Kahungunu looks for united approach on violence

Ngati Kahungunu community worker Mereana Pitman says a united approach is needed to tackle domestic violence in Maori communities.

The Hawkes Bay iwi is hosting a hui of anti-violence workers at Ruahapia Marae near Hastings this week to share experiences and plan strategies.

Ms Pitman says the Kahungunu Family Violence Prevention strategy has brought together 10 organisations in its rohe, including Women's refuge, maori Women's Welfare League, youth services, men's groups and the police iwi liaison.

She says similar initiatives are going on around the country.

“There are 14 iwi at the moment around the country at varying stages of putting their violence-free strategies together. There are I think the specifics around Maori and violence that have been overlooked, and certainly it’s aided and abetted other iwi to move their strategies along as well,” Pitman says.

MANUKAU CONSIDERS HOUSING ADVOCACY ROLE

The Manukau City Council could be doing more for Maori in need of housing.

That's the response of the council's treaty relationships manager to a report on Maori Housing Experiences presented to its Treaty of Waitangi Committee.

Moana Herewini says the report was based on interviews with home owners and renters from six regions including South Auckland, and identified the economic challenges to Maori families getting adequate housing.

She says there are ways council can help.

“Whilst it's not our responsibility to do housing, what we can do and what we should be doing is advocating on behalf of our people in Manukau to the people who are responsible for housing like Housing Corporation New Zealand etc, so that is the follow on we will do from this report,” Herewini says.

NGA RUAHINE WANTS TARANAKI COAST ROLE RECOGNISED

Nga Ruahine is seeking recognition of its customary rights to the foreshore along the south Taranaki coast.

The application has caused alarm in some members of the Taranaki Regional Council and Federated Farmers,

But Nga Ruahine spokesperson Mere Brooks says the tribe's concerns are environmental.

She says the tribe in only trying to exercise its duties as kaitiaki or guardians of the coast.

“Part of our role as hapu that try to look after the waters is to keep them as pollution free as possible and as kaitiaki is to try to prevent the increasdng pollution that goes along with industrial exploration and that alme means trying to llok after it when they okay drilling for oil, because all of these industrial activities have some form of pollution,” Brooks says.

The application covers the coast between Waihi Creek near Hawera north to the Inaha Stream.

WEALTH MEANS PEOPLE’S WELFARE AS WELL

A Maori academic says Maori organisations need to reconsider notins of wealth rather than trying to keep up with mainstream businesses.

Manuka Henare, the associate dean of Maori and Pacific Development at the University of Auckland business school, raised the issue at a conference which looked at how traditional knowledge fits in with Maori business.

Dr Henare says the original meaning of wealth meant well being, and only on modern times has it come to mean only material things.

He says traditional cultures in the Asia Pacific region had their own ideas about wealth.

“We put a lot more emphasis on art, well being, kinship ties, family extensions, and the buildings have to conform to cultural norms. Generally the other part of New Zealand puts emphasis on notions that come out of Europe, particularly from the UK,” Henare says.

Manuka Henare says many post settlement Maori organisations are wrestling with ways to address the spiritual and cultural well being of members, as well as their material prospects.

COUNCILS NEED TO CHECK BOOZE OUTLET SPREAD

The Alcohol Advisory Council's South Island manager says local government needs to take greater responsibility for drinking problems in communities.

Tuari Potiki says he agrees with Manukau mayor Sir Barry Curtis that a proliferation of liquor outlets is contributing to a rise in violent incidents.

Mr Potiki says 15 years ago before industry deregulation, there were only 1100 liquor outlets across the country.

“Now we have 15,000, so literally they are on every street corner, and alcohol is in every supermarket. I find it interesting, with all due respect to Barry Curtis, that he’s talking about proliferation, because with because councils grant liquor licences. They don’t just pop up on a street corner without having been through a process,” Potiki says.

NGOI PEWHAIRANGI REMEMBERED IN WORD AND SONG

A biography of the late Maori composer Ngoi Pewhairangi is to be accompanied by a special recording of her most popular songs.

The writing is being done by Otago University lecturer Tania Ka'ai, a relative of Pewhairangi, while the composer's nephew, John Coleman, is taking care of the musical side.

Pewhairangi's waiata include E Ipo, a hit for Prince Tui Teka, and Poi E, which Dalvanius and the Patea Maori Club took to the top of the charts.

Mr Coleman says the recording will feature Pewhairangi's whanau, many of whom still live around Tokomaru on the East Coast.

He says to them, she's just aunty Ngoi.

“She did a lot away from home with other people and everything, We just took her as another auntie, and whatever she did for us back at Tokomaru was part of her everyday life, and the things she did she did well. “Coleman says.

The book is due to be published next March.