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Chairperson Reports

From Chairperson Te Aitarakihi Whenua Trust

Tēnā koutou e te whanau o Te Aitarakihi

Mānawatia ā Matariki – as we enter the Matariki phase it is timely to reflect on the year that has passed and set goals for the new year ahead of us. A perfect time to give you an update from Te Aitarakihi Whenua Trust (the Whenua Trust) and our goals as we enter a new phase.

The Whenua Trust is the Kaitiaki for the Māori Reservation known as Te Aitarakihi and set apart for the purpose of a marae-a-iwi/multicultural centre. In simple terms we are the grandparent body that protects the land and resources owned by Te Aitarakihi. In the past four years Te Aitarakihi has gone through a period of growth and development and to accommodate this Te Aitarakihi Society Incorporated was set up to manage the day to day running of Te Aitarakihi facilities, projects and business.

Our goal going forward is to build a database of beneficiaries (whanau members that are part of the Mātaawaka community in the Aoraki rohe) and to provide hui to inform and inspire whanau. There is a special general meeting scheduled for 9 August. This is a great opportunity for you to let us know what aspirations you have and what support the Whenua Trust can provide for beneficiaries.

Raeleen de Joux

Chairperson Te Aitarakihi Whenua Trust.

From Chairperson Te Aitarakihi Society Incorporated:

Kia ora e te whānau ngā mihi o te tau hou Māori.

Mānawatia a Matariki.

Karakia ki a Matariki

Matariki te tipua

Matariki te tawhito

Matariki te wairua

Mai ngā ira atua

Ki te ira tangata

Tihei mauri ora!!!

Well, our combined successes and collaborations continue to whanake!!

It has been another busy time at Te Aitarakihi, and I would like to acknowledge once again the input and dedication from Rōpū Taumata, Whenua Trust, Poari, kaimahi, kaiako, tūao, and our Whānau whānui, what a team, what great success and input into Te Aitarakihi’s ongoing success!!

Since our last newsletter, we have held a successful Te Aitarakihi AGM and from that, we have retained all our dedicated board members, I look forward to working with the team over the next year to continue to grow and guide Te Aitarakihi into the new year.

We have continued to connect and to collaborate with others to grow our deliverables across our rohe and have held many pōwhiri to welcome new whānau.

Some of the recent pōwhiri have been to welcome Whare Manaaki and Noaia Trust, both of which we are connecting with to build new relationships, to share our knowledge and learn from their successes in the support of our whānau, we also have had pōwhiri to welcome new learners to our marae-a-iwi that are taking the opportunity to grow their mātauranga of Reo and Te Ao Māori, to our dedicated kaiako - Kia ora tautou!

One of our recent pōwhiri was of great recognition and acknowledgment, for not only did we welcome new kaimahi and tūao to Te Aitarakihi, we also blessed the new whenua next door that Alliance Smithfield have partnered with us and have given Te Aitarakihi the opportunity to use their land for our community garden project! This is going to ensure we can provide fresh kai to our whānau and it also gives us an area we can teach and help other whānau learn new skills that will see other gardens flourish in our rohe.

This is the type of collaboration and community connection that is seeing Te Aitarakihi’s reputation and deliverables to our community reach new heights and I thank Alliance Smithfield for their support and generosity and look forward to continuing our partnership for the betterment of both of our organisations and of that of our whānau whānui across our takiwā.

Te Aitarakihi board and kaimahi continue to work towards development plans for a new whare to be connected to the east end of our wharekai, to accommodate our growth and help us to host and deliver more and larger events for our community, this exciting work is being led by the Building and Development committee, and I mihi to the tiamana Karl Te Raki for this ongoing work.

I have also met with He Manu Hou’s tiamana Leticia Glover and we are committed to continue to build on a strong relationship between the Incorporated Society and HMH, so we all grow, support and develop our organisations outputs together for all of our whānau whānui!

Noho haumaru, noho mahana ora mai.

Damon Odey,

Chairperson Te Aitarakihi Soc. Inc

Taumata

Nei rā te mihi o te Tau Hou Māori, ara, ko Matariki, ki a tātou katoa e noho mai nei i raro i te Maru o Aoraki. Mānawatia Matariki ✨ Matariki, Matariki, e ara e✨

Our Taumata group continues to be consulted in all kaupapa relevant to the whānau whānui o Te Aitarakihi, to ensure the adherence to Tikanga, as we head into the second half of 2022. Some events that have featured Taumata involvement have included:

• Pōwhiri to other mātaawaka marae, namely Te Whare Manaaki from Te Tai Poutini, and Noaia from Tuahiwi, plus Pōwhiri to visiting groups and dignitaries

• Te Whakapaitanga o te Māra Kai - Blessing of the vegetable garden for te whānau whānui o Te Aitarakihi, which was also attended by rangatira, Rino Tirikatene.

