Today a hothouse discussion seeded by the literary review, ‘The Litany of Sound Revisited’ promises to expand horizons and kick-start kōrero on what’s working on the ground for whānau Māori and what isn’t for kaimahi tackling the impacts of family and sexual violence.

The livestreamed webinar called, ‘Kōrero and reflections about Violence within Whānau and Mahi Tūkino — A Litany of Sound Revisited’ is a collaboration between the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse and Te Pūkotahitanga (Tangata Whenua Ministerial Advisory Group to Hon. Karen Chhour, Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Sexual Violence).

Planning was inspired by the whakataukī, Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua. I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past.

“First and foremost, we can’t keep doing more of what we’re doing and expect change. What we do know is at the flax-roots, our kaupapa Māori providers are working from a te ao Māori worldview and that is working,” said Professor Denise Wilson, author of the substantive 208-page book.

She believes indigenous and relational approaches are critical to moving forward into the solutions, they just might not have been written up in peer reviewed journals.

“The literary review looked at both the historical and contemporary context. It identified some of the solutions that we know about, but it also highlighted where we need more evidence so we can have services that meet the needs of whānau Māori better.”

“This online forum exposes the audience to people who are working at the grassroots in various areas that we don’t often get to hear from which is really important,” she said.

“First-hand experience may not fit in the academic realm but is just as credible as it is working on the ground. Think of it as another form of evidence.”

One key theme will be examining why the ‘whole-of-whānau’ approach is essential to restoration and how the existing government contracting, and procurement process doesn’t always promote this.

“The Litany of Sound Revisited evidenced that the whole whānau must be part of the journey,” said Poata Watene, panellist and co-Chair of Te Pūkotahitanga

“Currently while Court directions deal with perpetrators, there’s a noticeable gap concerning mandatory legislation requirements and wraparound support for the victim survivors and their tamariki to keep them safe because 9 times out of 10 the tane goes back there.”

“But we’re seeing no healing, no safety planning and no service provision for them because it’s still voluntary to engage in some level of intervention,” he said.

Watene believes the numbers or referrals to service providers do not reflect the true demand happening out in the community.

“Some of the tane are coercive and use intimidation against their wahine deterring them not to go on the programs to educate themselves. That’s a huge discussion that needs further exploration around some of the legislation requirements needed to keep them safe.”

Resourcing “the wananga space” for whānau Māori is a key strategic gap that needs addressing according to Watene, so is “putting sexual violence on the iwi agenda.”

The one-hour webinar will be facilitated by Charlotte Moore (Rangitāne o Wairau) Kaiwhakahaere at the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse and feature 4 panellists sharing past evidence and learnings, present insights and issues, alongside future dreams and aspirations from the next generation.

• Professor Denise Wilson (Tainui, Ngāti Porou ki Harataunga, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Oneone, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) is an Associate Dean of Māori Advancement and Professor of Māori Health at Auckland University of Technology, member of Te Pūkotahitanga, previous member of the Family Violence Death Review Committee, Chair of the Family Violence Prevention Investment Advisory Board, Deputy Chair of the Family Violence Prevention Expert Advisory Group, and member of the Health Quality & Safety Commission’s Te Rōpū Māori (Māori Advisory Group).
• Poata Watene (Waikato Tainui, Ngāi Te Rangi) the co-chair of Te Pūkotahitanga and Chief Executive of Tuu Oho Mai Services (formerly HAIP – the Hamilton Abuse Intervention Project).
• Ngarongo Eaton-Brown (Ngā Ariki Kaiputahi, Whakatōhea, Tūhoe) the Kaiwhakahaere of Whaiora Sexual Violence Specialist Services. She has been working in the sexual violence sector for 15 years and believes that sexual violence is a violation of whakapapa.
• Te Whetumairangi (Whetu Horo) Balzer-Horo (Ngāpuhi, Te Arawa, Taranaki, Ngāti Porou) a member of the Expert Advisory Group for Children and Young People working with Te Puna Aonui to inform how mokopuna can be involved in the implementation of Te Aorerekura. She is also a Rangatahi Ora Lead at Te Rau Ora at the Centre of Māori Suicide Prevention.

“It’s always humbling to sit alongside Rangatira working in this space and listen to their mōhiotanga. I know that we will only be able to scratch the surface in the time that we have available in this webinar, but I hope that it sparks further kōrero, particularly for kaimahi who are working with whānau Māori,” said Charlotte Moore, Kaiwhakahaere at the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse.

Te Pūkotahitanga considers family violence and sexual violence as critical issues facing our country, particularly for Māori who are disproportionately in all facets of violence and sexual violence.

Sign language interpretation will be provided in the webinar.

To access the livestream link please register here: https://auckland.zoom.us/webinar/register/3217139224322/WN_yK39VIarT-SbzFoM1WX1AQ#/registration

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