Whānau Wellbeing - A tall and flourishing Kahikatea
“Te hei! Te Roroa o te tangata rite tonu ki te kahikatea”
“Behold! How tall the man that resembles the kahikatea”
This whakataukī refers to the origins of the name Te Roroa. To commemorate this significant whakatauki for Te Iwi o Te Roroa, the Nurture our Whakapapa (NOW) Wellbeing Framework is conceptualised as a tall, strong, and flourishing Kahikatea Tree. To learn more about the whakataukī, click here.
The Kahikatea is an indigenous tree known for its towering size, growing up to 50m tall. The Kahikatea traditionally held many uses for Māori. Its wood was used as rongoā (traditional healing practices), as tā moko ink, and to make hunting tools. The Kahikatea koroī (berries) were also an important food resource for Māori. Given its significance, the Kahikatea Tree is a meaningful metaphor for conceptualising whānai wellbeing.
We have also developed our own aspirations for whānau wellbeing in a whakatauākī:
Poipoia o tātou whānau kia tipu ake tātou, kia pakari, kia whai hua pēnei i te Kahikatea.
May we nurture our families so that we grow tall and fruitful like the Kahikatea.
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Nurturing from above
The ao (cloud) represents key principles needed to nurture whānau wellbeing effectively. These principles are Mātauranga (intergenerational knowledge), Whanaungatanga (meaningful connections), and Manaakitanga (respect and support for each other).
The ua (rain) represents how our whānau, hapū, and Iwi share these principles with us to water and feed our whānau wellbeing.
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Nurturing from within
Mātauranga (intergenerational knowledge), Whanaungatanga (meaningful connections), and Manaakitanga (respect and support for each other) also live within each of us as taonga (gifts), passed onto us by our tūpuna (ancestors). This is represented by the oneone (soil) and pakiaka (roots).
Being nurtured by the Mātauranga, Whanaungatanga, and Manaakitanga from our own whānau, hapū, and Iwi, we become nourished within ourselves. Then, we can feed our branches of whānau wellbeing (whānau, whenua, whakapapa).
Branches of whānau wellbeing
Our branches of whānau wellbeing include our whānau (our family), our whenua (our lands), and our whakapapa (our genealogy and cultural identity). These represent three key domains of whānau wellbeing.
By mobilising Mātauranga (intergenerational knowledge), Whanaungatanga (meaningful connections), and Manaakitanga (respect and support for each other), we can nurture our branches of wellbeing and achieve our whānau wellbeing aspirations. Whānau wellbeing aspirations are described below:
Whakapapa Aspirations
All whānau have a sense of belonging and connection with their Whakapapa, Te Roroatanga, Te Reo Māori, and Te Ao Māori.
Whenua Aspirations
Our Taiao is restored, and all whānau are strong kaitiaki for our Taiao (natural environments), practice sustainability in everyday life, are resilient to climate change and natural disasters, and live on a flourishing whenua papakainga (our ancestral homelands).
Whānau Aspirations
Our individual and collective health and wellbeing are nourished (in alignment with Te Whare Tapa Wha), our Tamariki are nurtured, our Kaumātua and Kuia are respected and supported, and all whānau are prosperous and thriving.
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