Manukura | Patricia Walsh

“Mā wai e kawe kawe ki tāwhiti

Māku e kī atu, e whae, mā matou ake tonu ake.

Who will convey the patterns of my chin to a faraway place?

In distant lands and times, who will remember me?

We will. Always. Forever.” (Te Awekotuku 1991:14)

Anei te mokopuna o Te Tairāwhiti

Hikurangi te maunga,

Waiapu te awa,

Te Kapa a Hinekopeka te marae,

Ngāti Puai me Te whānau a Pōkai ōku hapū,

He wāhine iti, Ngāti Ruawaipū me Ngāti Porou ōku iwi

Ko Tricia Walsh ahau.

Tricia is a proud māmā of four adult children and kuia to sixteen mokopuna. Tricia states being a mum and nanny are her greatest achievements, and she is proud and focussed on the responsibility these cultural roles demand of her. Tricia is most comfortable in the space of mahi tūkino, patu ngākau or soul wounds also known as trauma.

Tricia has her own experience of childhood maltreatment and has experienced all the negative outcomes associated with unresolved or unrestored mana and mauri. She has journeyed the pathways of addiction, domestic and sexual violence, abuse in state care and prisons. She shares that the state school system failed her, and she returned to education as a first chance adult student. On her pathway of learning she graduated as valedictorian of Te Whare Wānanga o Aotearoa Whirikoka Bi-Culturalism in practice Social Work degree. Tricia is currently writing a Master of Indigenous Study Thesis focussed on her own journey of healing and transformation. Tricia’s current role is Māori Community Engagement Lead, Survivor Experiences Service, Department of Internal Affairs.

Tricia is called to share her lived experience in many forums for others to learn or understand the social conditions and environments that contribute to addiction, mental health, and medical health conditions. Along with the conditions to support recovery, reclamation and wellbeing.

Tricia has also travelled the world sharing her lived experience and has been as far as Colombia, the Outback’s of Australia, Australian men’s and women’s prisons. She has also been key-note speaker at several international and national conferences.