relaxing into a deep sleep.

The next generation of Kahungunu leaders are learning from the ancient messages left by our tupuna (ancestors), to shape the best versions of themselves today.

Oriori (Māori chants) were a traditional way of weaving pūrākau (stories) into songs to record historical events, places and whakapapa (genealogy).

They were often used as lullabies and recited to infants and children as they drifted off to sleep. Oriori were often composed by parents and elders of the community to educate children of their heritage and speak life into their collective aspirations for the child’s future.

Many young people have limited access to the knowledge of our ancestors such as oriori, so the young leaders of Toi Matarua (TM) have offered marae-based wānanga for those interested.

The wānanga aims to educate rangatahi on indigenous ways of calming the mind, settling the spirit and relaxing into a deep sleep.

Kōrero (conversations) occur alongside workshops discussing how oriori can be used to combat anxiety and overstimulation. The rangatahi use this knowledge to work with TM support people to develop “rangatahi friendly” tools and resources that will be shared with whānau, hapū, and iwi.

In the past two months, they have visited prominent sites within Ngāti Kahungunu alongside local kaumātua. Don Ihaia Hutana was among the guest speakers who provided deep insights into Pinepine te Kura and how ancestral knowledge can be applied in our lives today.

“Matua Don taught us that each verse in the oriori has a hidden meaning in it to help us overcome obstacles at different stages of our lives. For example in one of the verses the hidden message is about the importance of decision making, we can either choose te aka tāepa [the loose vine] or te aka mātua [the deeply rooted vine],” said leader Joseph, Rangatahi.

The rangatahi have really embraced this opportunity and it shows in their accelerated progression. They demonstrate a tight bond despite coming from multiple schools throughout Hawke’s Bay, Wairoa and Mahia.

The wānanga environment has also brought their Māoritanga to the forefront, which was one of the goals of wānanga. Visiting facilitators have made assumptions that the participants were from kura kaupapa.

“I was stoked when Matua Don assumed that our rangatahi were kura kids, this reflects the language and customs they picked up by being in wānanga environments,” rangatahi support worker Sarah Pihema said.

The rangatahi have also learned more about mental health and sleep deprivation,

“I’ve learned that lack of sleep can have negative impacts on both your physical and mental health. When you don’t get enough sleep, you may be short-tempered, have trouble concentrating, and experience mood swings. Over time, a lack of sleep can contribute to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. It can also affect your ability to think clearly and make decisions,” leader Amaiah Rangatahi said.

Toi Matarua have teamed up with Omahu School and Radio Kahungunu to record some of the oriori and pūrakau learned during the project. They have retold them from the perspective of our tamariki and rangatahi to make them more relatable for today.

The audiobook will also include karakia, waiata and positive affirmations which will then be made available (for free) online for more rangatahi to have access to the recordings as “a tool to help our whānau sleep when they experience anxiety”.

If you are a young person based in Hawke’s Bay or have a young person in your whānau you’d like to get involved in the kaupapa, you can get in touch with TM via their website, www.toimatarua.com

Sarah Pitama is TOI MATARUA Rangatahi research lead