Whakapakari Hunga Tautoko Project

Manaakitanga and Tino Rangatiratanga represent the whare roof, ensuring the project design/development and the subsequent solution will be inclusive, mana-enhancing, nurturing, protective, and able to lead in all aspects.

Pono sits at the top of the pou ensuring truth and integrity are central to the project and the subsequent solution, with Whanaungatanga strengthening all, through shared connections and common understandings.

Tika is the opening to the whare ensuring that the project and solution are fair, true, and appropriate. The window represents Whakarongo representing the value of listening with intent, empathy, and listening to understand.

Kaitiakitanga and Pukengatanga are the walls of the whare.  Kaitiakitanga ensures that Māori rights are actively protected, throughout the project and solution, through honorable conduct, fair processes, robust consultation, and good decision-making.  Pukengatanga supports skills development and knowledge acquisition throughout the project and beyond.

Overall the framework is grounded in Aroha ki te tangata (Love for the people).

“Iti rearea teitei kahikatea ka taea”
(Although small, even a sparrow can ascend the lofty heights of the tallest Kahikatea tree)

The title “Pou Tārearea” finds basis within the Māori creation story.

All the children of Rangi (Sky Father) and Papa (Earth Mother) were each assigned duties of care and wellbeing for every aspect of the world’s environment. It became apparent that the four basic elements of ALL life - Earth, Air, Fire, Water, were being stifled within their parent’s refusal to break their embrace. It hampered the true performance and full potential of each child’s role in the environment. The choice was simple; their parents had to be separated – using force if necessary.  Every child knew this to be the right course of action and yet, some refused. Some of Rangi and Papa’s children decided to separate their parents to allow light to come into the world, this started a war with their siblings who wanted Rangi and Papa to remain together. Tane led the tranche to bring light and improved light into the world.

Tane’s whare was a staging post in this quest, where the battle plans were decided, and orders remitted to the Officers Commanding and dispatched to the frontlines from the Māhau Tārearea a Māui-a-Taranga. Māui assembled the messengers on the māhau of Tane’s whare and chose the most appropriate messengers and messages, containing vital coordination information to the frontline.  Assembled on the māhau of the whare, and chosen specifically by Maui to deliver these messages, an appropriate bird for the appropriate environment in which the bird would be travelling to ensure it would successfully complete its mission. Dependent upon the time (day or night), the terrain (land or water), a specialist bird – Pou Tārearea – was chosen as the courier.

Like Maui’s messenger birds, the Pou Tārearea play a vital role in dispatching and delivering important information to help in the coordination and achievement of effective services for tamariki and their whānau. Identified for their strengths and skills, the Pou Tārearea gather their information on the māhau, based on expert clinical leadership and direction that is tailored to the needs of those at the frontline, working and walking alongside whanau.

As with the Māori creation story where Tane led the course of action for improved health and wellbeing outcomes to the children of Rangi and Papa; the Pōu Tārearea, selected because of their clinical expertise and leadership, work at the frontline to support the Tamariki Ora sector.

Te Māhau Tārearea o Tamariki Ora derives its name from the Māhau Tārearea a Māui-a-Taranga, a staging post in Tane’s quest to separate his parents Ranginui and Papatuanuku. Within the whare, battle plans were decided, then on the Māhau Tārearea a Māui-a-Taranga orders were remitted to the Officers Commanding and dispatched to the frontlines.

Likewise, Te Māhau Tārearea o Tamariki Ora is the place where vital information is assembled and then dispatched to the frontline. This important information is provided to help in the coordination and achievement of effective services for tamariki and their whānau. Te Māhau Tārearea o Tamariki Ora is a central gathering place, based on leadership and mātauranga that is tailored to the needs of those kaimahi at the frontline, working and walking alongside whānau.

As with the Māori creation story where Tane led the course of action for improved health and wellbeing outcomes to the children of Rangi and Papa; Te Mahau Tārearea o Tamariki Ora is a foundation of mātauranga for the Tamariki Ora sector designed to help achieve their goals of a healthier future for pēpi and tamariki, and support for strong, healthy, empowered whānau.