• Involvement in Ki te Whai Ao Cultural Competency Professional Development facilitated by Naresha Waa and her team.

• Hui with members of the Te Aitarakihi Soc Inc. who have taken on areas of responsibility and wanting Taumata endorsement.

• Matariki is here with us at this time and we are able to celebrate this most significant time of the year to allow whānau to reflect on our loved ones who have passed and the memories we shared, to celebrate with our loved ones, who surround us here and now with kai & aroha, and to make a plan for the future to sustain and improve wellbeing and positive relationships. So grateful that it is acknowledged with mana as a national holiday!

Mānawatia a Matariki

Nō reira,

Mā te Atua tātou e tiaki, e manaaki i o tātou kainga maha i tēnei Wāhanga o te Hotoke.

Mauri Ora.

Kaumātua

It has been a very quiet period for our kaumātua outside of our Taumata group, who are opting to stay close to home, due to the still ever-present risk of COVID and now the added Influenza virus starting to hit our whānau. Many thanks to those services, namely Whakahononga Hāpori, who pop in from time to time to check on our kaumatua to ensure they are ok and if their needs are being met. Ngā mihi nui rawa atu koutou ko Brenda, Haami & Leana

He Rawe!!!

Te Aitarakihi Kapa Haka

After a long break period due to COVID kapa haka recommenced on the 11th of April 2022. With an influx of new members joining, we have around 50-60 attending weekly practices, varying in ages from kaumātua to mokopuna.

Te Aitarakihi kapa haka have structured practices each week, which includes, vocal and breathing training, warm up waiata, action and feet timing, breakdown and pronunciation of words, splitting wāhine/tāne to learn respective poi, haka and rākau.

New waiata/haka are being taught during practice times as well as practicing in their own time.

To date so far, kapa haka practice was canceled twice on 18/04/22 and 13/06/22 due to tutors being unwell.

On the evening of June 23rd 2022, Te Aitarakihi kapa haka performed at Timaru South School Matariki Celebration and on Friday 29 July for Timaru District Council.

Plans are afoot in the near future of splitting into two rōpū: Whakangahau (entertainment) and Whakataetae (competitive). This will enable different standards of kapa haka for those who want the enjoyment and entertainment and for others who know and want to push themselves to the standard of competitive level kapa haka.

Ngā mihi o te tau hou Māori

What’s on at Te Aitarakihi

We have been fortunate enough to have been able to continue with our Kia Piki te Reo educational classes over the last few months. There was a couple of interruptions with the delivery but that is the nature of the world we are living in at the moment. Term 3’s classes are full and underway.

Next term’s Te Reo Māori classes are still being worked out. Register your interest and we will let you know what the plan is once it is confirmed. Register interest here or email Julie at admin@teaitarakihi.co.nz

Te Aitarakihi events/courses coming up:

Kia Piki te Reo: Whaikōrero

• held every 2nd Wednesday during term time

• Men only. Taking our tāne through the art of whaikōrero

• No specific course start or end date, simply register and come along to learn your whaikōrero

• For Whaikōrero, register here: Whaikorero registration

If you aren’t yet a member, please fill out the membership form: Te Aitarakihi membership

Tāne Ora is a health and wellbeing group for tāne only (men only). This rōpū meet alternative Wednesdays starting with kai at 5.30pm. Their next gathering will be Wednesday 17 August (runs on alternative weeks to our whaikōrero class) and is open to any men wanting to attend - no RSVP is necessary.

Tīpuna Parenting wānanga 25-26 August facilitated by Brainwave Trust. 2 x one day wānanga to enhance our parenting and parenting experiences.

Te Kīwai – Rangitahi programme – during the first week of the school holidays 3-7 October. More information will be available in the coming weeks.

