Each year, Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu holds a Symposium to celebrate, learn and share the collective stories of Whānau Ora across Te Waipounamu (the South Island).

The 2023 Symposium, held across two days in Ōtautahi, is titled “Tēnei te Pō! Tēnei te Ao!” and focuses on the need to continually realign back to Kaupapa and whānau, and speaks to renewal, realignment, and restoration.

Returning to Māori systems creates space for Healthy Families Ōtautahi (and all other Healthy Families NZ locations) to mobilise mātauranga Māori that already exists in Māori communities for health prevention. The goal is for our mahi to utilise, experiment with, and learn how mātauranga Māori, knowledge and practices, are health prevention solutions.

Brandon Manuel, Māori Systems Innovator and Lawrence Tau, Systems Innovator, are attending “Tēnei te Pō! Tēnei te Ao!” on behalf of Healthy Families Ōtautahi. For Manuel, the Symposium gives him the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the impact of the Whānau Ora approach – “I’m excited to learn from expert practitioners, whānau, entrepreneurs and guest speakers as they share their stories with those in attendance. Ki ngā whakaeke haumi - Ally yourself with those who have already banded together. There is strength in numbers!”

To find out more, check out the website.

Article added: Thursday 21 September 2023