Health student embraces rural Northland challenges and ties to study midwifery

Midwifery student Eloise Matete, from Mangamuka, pictured with 1-day-old whānau member Kasey Jay Marshall-Baker, says midwifery is fascinating to learn. Photo / Denise Piper

Midwifery student Eloise Matete hopes to prove to others that studying something you are passionate about is possible, even if you’re from rural Northland.

Matete (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Porou) has just received a $5000 scholarship from Rural Women NZ, as part of a Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora initiative to support rural health students.

The funding will go on study costs, as she is halfway through a four-year degree to be a midwife.

Coming from Mangamuka, a lot of those costs involve travel and Matete has temporarily moved her family to Whangārei while she completes a five-week placement at the region’s largest hospital.

Matete said having her two children, now aged 5 and 9, was a huge motivation to get into midwifery.

“I always wanted to do something in health but I didn’t know what part ... It wasn’t until I had my own kids and had family members that were midwives that the fire was sparked,” the 29-year-old said.

“I had my two babies in Christchurch and it was really hard to find a Māori midwife there; that sparked my passion as well but I wanted to come up here to do it - and it’s been amazing to come home and learn from the Māori midwives and rural midwives.”

Matete said having both children at school has made study a bit easier than if she had younger children, but she admitted it would not be possible without the support of whānau.

On top of the $5000 Rural Women scholarship, she has been helped financially by Te ara ō Hine, a Health NZ initiative to support and increase Māori and Pasifika midwifery students.

Being Māori and from a rural area is an important part of the holistic care Matete is learning to offer parents-to-be.

This includes reassuring parents if a mother from a rural area has to be transferred to Whangārei Hospital to have their baby - a place which can feel quite foreign, she said.

Extra skills are needed to be a rural midwife, Matete said.

“I noticed when I was on placement in Hokianga, the midwives there have to learn these skills because sometimes they don’t have a doctor then and there - they’ve got to use their skills in the moment until that help gets there.”

With Māori whānau, it is about being able to relate to them, she said.

“It’s important with whakapapa, being able to bring tikanga into birthing spaces and allowing whānau to make the decisions for themselves.”

Matete said the $5000 scholarship will not only help with study costs, it has also given her more incentive to keep studying.

She hopes to also inspire other Northlanders, who have been thinking about studying in health, to give it a go.

“I’m proof that it can work.

“We’ve got amazing support here in Te Tai Tokerau with the other midwives and clinical educators,” Matete said.

“Also, it’s needed: we need more health professionals in Northland, in rural areas, especially those that are Māori.”

Matete was one of 27 students awarded scholarships through the Rural Women programme.

Other Northland recipients are: Cynthia Otene, from Okaihau, studying a PhD in health sciences; Marie Baker, from Kawakawa, studying applied counselling; Summer Neho, from Kaitāia, and Rose Foster, from Mangonui, both studying nursing; Katey Milne, from Kerikeri, studying medicine; and Terangi Dunn-Leef, from Northland, Catherine Tohu, from Kawakawa, and Lily Oliver, from Kerikeri, studying midwifery.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.