Additionally, we have our Ki Te Whai Ao – Glimmer of Dawn, Professional Development in Cultural Competency running three more times this year, the next one in August. There is a cost associated with this course. Pānui/flyer in at the end of this newsletter. Details are:

• Day 1, Whanaungatanga – Building connection and understanding Tikanga – Māori world view; Te Takiwā – Local history or our area; Te Reo – Basic reo Māori and pronunciation

• Day 2, Te Titiri o Waitangi – Understanding both sides; Ngā Hua ō Mua – The impacts of our NZ history; Mana Ōrite – Equity and critical consciousness; Te Reo – Basic reo Māori and pronunciation

• Day 3, Kawa Whakaruruhau – Cultural safety; Hanga Arawhata – Building bridges; Whāinga Whakautu – Response planning

We are working on further wānanga that will be run from our Centre and will update you when they are confirmed.

For any questions regarding any of our classes/wānanga, please contact Julie on 027 684 7906 or admin@teaitarakihi.co.nz

Te Aitarakihi Whenua Trust SGM - 12pm, 9 August

Tīpuna Parenting Wānanga 25 - 26 August

Ki Te Whai Ao

To register and book your spot, please contact Julie at admin@teaitarakihi.co.nz

Dates for upcoming programmes are, 5, 12 & 19 August & 28 Oct, 4 & 11 September

2023 dates are coming . . . watch this space. . .

Kaiwhakahononga Hapori

Hāmi Goldsmith, Brenda Warren, Leana Edwards – Kaiwhakahononga Hapori (Community Connectors)

• Tautoko whānau access online service and fill out government forms/applications

• Make appointments with service providers

• Refer whānau to appropriate agencies

• Link whānau in with a range of services depending on needs

• Provide support-related information and advisory services to whānau

• Kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) hui with specialised agencies

• We can meet at your whare, marae, wherever you or your whānau feel comfortable

• Gather information and promote the service available at Te Aitarakihi

• Meet regularly with the Community, Government and Non–Government agencies, District Councils and other provider networks.

• We have our Kaiwhakahaere who can support with whakapapa.

You can contact our Kaiwhakahononga Hapori on the following

Brenda: brenda@teaitarakihi.co.nz or 027 286 8885

Hāmi: hami@teaitarakihi.co.nz

Leana: leana@teaitarakihi.co.nz

Arowhenua Whānau Services

Arowhenua Whānau Services Timaru clinic is located at Te Aitarakihi and is available to anyone in the community to access and utilise. For any enquiries, please contact AWS on 03 615 5180.

Currently the Te Aitarakihi clinic is open on Mondays and Fridays, but you are welcome to drop in to speak to the kaimahi on site on those days.

Collaborative Garden Project

This collaboration garden between Te Aitarakihi and Alliance has been in discussion for the past 12 months as in extension to the existing raised gardens that we have and the pātaka that we have installed, which will boost the community food intake.

It also gives us a space to have our whānau and Te Aitarakihi volunteers to gain work experience by gardening and learning how to plant, but not only that we are gardening by the moon which has been practised through the ages. Through observation and experience, gardeners will have learned that seeds and plants grow more quickly during some parts of the months than others.

Thank you to the Taumata group members, especially Whaea Ani, Matua Hohepa and Matua Dave Ormsby for the blessing of our gardens and giving thanks to the land the kai will be growing in. After walking around and seeing the new garden that will flourish, we sang a beautiful waiata in closing.

Mihi to Jo Luxton and Rino Tirikatene for being a part of our journey, to our sponsors who have given us the equipment and knowledge to start the garden and the greater community who came along and celebrated our new journey.

Noaia Trust

We had the wonderful experience of having Noaia Trust co-founders and kaimahi to visit us here at Te Aitarakihi.

Noaia was only formed three years ago, they have very little infrastructure, but have an amazing amount of activity happening for their whānau and rangatahi - like mind-blowing amount of stuff.

We were able to have kōrero on developing sustainable pathways within their wider community. Noaia has an employment and training kaupapa connecting tauira to whānau, hapū, whenua, mātauranga and mahi.

The programmes to offer are Mana Whakapapa (personal identity), Mana Hauora (self awareness), Mana Kaitiaki (Guardianship), Mana Māturanga (enhanced skills).

We had a kōrero about how both Noaia and Te Aitarakihi could work together in a whānau mahi programme and delivering this to the community. Still in early days but we are excited to get the ball rolling and educating our whānau by giving them the life skills that can give them jobs and contributing to their community.

Please check out their website on: https://noaia.co.nz/ for more information

Ngā mihi nui

The Board and management of Te Aitarakihi would like to acknowledge our generous funders and supporters for their contributions. Their support allows Te Aitarakihi to continue supporting our local community: