The Honourable Tariana Turia, Minister for Whānau Ora visited Tuahiwi Marae on 23 August to launch the results of the Te Mana o te Whānau research project initiated by Te Waipounamu Māori Women’s Welfare League in 2009.

A successful collaboration between whānau, Te Rōpū Wāhine Māori Toko i Te Ora o Te Waipounamu (the League), members of the Māori Indigenous Health Institute (MIHI) and the Health Research Council (HRC), the project aimed to identify barriers and enablers in relation to health service providers and the corresponding impacts on whānau health and outcomes.
An initial pilot project undertaken by the taskforce members set the platform to extend the project and those contributions from wider whānau contributed to the final published research.

Those taskforce members included chair of the Ōtautahi League branch, Aroha Reriti-Crofts, Mere Wallace of the Te Aiorangi branch, Suzi Clarke, Ōtautahi, Barbara Greer and Valerie Henry, Rata, Myra Dick, Whakatū, Susan Wallace, Te Waipounamu region and Amber Clarke, project manager, Ōtautahi.

Minister Turia applauded the project and congratulated all the women involved.
“I’m a firm believer in Te Mana o te Whānau – that’s where our responsibility lies,” she said.
“I’m a great believer in Māori doing things for themselves. They (the Government), will never do for us what we can do for ourselves. No one will love our families like we do.”

The Māori Women’s Welfare League has an established reputation in research. Two previous research reports – Rapuora: Health and Māori Women (1984) and Tāne Ora (2007), are examples of their expertise in this area. ‘Rapuora’ particularly, was a significant report because it not only validated Māori-generated research but also moved away from standard health measures that focused on ill health and death, to build a comprehensive profile of Māori women in good health (measuring well-being, physical health, peace of mind, family, lifestyle and paid work).

A total of 52 participants from throughout Te Waipounamu, aged from 16 to 70-plus, took part in the Te Mana o te Whānau research, which focused on measuring Māori patient experiences, including responsiveness to Māori, communication and the inclusion of whānau in assessment and treatment; and Māori access to primary care.

Research findings have helped to identify key areas of health service provision that can be put in place at a funding and service level; and that in order to address health disparities in Te Waipounamu, there needs to be an ongoing commitment to reflecting on and reviewing how service provision influences patient and whānau outcomes.

“I think of my nanny and aunts who brought me up and how I never needed to visit a doctor until I was fifteen,” Minister Turia said.
“Everyone talks about Māori living in poverty but we need to realize that 80% of us are doing okay – and we need that 80% to step up and help the rest.

“We know we have a lot of work to do but we need faith in ourselves as tangata whenua. If we’re talking about our future, we have to be bold enough to believe in ourselves. If we believe in Te Mana o te Whānau, we need to practice it. We need to rely on ourselves first. This research will help and it has been a privilege to be asked to launch this work.”

Te Mana o te Whānau Taskforce Chairperson, Aroha Reriti-Crofts welcomes the Minister onto Tuahiwi Marae.

Te Mana o te Whānau Taskforce Chairperson, Aroha Reriti-Crofts welcomes the Minister onto Tuahiwi Marae.

Richard Wallace, Upoko Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio arrives at Tuahiwi Marae for the launch.

Richard Wallace, Upoko Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio arrives at Tuahiwi Marae for the launch.

The Honourable Tariana Turia, Minister for Whānau Ora (centre) is welcomed onto Tuahiwi Marae.

The Honourable Tariana Turia, Minister for Whānau Ora (centre) is welcomed onto Tuahiwi Marae.