MEDIA RELEASE
EMBARGOED UNTIL: July 23, 2008
Maori champions to be celebrated
(Waikato, New Zealand) Maori champions of mental health will be celebrated this week at the annual Like Minds, Like Mine
Maori Provider Hui in Waikato.
Organised by Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki with the assistance of the Mental Health Foundation, the hui will be held over
three days at Waikato Tainui Endowed College in Hopuhopu, from July 23 – 25. It brings together Maori mental health
advocates and service providers from Kaitaia to Christchurch as part of the Ministry of Health’s Like Minds, Like Mine
programme.
This year, the hui is using ‘Maori Champions’ as its theme, building allies for challenging stigma and discrimination
about mental illness. The hui is dedicated to musician Mahinarangi Tocker, an ambassador for tangata whaiora (persons
seeking wellness), who passed away peacefully following an asthma attack in April.
“Her loss was a great tragedy for all of us,” says Lila Baker, spokesperson for the Like Minds Maori Caucus. “The public
became aware that having a mental illness isn’t so bad, that you can achieve, and achieve at a high level. She was one
of the first to stand tall, and campaign publicly based on her own experiences. We want to build on her legacy.”
Maori have a specific cultural context for understanding mental illness and the discrimination faced by tangata whaiora.
“We want to foster a sense of cultural identity among tangata whaiora by recognising and celebrating Maori champions in
the area of mental health – like Professor Mason Durie and Dr Rose Pere,” Baker says. “But we also want to show that you
don’t have to be famous or at the top of your profession to be a champion. There are grass roots Maori with mental
health issues who are living extremely well, and achieving successes in all facets of life.”
Also presenting at the hui will be Michelle Te Ahuru and Aubrey Quinn, featured in the latest Like Minds, Like Mine TV
campaign. They will be highlighting the role of whanau in supporting family members living with mental illness.
“Our whanau is our strength. The sheer love that goes down in this household, I think anyone feels it when they walk in
the doors,” Michelle says. “We’ve experienced a few difficulties with the whanau , especially when Aubrey was first
diagnosed. They learned, like I did, that really it’s no different to any other illness – if it’s treated and managed
well it shouldn’t be a problem.”
The annual gathering is a unique opportunity for providers to share successful resources that have been developed
regionally over the past year. “The needs of Maori are so different,” Baker explains. “By collaborating we can find more
ways to effectively get our messages across and change attitudes for the future.”
ENDS