Teenagers Unite To Issue Challenge To Smokers

Teenagers Unite To Issue Challenge To Smokers To Quit This Matariki

Over 120 teenagers will challenge smokers to quit this Matariki as part of a public Dawn ceremony organised by Quitline. This event will take place this Thursday (9 June) from 7:30am-10:00am in Wellington’s Civic Square (wet weather venue, Capital E). The challenge will be issued in the form of haka, waiata and performances from Te Aute College, Hato Paora College, Turakina Māori Girls College, Wellington High, Ngā Mokopuna and Rongotai College as well as a group of Cancer Society Smokefree Ambassadors. Associate Minister of Health, Hon. Tariana Turia and Minister of Women's Affairs, Hon. Hekia Parata will attend and speak at the event.

The ceremony will be opened by Te Ātiawa and led by longtime Smokefree advocate Amster Reedy of Ngāti Porou. A major focus of the ceremony will be the smokefree haka composed by Raureti Mokonuiārangi in 1883. This shows that long before the link between smoking and cancer was proven by scientists, Māori leadership was challenging Māori to stop using tobacco.

Paula Snowden (Ngāpuhi), Chief Executive of Quitline, says: “Raureti Mokonuiārangi’s haka to be presented during Quitline’s Matariki ceremony was written in 1883. He was blunt, direct and right – it is stupid to inhale 5000 chemicals and it does kill one in two of its users.

“Since then, tobacco has continued to rob Māori of tīpuna, language and heritage. Some assume smoking is part of Māori culture, but tobacco has no place in our whakapapa, our identity. It’s an imposter in our history that should have no part of our future.

“Through this event Māori rangatahi are laying down the challenge to parents and whānau. They are asking smokers to let this Matariki be the time when they quit and make Smokefree the future for Māori and all New Zealanders."

Further information on the event, including the agenda can be found at:
http://www.quit.org.nz/page/aboutQuit/Events.php

Quitline encourages anyone who wants to quit this Matariki to make use of its free services. Support is available by calling 0800 778 778 or registering at www.quit.org.nz.

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