Manukura | Tui Taurua
Published:
July 25, 2024
He kāhui kuaka ki te rangi, he kāhui waka ki te moana.
Honouring kaimahi Māori in the lived experience workforce.
The kuaka migration is linked to ancestral navigation, the journey of tūpuna back to Hawaiki and links us to other indigenous people. Kuaka nest in Alaska and migrate to Aotearoa.
Te Whāriki o te Ara Oranga is honouring the contribution of Manukura who have committed to pursuing equity and justice for tangata whenua within the mental health and addiction systems. We are privileged to recognise and tautoko the mahi of a tireless wahine toa, Tui Taurua.
To Fly – Tui Taurua
What a journey
To move unfettered by fear
A long time coming
The wind in my hair
No longer held by
Locks and chains
Like the eagle soaring
The voice unleashes
I’m flying!!
Key to Tui’s recent mahi has been advocating for the abolishment of the Mental Health Act, which disproportionately impacts the rights of tangata whenua. In conversation with Reena Kainamu, Tui speaks to the mahi:
The Mental Health Act legislation, inclusive of the repeal process highlights injustices, racism, stigma, and discrimination. The key to abolishing the implementation of the Mental Health Act begins through the transformation of the workforce through disempowering the dominate westernised clinical culture of health practice.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Indigenous and Human Rights inclusive of the United Nations Conventions are declarations that highlight our right to expect this evolution to take place.
The peer support workforce within clinical, community, NGO’s, iwi based, DHB’s, Emergency Departments is fundamental to this transformation. It is this philosophy that motivates my initiative to include Te Whāriki o te Ara Oranga.
My board and governance roles include:
1. Equally Well Strategic Leadership Group and the Ngā Waka o Matariki Equally Well Māori physical health strategy rōpū.
2. Mental Health in Emergency Departments: Australian College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM).
3. Te Kōtuku e Rere: COVID-19 Directorate, Ministry of Health, Community Advisory Committee.
4. Māori Mental Health Lived Experience Advisor: Advisory Groups e.g., Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, Te Kete Pounamu/Te Pou, Te Tai Tokerau Lived Experience voices.
5. Te Hiringa Hauora/Nōku te Ao: Interim Governance Rōpū, The Chair.
6. Māori Mental Health Lived Experience Advisor: Synergia Ltd.
7. Kaikaranga, Ahi Kaa, Te Tiriti o Waitangi Marae.
Central to Tui Taurua’s mahi in mental health and addiction are; health equity for Māori; the Tāngata Whaiora lived experience movement and; the Tāngata Whaiora workforce. As a wahine toa, Tui Taurua understands distinct equity gaps that exist for wāhine and for Pasifika peoples too.
I refer back to the whakataukī – He kāhui kuaka ki te rangi, he kāhui ki te moana.
The kuaka migration speaks to ancient navigations systems in successfully charting the journey to homelands, tūpuna and ourselves.
