Tū Māia 2025 - Te Whanganui-ā-Tara Reflections

Doug Hauraki: I've been around this kaupapa since the first one was launched in 2021. For me, from a personal perspective, I always expect that once we've achieved one pinnacle of excellence, that we pursue more. I think again, it was one of Ta Wira's aspirations that if we're going to put people through an intensive course like this, whatever it is, 21 weeks, in wānanga, in webinar, then they should have something to show for their efforts and they should get accredited. We should continue to embellish each of the positive things around this kaupapa.

Nicola Hill: My expectation in coming into Tū Māia was that it would lift my capability in terms of my understanding of te ao Māori and a pathway forward for me beyond Tū Māia. We are in a phase of building capability after the restructure at Oranga Tamariki and I've been in a really lucky position where I'm helping our rōpu build capability generally. And so being here over these past few weeks when I'm doing that kind of mahi has meant I've been able to directly translate concepts I've been discussing with others here and apply them in my work. It’s exceeded my expectations in that way.

Sarah Richardson: I think one of my main highlights has been meeting other people that work for all Oranga Tamariki, especially social workers who are on the ground. So hearing about what their day-to-day is like, that's been a huge highlight. And I think just kind of challenging your own belief systems and your previous knowledge and the way you think about things has also been a highlight because we don't often do that.

Tabitha Bland: You know, we've all got different world views. And you, you know, to change the way that you think, sometimes you actually have to be open to learning to change. And we talk a lot about, you know, Māori being here before us. And it has had some impactful moments where I've gone, well, actually I was born here. But it also has made me question where abouts it is that I belong. Some of the learnings that I took from there was that actually, I do belong here. We all belong here. Those worlds can be intertwined rather than just one simple way. So I guess that's been a bit of a, there's been a bit of tension in that space for me and it has made me sort of sit and think about who I am.

Toni-Anna Ruawai: I think the biggest thing that I've learned is being able to open myself up a bit more to people who don't have the same understanding that I have of being Māori. Previously, I'd just be frustrated that people didn't understand and removed myself from those spaces. But I've realised that if you give people time and answer questions or even just give your own experiences, it often helps them to grow in their space. But it helps myself as well to actually to reflect on the things that used to frustrate me, to start learning about giving instead of just walking away.

Genae Thompson: Well, fundamentally the, the purpose of some of the activities or experiences that we give the tauira are based around our desire for them to put themselves in the position of some of the people that they're working with or trying to help.

Genae Thompson: Yesterday in terms of enhancing someone else's mana and then being able to take someone's mana away, that's a them problem, okay? Because they're not enhancing your mana and they're definitely not enhancing the mana of our language and what it is that we're trying to achieve with it.

John Taylor: The kōrero is awesome and, and I'm naturally curious and want to think about things in a somewhat linear and logical way, but also enjoy the larger picture. I knew that I was going to be challenged and I wanted to be challenged. It just gives me the appetite to want to learn even more.

Genae Thompson: We have had very different personal experiences in this space. Not one of our experiences is more important or relevant than the other. The regions are all very different, the roles that people have are all very different. And so sometimes the learning needs are very different as well. And so we've adapted a lot of our content to suit those individual needs of all of our learners. And I think it's gone really, it's gone really well-being able to do that.

Toke Betty: Our Ō Hoa Haere are a lot more tangible than you think and the ways to be able to kind of whakatinanatanga to embody those is really not that hard. But Tū Māia gives you an opportunity to kind of unpack that and see how you can do those things in the context of your mahi, which I think is really powerful. Because when you think about, you know, like your job descriptions and that always talk about like upholding the principles of Te Tiriti or the Treaty. Kaupapa like Tū Māia give you the opportunity to kind of almost workshop that stuff and unpack that stuff in real time with your peers who are also trying to figure that out. They're also on a similar journey.

Sarah Richardson: I don't think it's just a programme that Oranga Tamariki should do. I think it's probably something that the wider public service should do because if you look at, I don't know, Ministry of Justice and Corrections, yep Crown departments, we all have a responsibility to, you know, understand or be willing to understand and learn more.

Nicola Hill: I think it's means that you can more faithfully reflect te ao Māori values in practises and tikanga and all sorts of things that are critical. For me personally, it was my first opportunity to stay on a marae. So that was a really massive bonus of this programme for me.

Bruce Podmore: I think thinking about barriers, I think my, my only barriers is myself, my current level of understanding. And that's what I'm always trying to push by reading more, talking more, asking more questions and building. I've received more than I expected in terms of how far my knowledge has been extended in this short period of time in the various ways of learning that have been provided.

Genae Thompson: Seeing the penny drop on people's faces or just an expression that when something is said or really understood, you can see it's really changed something in them. It might be big, it might be small, but you know that they're sitting, they're listening, they're interpreting, and then they're also applying. It's knowing that a lot of the conversations that we have have changed something which might seem small but actually how they operate in the organisation is going to change forever because they've come up with that realisation or new train of thought all on their own through being through this.