Ngāpuhi iwi, hapū and whānau are preparing to reconnect and repair our sacred whakapapa lines. The newly released report 'Whanaketia' on historical abuse in care shows the horrific acts endured and the intergenerational impact of this trauma on survivors and those who did not survive.

The recent Oranga Tamariki reports on Safety of Children in care show that this abuse in care continues right now. Given the significant disproportionate numbers of Ngāpuhi mokopuna in care, 827 as at April 2024, this is more than three times as many as any other iwi and is a third of the total mokopuna Māori in state care, we will not remain quiet, this is a crisis point for our people.

Ngāpuhi is mobilising a call to action! On 3rd August there will be a hikoi in Kaikohe.

The hikoi will begin at 10.00am from the top of town on Broadway from Orrs Road finishing at the centre of town 65 Broadway on the Green (Kaikohe night market site). We encourage everyone to bring your whānau, your placards, your voices, you waiata and your aroha.

The purpose of this hīkoi is to raise awareness around the number of our Ngāpuhi mokopuna in state care, to promote whakapapa-based solutions and to give whanau and hapū a place to come together in solidarity to support each other and those working hard to care for our tamariki mokopuna. Information will also be available for whanau to learn more about what they can do to provide support and care for tamariki mokopuna.

On 5th August Ngāpuhi whanau and kaimahi, with the support of mana whenua and other iwi will gather on Parliament grounds from 12.00pm – 1.00pm to raise awareness of these dire issues prior to giving our Ngāpuhi oral submission opposing the repeal of Sec. 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act.

Ngāpuhi have 165,000 iwi members and over half are aged under 25. It’s the largest iwi in Aotearoa and we are devoted to rangatiratanga for our whānau, our hapū and our marae.

For decades we have had concerns about the number of Ngāpuhi tamariki mokopuna locked in the system, we have tried working collaboratively on Crown led strategies, these have not worked and will never work because ultimately, we now know, it’s not in the Crowns’ interest to have solutions for our people. We are calling for devolution of resources and funding for Ngāpuhi led strategy and solutions. No more of our tamariki to endure trauma while in the broken state system erroneously described as care.

We all want our whānau to be safe, secure, healthy, and connected to enduring whakapapa relationships. The ongoing effect of that is, that Māori reach their fullest potential so collectively we all universally benefit – iwi, hapū, whānau and our society at large.

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