This presentation will enable participants to explore some of the key principles and beliefs that underpin a Māori worldview, and then see how these notions serve to inform perspectives about - and implications of - youth suicide, and are therefore necessary in guiding responsivity when a suicide occurs. Presentation by Tokararangi Totoro, Tuti Katene, Miriama Te Karu, Aroha Dawson, Sonja Macfarlane, Ministry of Education: Special Education at the 2009 SPINZ National Symposium: Culture and Suicide Prevention in Aotearoa: http://www.spinz.org.nz/page/108-events-archive+spinz-national-symposium-2009+symposium-coverage

1. Ki tua o te ārai
Haere ki tua o te arai
Ki te wahi ngaro
Ki te wahi okiokinga
Ki te moenga mutunga kore
Ki te timatanga
Ki te mutunga
Ki te ringa kaha o aitua
Ki te poho ō to tatou
Matua i te Rangi
Hei arataki hei arahi
Na Tuti Katene tēnei kōrero..

2. Kaikaranga from both sides, calling to each other to
exchange information, to establish intent and the
purpose of the visit. They also call our tupuna and
clear the pathway for manuhiri. Photo from Kōrero
Māori

3. Kaimihimihi/Kaikōrero
Kaimihi from tangata
whenua and manuhiri
exchange greetings.
Acknowledgements are
made to significant
geographic locations, the
whare nui, marae, those
who have passed on and
the living.
Photo from Kōrero Māori

4. Kaikōrero during their mihi
will address the deceased
directly
and question the manner in
which
they have found peace of mind,
but they will also farewell
them with dignity.
The kaikōrero now turn their
attention to those affected by
this aitua, and provide support
to the whānau, extended
whānau and in some cases the
community as well.

5. Artwork by Robyn Kahukiwa.
The hongi signifies the mingling together of the sacred
breath of life, and the two sides become one.

6. HAERE ATU RĀ
E NGĀ MATE
O NGĀ TAU
O NGĀ MARAMA
O NGĀ WIKI
O NGĀ RĀ
KUA PAHURE ATU.
HAERE, E MOE, E
OKIOKI
HAERE ATU RĀ.
ithacivilla.co.nz

7. E TE MATE OHORERE
TE MATE
WHAKAMOMORI
TE MATE KUARE.
HAERE, HAERE,
HAERE.
TAU ANA KOE
TAUMAHA ANA
MATAU.
E MOE. E OKIOKI.
.
HAERE ATU RĀ

8. Tānenui-a-rangi
separated Ranginui and
Papatuanuku and from
a world of darkness,
came light.
There was some
dissention among the
brothers and when
things calmed down,
Tane set about
creating the first
woman from the soil at
Kurawaka.

9. Hineahuone
Tane fashioned
Hineahuone,
the earth formed
maid, and breathed
the life force of his
mauri into her mouth
and nostrils.
Tihei mauriora.
Tane cohabited with
Hineahuone and
Hinetiitama,
the dawn maid was
born. Artwork by Arthur Thatcher, 2008.

10. Hine-tītama
He then cohabited
With Hinetiitama,
to produce their
children.In due
course Hine-titama
asked about her
father. His evasive
response, led to the
conclusion that Tāne
was also her father.
She was overcome
with shame and fled
to Rarohenga.
Artwork by Robyn Kahukiwa.

11. Hine-nui-te-po
Hine-tītama left the
world of light, Te Ao
Mārama, and moved
to Te Ao i Te Pō ki
Rarohenga, the
underworld of
darkness, and became
known as Hine-nui-
te-pō.
Picture from Maui One Man Against the Gods.

12. Poroporoaki ki ngā Mate.
Ka tangi.
Ka heke te roimata.
Ka heke te hūpē.
Aue te aroha e.
Ko koutou rā ēnā kua tahuri atu ki tua o te ārai.
Haere, hoki atu rā
Ki te kāinga tūturu mo tāua te tangata.
Hoki atu ki ngā mātua tūpuna.
Ki te ūkaipō a Papatuanuku.
Ki roto i ngā ringaringa a Hine-nui-te-pō.
Haere, haere, moe mai rā i roto i te Ariki.

13. Te Whakahaere Tikanga e Tika ana mo
Te Ao Māori.
Providing culturally appropriate, responsive
and preventative services for Māori.

15. MOE traumatic incident support
45
40
35
Accidental injury/death
30 Sudden death
Incidents
Suicide
25
Property Damage
20
Crime
15 Vehicle
10 Other
5
0
1
Type

16. Cultural Perspectives
Cultural explanations for suicide include:
- Colonisation
- Westernisation
- Breakdown of traditional structures, values,
attitudes
- Not acknowledging cultural identity
- Cultural connectedness
- Cultural disaffection

17. Aue… He Aitua!
The project was named Aue...He Aitua! by Tiaki
Tuhiwai.
The whakapapa has both personal and spiritual
significance. “Aue... He Aitua!” is an exclamation
that describes thoughts and feelings by Māori
upon receipt of news that someone has passed
away. The 3 dots are a symbolism of tears of
sadness and spiritual dimensions.

