Levin woman shares her tragic story to expectant mothers at wānanga

A Levin woman who lost her youngest son to cot death shared her story with a group of expectant mothers at the weekend as a way of honouring his memory.

Tatiana Brown said she had seldom talked about the loss of her son - her youngest of five children.

"I lost my youngest son to cot death. My baby was three months old...he would have been 25 this year," she said.

"His name was Hamiora Tamati Brown."

Her bravery in sharing her story supported the kaupapa of a wānanga held at Matau Marae where 16 wahakura, a safe sleeping space made from harakeke, woven by pregnant women and whānau, were made.

Ms Brown said she wanted to support pregnant women in making the traditional safe sleeping device, and felt by sharing her story of loss that there was light coming from what was a dark experience.

"When I saw the kaupapa behind it...it is the reason why I am here," she said.

"I thought it was important to share my journey and to encourage them to be brave and to make this taonga and have baby sleep beside you. For Māori, you want to sleep with them and you want to nurture them..."

"It's my contribution to the kaupapa."

Ms Brown said she was happy there were wānanga that addressed the issues surrounding Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI) and the opportunity it gave mothers to talk about these issues.

"As a Māori mother I didn't know how to deal with the grief. So I didn't. But you shouldn't bottle it up...we need to kōrero. We need these conversations to happen freely," she said.

Ms Brown said it was just the third time she had opened up about the loss of her son.

"I am here to weave for him," she said, and would now make a wahakura for her eldest son and his partner who were expecting their first child.

Ms Brown donated the wahakura she made to Mokopuna Ora and said she hoped by sharing her story it would help others.

"I hope so. I hope so," she said.