For Immediate Release

04.02.15

Ground Breaking E Tu Whanau Charter Promoted at Waitangi, 2015.

Iwi and community organisations in the far north are encouraging visitors to this year’s Waitangi celebrations to show their commitment to violence free Aotearoa by signing the E Tu Whanau Charter.

E Tu Whānau is a Māori designed and led movement to stop family violence and create positive change. It is based on whānau strengths and it is owned by the community.

The movements Charter of Commitment calls on Maori to actively voice their rejection of all forms of violence against whānau and pledge their support for positive, violence-free futures for their tamariki, mokopuna and all Te Ao Māori.

Te Ropu Poa from Te Pu o te Wheke says the Charter is more than just words.

“We know that the solutions that work best for Māori are those that are grounded in things Māori – E Tu Whānau and this Charter of Commitment recognise that our own unique cultural and spiritual strengths will provide the foundation for change.”

Bream Bay Trust spokesperson, Sue Rudman says that the Charter acknowledges that violence within whanau is not traditional.

“”In earlier days, wahine and tamariki were admired and cherished by our tane and these loving, harmonious relationships were the envy of settlers and missionary women at the time. We must restore this harmony to our whānau.”

Signatures will be collected on large canvases at stalls run by Te Pu O Te Wheke, Te Matarau Education Trust and Whare Timatanga Hou Ora, each of which have booths on the sports field, Ngati Hau Health and Social Services Inc, which will be promoting the charter on the Waka grounds and Bream Bay Trust, set up alongside the White Ribbon Riders, will be doing their mahi on Te Tii Marae Camping Ground.

Whanau at each site aim to gather at least 175 signatures each after having a korero with visitors so they know what the Charter is about and how their support will contribute to the principals of the Charter.

Post Waitangi, the signed canvases will also be shared across hapu, marae, and the wider community to promote the Charters vision of a violence free Aotearoa and to assist in taking actions that demonstrate the Charter as a living kaupapa.

The E Tu Whānau Charter of Commitment was launched last August at a hui hosted by Tuwharetoa at Hirangi Marae, Turangi..

At the time Darrin Haimona, Chair of the movements Māori Reference Group, said the Charter is the first time an indigenous people has come together to publicly and formally declare their opposition to violence and to voice their commitment to positive change.

ENDS

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