Te Arai Rauhanga

Tu Tangata, Issue 35, 1 April 1987, Page 15

Te Arai Rauhanga

HAU O R A

how the body works to combat substance abuse

Te Arai Rauhanga is the first Maori group that is taking the initiative to address alcohol, drugs and solvent abuse. It is also a representative organisation of Maori people throughout New Zealand. It is seeking governmental support in order to continue the disbursement of government allocated funding.

It also promotes itself as the voice of the Maori people rather than be subjugated to the other organisations such as NS AD, Salvation Army, who are already in receipt of massive funding from governmental and other sources.

It encourages and promotes policy for treatment and health promotion, or alternatives to the misuse, abuse and excessive use of alcohol.

Te Arai Rauhanga wants government agencies’ attitudes to change toward “community care” programmes. At present, these community based groups are seen as a cost saving facility. As many of the “community care” groups rely on voluntary helpers, the government needs to recognise that the interest for these groups must be at a high level. The lack of a secure funding base is a problem of major proportions for many voluntary services.

Te Arai Rauhanga, as a national representative body, is asking that all funding from governmental sources relating to alcohol and substance abuse be handed over to the national body for disbursement and monitoring.

Te Arai Rauhanga has existed for one year during which it has been networking and developing regionally based units working in the area of alcohol and substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation.

Groups such as Te Kotahitanga o nga Morehu, a Wellington-based group that has strong religious and spiritual bases, Te Rohe Potae, based in Waikato, and Te Ao Marama, in Murihiku, Southland, South Island, are all part of the national body of Te Arai Rauhanga.

Te Ara Hou Auckland based. Te Kotahitanga-O-Ngaa Morehu

has applied to the appropriate body to become an incorporated society. It is based in Wellington and is being developed as a retreat for Maori Whanau Groups to “rekindle the family fires” as a further means of rehabilitation. Again emphasis is placed on a Maori approach and in this respect the role and function of the Ringatu Church will play an important part. It is hoped that similar organisations will be formed within the ranks of the Ratana and Paimarire Churches who, like the Ringatu are Maori in concept, but Christian based, finding their derivations in both the Old and the New Testaments.

This is the host body for all national huis.

Te Rito Arahi is also an incorporated society and has its base in Christchurch. Within this organisation, emphasis is put on the training and promotion of counsellors proficient in the handling of children and youths who indulge in glue sniffing, pill popping and drug abuse, as well as those with alcohol problems.

Te Rapurapu Oranga is based in

Dunedin and specialises in dealing with the courts, police and related agencies, their major focus being dealing with children, youths and their families.

Te Ao Maarama is an incorporated society based in Invercargill’s Kew Hospital, their speciality programme being that of assessment.

In Nelson John Hippolite is in the process of developing an Outdoor Pursuits Programme. John has considerable experience in this field.

Each group will establish itself in its own specialist field. When they have become proficient they then train personnel from other areas. The setting up of a network of training facilities in this way ensures accountability, quality control, the choice of suitable

personnel, a mass of diverse community resources, utilisation of what is available with minimal expenditure, a sales package that is acceptable to the “system” and the “client”. It also ensures that at this formative stage at least, there is no duplication of services, avoiding a duplication of costs, thereby ensuring cost effectiveness.

Oh yea, Oh yea Troubles right here Won’t you please say when Won’t you please say when Yea Oh yea, Oh yea Troubles right here Won’t you please say when Won’t you please say when Yea Isn’t that enough, Oh yea Number four drink has come and gone Well my darling dear one Turn back to me Hold me right now Just a little is so right I am hurting down inside Oh yea From this your constant drinking Push it out, yea Hold me close Oh my dear love I am satisfied, yea Gently caress me who is crying now I’ll always love you for evermore And stand forever by your side Oh my darling dear one Oh my darling dear one A little is enough Enough A little is enough Isn’t that enough, Oh yea Number four drink has come and gone Well my darling dear one Turn back to me Hold me right now Just a little is so right