18. Agency:
- Provision of cultural expertise and leadership
- Respecting and acknowledging cultural
differences
- Share cultural understandings
- Developing internal office protocols
- Providing professional development support

19. Māori Frameworks/Health Perspectives
Whare Tapa Whā (Durie 2004)
(four walls of a house)
 Wairua
Spirituality
 Hinengaro
Mental Health
 Tinana
Physical
 Whānau
Family

20. Māori Frameworks / Health Perspectives
Continued….
Te Wheke (Rose Pere, 1991)
(The Octopus)
 Wairuatanga Spirituality
 Hinengaro Mental Health
 Tinana Physical
 Whanaungatanga Family
 Mana ake Uniqueness
 Mauri Vitality
 Ha a koro mā a kui mā Cultural heritage
 Whatumanawa Emotions
Adaptations to Central South TI Framework: Di Thomas & Tuti Katene

21. Special Education
(internal processes)
Philosophy:
Kotahi te kohao o te ngira e kuhuna ai
Te miro mā, te miro pango, te miro whero
Pre intervention- preparation
- Ensure staff are trained regarding Māori
perspective of Traumatic Incidents
- District Protocols to reflect tikanga Māori
- Rosters to include trained Māori staff
- Identify support networks

22. Intervention – upon request for support
- Advise Māori TI support staff
- Assess safety of staff (wellbeing)
- Advise key personnel – kaumātua etc
- Organise Māori supervisor (Māori for Māori)
- Contact school regarding ensuing process
- Organise briefing and karakia prior to attendance
- Guide school management team – ensuring whanau are
respected, ensure Maori are represented on team,
identifying and supporting students at risk,
negotiating school processes, suggest support
networks, other cultural considerations
- Debriefing and supervision
- Karakia whakamutunga

23. Other relevant strategies
- Ka Hikitia
- Te Hikoitanga
- Māori Cultural Supervision
- Poipoia Te Reo
- Cultural Induction
- Noho Marae

24. Tua o Te Arai:
Unveiling Understandings
How Māori cultural constructs are able to
sustain whānau……and strengthen resilience

25. Workshop Activity
He Taumaha - A Burden shared
Kia tere, kia eke tātau i te pahi.
An opportunity to discuss some of the challenges and potential
strategies for responding to Māori youth suicide:
 He whakaaro Māori, he whakaaro kē / Kaupapa Māori
perspectives – mainstream perspectives: Recognising that
whānau and persons at risk are affected by personal and
societal attitudes about suicide;
 He mana kōrero / Culturally-respectful discussion: Discussing
suicide / issues with the person at risk in a culturally
appropriate way
 He whakaraerae / Vulnerability: Identifying risk alerts and
developing protection related to them
 He rauemi / Resources: Listing the types of resources
available to a person at risk of he whakamomori, including
themselves
 He whakataunga / Resolution: Making a commitment to
improving community resources

26. 1/. He whakaaro Māori, he whakaaro kē / Kaupapa Māori
perspectives – mainstream perspectives:
Recognising that whānau and persons at risk are affected
by personal and societal attitudes about suicide
NB: there will be similarities as well as differences
He whakaaro Māori He whakaaro kē

27. 2/. He mana kōrero / Culturally-respectful discussion:
Discussing suicide / issues with the person at risk in a
culturally appropriate way
- What might a discussion that is managed in a
culturally-respectful and appropriate manner
‘look like’ (sound like, feel like), with a person
at risk?
- Consider the ‘who’, the ‘what’ and the ‘how’

28. 3/. He whakaraerae / Vulnerability:
Identifying risk alerts and developing protection
related to them
- What do you think the risk alerts might be
for rangatahi?
- How might we develop protection (resilience,
prevention) related to them?

29. 4/. He rauemi / Resources:
Listing the types of resources available to a person
at risk of he whakamomori, including themselves
Te ao Māori Work community

30. 5/. He whakataunga / Resolution:
Making a commitment to improving community
resources
- What are the main challenges we face to
making a commitment to improving community
resources – so that they are more culturally
responsive?

31. Ngā mamae, Ngā mahi tuturu,
Hei whakaaro noa:
Feelings, Realities, Considerations……
 …….at the time
 ……immediately after
 ……some time after the event

32. Māori cultural concepts and practices that are
able to support and strengthen whānau who are
suffering as a result of whakamomori
• Whānau (immediate relationships)
• Whānau-whānui (extended whānau)
• Ngā iwi (connections and connectedness)
• Kaumātua (immediate and extended)
• Karakia (sustenance)
• Tangihanga rituals (through to the Hura kohatu)
• Mokopuna (Te kakano – hopes for the future)

33. Ngā whakaruruhau mo ngā whānau.
Taking the positives – the strengths
• Whānau / whānui – those close to us
• Whakapapa – connectedness, connections, who we
are, where we come from
• Whenua – a safe place to be
• Aroha: manaaki, awhi, tautoko – giving and
receiving
• Tikanga, kawa – safe and known protocols and
processes, how things happen,
• Rangatiratanga – strong leadership
• Ahi kaa – those who take care of us

34. Māori cultural concepts and practices that are
able to support and strengthen whānau who are
suffering as a result of whakamomori
Source: Ministry of Education: Special Education Māori Strategy:
Te Urunga mai o te Rā.
Professor Mason Durie: Te Whare Tapa Whā (1994)
 Wairua
Spirituality
 Hinengaro
Mental Health
 Tinana
Physical
 Whānau
Family

35. Māori cultural concepts and practices that are
able to support and strengthen whānau who are
suffering as a result of whakamomori
Source: Ministry of Education: Special Education Māori Strategy:
Te Urunga mai o te Rā.
Professor Mason Durie: Te Whare Tapa Whā (1994)
 Mana Atua – Well-being:
 Mana Tangata – Self esteem:

36. Ahakoa ngā piki me ngā heke,
Poipoia te āhua o te tangata kia tatū
tōna wairua, tōna hinengaro, tōna tīnana me tōna
whanaungatanga
ki tōna whanau, ki ōna hoa hoki.
Aue he aitua, he aitua.
Poipoia rā te wairua, te hinengaro, te tīnana,
te whānau o te tangata kia noho tatū ai ōna whakaaro
i runga i te pono, te tika me te aroha.
Haumie! Hui e! Taiki e!
Na Tokararangi Totoro