Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou

Kā Mihi Aroha

Māturuturu ana kā roimata ki a rātou kua whatukarokaro ana ki tua o Paerau. E rere atu ana kā tai o aroha ki a koutou kā whānau, ka urupā o rātou mā i tēnei wā.

Our thoughts and deepest sympathy are with whānau who have lost a loved one recently, including the whānau of Hineari Kathleen Daken, Bill Dacker, Wayne Parata, Maera Jane Pipiriki Duff, Taini Maremare Karu Jamison (née Royal) and Whaea Denise Smith. May each whānau find comfort in your memories and from those who surround you with love and care. For those who are in hospital or unwell at home we wish you a speedy recovery and return to good health.

Tītī season 2023

Raewyn Harris went down to Taukihepa from 15 March to 14 May. She prepped the house and surroundings, and when brother Tony arrived there were tracks and trees to cut and firewood to stock up. Whānau came and went at different times and included two of her moko who love being down there and a cousin from Hastings who thoroughly enjoyed the release from the storms back home. Russ went down on 29 April and stayed until the end of the season too. Raewyn is no longer able to nanao so sticks to torching (traditionally a rama was used). The weather was relatively fine, but rain fell in each 24-hour period. A late season, the birds started to run from 8 May, with a mixture of fluffy ones or those ready to fly. Raewyn came across a couple of birds with sticks in their bellies. They were good size, good birds, some too fat to fly. During the nanao birders found the holes to be long and deep, possibly due to a warm summer. Then there was the big blow, causing some birds to be seen even as far as Wānaka. Happily tired, Raewyn enjoyed the season but is glad to be home again before winter really hits. Also of note was that Ōtākou rakatahi Koreana Wesley-Evans made her debut trip to Pohowaitai, one of the islands she has rights to, with Oliver Dawson Jnr and his father, long time mutton birder extraordinaire Oliver (Og) Dawson, who in turn learned from his late uncles, Paul, Campbell and Bill Karaitiana.

Kai night at the Marae

April’s kai night dinner was held on April 24 in Hākuiao and featured Te Nukuroa o Matamata who gave a presentation on their mahi and aspirations beyond next year when their Jobs for Nature funding runs out. This was a good opportunity to not only enjoy Julz Asher’s kai (before she heads overseas for two months) but also to hear what our crew have been up to out at Te Nohoaka o Tukiauau. Leading the kōrero was rakatahi, Tūmai Cassidy and Paul Pope, Project Manager alongside 18 other toa taiao and kaimahi. The new owners of Penguin Place, Jerad and Ike also attended. It was great to meet them and ask about their aspirations for biodiversity and the ongoing regeneration of native bush etc.

Te Mana o Taiari with Dept of Conservation

On Tuesday 2 May Ōtākou hosted Te Mana o Taiari with the Department of Conservation (DOC) to engage Māori land shareholders, landowners and the farming community across the Taiari catchment.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the Ngā Awa Locals and Ngā Awa Nationals were held, which encompassed thought-provoking kōrero about the principles of good partnership and the mātauranga and freshwater work. A field trip to Nukuroa and the Taiari Mouth complemented the hui.

Sunrise at Ōtākou

The morning of Wednesday 17 May dawned with a brilliant sunrise, captured by Natalie Karaitiana on her way to Taurite Tū, kaumātua exercise programme.

Taurite Tū

The Taurite Tū balance exercise programme for kaumātua continues to spread throughout Aotearoa. On 17 May, 13 new rohe were represented on a training hui/wānaka held at Ōtākou Marae. Developed by Katrina Pōtiki Bryant, who holds a Bachelors in Physiotherapy and a Master of Physiotherapy from the School of Physiotherapy at Otago, Taurite Tū is a balance and strengthening exercise programme dealing with fall prevention which applies tactics drawn from the Māori worldview and traditional movement. One such approach involves the reshaping of old martial ways and moves to a contemporary therapeutic setting. Long before kapa haka began to receive popular attention, warriors used exercise including taiaha and poi movements as part of their rehabilitation. The 13 new rohe participating on the Taurite Tū training wānaka were Whangārei, Kahungunu, Napier, Hastings, Hamilton (Rauawaawa), Taranaki, Tauranga, Whanganui, Ngāti Waewae, Rāpaki / Ōtautahi, Central Otago (Uruuruwhenua) and Arowhenua.

A3K hui

A3 Kaitiaki Ltd and the Pirihimana from Whāngaia

Ngā Pā Harakeke ki Ōtepoti, enjoyed one of their regular two-day noho at Ōtākou marae 11 – 12 May. Each noho is designed to strengthen the relationship between local Kāi Tahu, Mātāwaka and the police in reducing family harm which is the mahi that they partner in.

Te Pānui Rūnaka

We welcome your whānau and personal pānui/news for including in our pānui to TPR. Please send your pēpi hou, your rongo mate or memorials, achievements in sports, education or other activities that build on the traditions or customary practices of your whānau or the rūnaka.

Attach your photos and send to office@tro.org.nz

Please make a caption and name people in each photo. Thank you.

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Ōtākou Marae website and contact information

Feel free to browse our website. Booking the marae for functions can be done online and is subject to any Covid restrictions http://www.otakourunaka.co.nz/#home-image or email office.@tro.org.nz or phone 03 478 0352.

Te Whatu Ora – Southern

On 15 and 22 May, Te Whatu Ora – Southern held two wānaka at Ōtākou for two groups of first-year practice nurses with allied health providers from public health services such as physiotherapy, and mental health services also attending. The nurses were attending cultural training as part of their New-Entrance to Practice programme after their graduation from Otago Polytechnic.

The agencies who spoke from the Māori Health Providers Panel were Mautai Dunlop, Rongowai Papuni and Reitū Cassidy from Te Oranga Tonu Tanga; Leisa Roos and Lisa Lindsay from Skillsec; Ria Brodie from Te Kāika; Matt Matahaere from Ōtākou Health Ltd, Claire Aitken from Moana House and Eleanor Russell from Te Ara Hauora Māori Health Unit at Dunedin Public Hospital.

Te Ara Hauora Māori Health has two kaiāwhina, Wendi Raumati and Eleanor Russell who can be contacted before or on arrival at the hospital. They will āwhina Māori patients with manaaki and tautoko so patients are well informed and have access to health professionals and referrals to agencies as mentioned above, that can meet their specific needs. They give cultural support kanohi ki te kanohi with karakia, mate Māori, mihi whakatau, wātea, waiata and facilitation with health professionals, including crisis intervention and conflict resolution. Wendi and Eleanor work to give understanding of te ao Māori within the systems and processes of Te Whatu Ora – Southern. They also give support and resources to empower health professionals at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, to add value to the health needs of their Māori patients.