First Annual Conference of Maatua Whangai

Tu Tangata, Issue 20, 1 October 1984, Page 25

First Annual Conference of Maatua Whangai

by Te Paki Cherrington

— he first Annual Conference of Maatua Whangai was held at Taumarunui from 24th to 27th July 1984. Over 200 hundred people registered for this historic first. The people were housed and cared for with aroha by the tangata whenua of Ngapuwaiwaha and Wharauroa marae.

The mihi, when the manuhiri from Kaitaia to Invercargill arrived, was notable for the manner of people who wished to speak. The 14 speakers for the manuhiri included Ossie Huata, John Rangihau, Joe Matete, Joe Karatai, Matiu Andersen, Bill Ohia, Toko Pompey, Graeme Armstrong, and Brian Manchester.

An interesting situation arose when Hikaia Amohia gave the pakeha manuhiri the right to stand and speak in English. There followed a series of speakers “leaping up" one after another in quick succession so they were not speaking after the English speaking pakeha. Their own kawa would prevent them from doing so, some intending speakers did not speak at all after pakeha manuhiri stood.

The opening mihi concluded with the planting of three trees two kowhai and one olive symbolising the historic “marriage” between the Department of Social Welfare, the Department of Maori Affairs and the Department of Justice who were attending by invitation.

The olive tree had special significance for Maori people. It was propogated by one brought back from Crete in 1971 when the 28th Maori Battalion made a pilgrimage overseas with survivors and relatives of those Maori men who died in World War 11.

On 24th July, 1984 the official opening had in attendance Mrs Georgina Kirby, President of the Maori Women's Welfare League, Mr Ngamaru Raerino, Maori Co-ordinator for the Alcoholic Liquor Advisory Council and senior departmental officials from the three departments.

Mr Neville Baker, in the absence of Mr T. Reedy, gave the opening address. He commented on the rise of schemes with a maori value base such as Kohanga Reo, Maatua Whangai, Maori International, and wananga on various issues, with the most significant being Kohanga Reo which had mobilised Maori children, Maori parents, Maori families, and politicians.

He felt that in the social work field especially we must move into other options. Young people who become clients

of Social Welfare and Justice must have their economic and cultural needs met. He warned of the difference between urban Maori and rural Maori. The urban young Maori of today often looks upon the city as his or her turangawaewae and trips to rural marae can only be palliatives.

He felt Maatua Whangai was very much underestimated by the professionals. He felt we must see people as a whanau, and as a tribe. He too felt this conference to be most important since it was the first time the government departments were participating with a shared set of objectives.

He felt we would take the “quantum leap” in the next four to five years or we would simply remain where we are at present.

Other speakers commented on the opening address including the Senior Sergeant Geoff Brand of the Taumarunui Police who dispelled many of the myths and misconceptions about the so-called “curfew” in Taumarunui. There had never even been a blanket curfew in Taumarunui and the exercise had never been an experiment. At all times there had been close co-operation and consultation with various maori

organisations including Taumarunui Maatua Whangai. On the 25th July, 1984 after an address by Koro Wetere the new Minister of Maori Affairs, the conference dispersed to five venues and five workshop groups to discuss: (a) In what ways can the partnership with the community be improved? Consider and clarify the roles of the community the core-management the departments. (b) What specific goals should be established for Maatua Whangai.

The opening address of the plenary session was made by Mr Albie Williams who saw Maatua Whangai as being threatening for people in bureaucracies. He felt it was new, innovative, and historic in that it was a process of

renewal, a sharing of power, and the re-establishing of the power of the whanau. Those who do not know the past, he felt, were condemned to make the same mistake.

The remits for the plenary session are too numerous to mention. However I personally would make the following observations:

1. Maatua Whangai is here to stay and it will probably transform the Department of Social Welfare. Maatua Whangai is a centuries old concept which must be fully understood by Maatua Whangai workers. It is a holistic approach based on whanau and maori values.

It is a wide concept which embraces the physical, mental, spiritual, recreational, artistic, cultural and economic aspects of the nurturing of a human being. If Maatua Whangai Workers do not understand fully the concept then they will probably do more harm than good.

2. It is a scheme which entails the true sharing of power with the community so that the governmental agencies become part of the decision making not the total agent of decision making.

3. The scheme must have the backing of the community. Consultation between Social Welfare, Maori Affairs, and the maori community must be continuous. 4. Maatua Whangai must be given a status of its own so as to remove the “cap in hand” stance to Social Welfare. Finance must be available more readily than at present. At present finance is available often at the whim or values of particular senior Social Welfare officials.

5. The process of gaining the confidence of the Maori Community must be thorough both in philosophical terms and in human terms.

6. Maori organisations such as the New Zealand Maori Women’s Welfare League, New Zealand Maori Artists and Writers, New Zealand Maori Wardens, and others must be utilised and made an integral part of the scheme.

7. The use and support of kaumatua must be given its proper priority. 8. It is obvious that the scheme will in

future have its greatest effect in the field of preventive social work. 8. Support groups are an integral part of the scheme. 9. It was obvious that Maatua Whangai is at different stages of development in different parts of the country. It would seem that there is more development

taking place in urban areas but perhaps this is rightly so because the urban areas hold the greater percentage of Maori people and their casualties. 10. It is possible for pakeha people to be part of the scheme but only so long as they agree to accept the maori value system behind the scheme, state of mind attitude are most important.

For me the conference was exciting and confirming. It made me eager to return to Mangere and continue the creative community development which is taking place in the area. Highlights of the conference for me would have been the rise of Canon “Maatua Whangai” (Wi Huata), the discussions with the tangata whenua of the marae particularly the cooks, the growing awareness of maori values by pakeha people, and the warmth and cooperation generated at the conference.

I feel it most important that this become an annual event and that there be more communication between different Maatua Whangai areas.