Enhancing our commitment to Tikanga Māori

As a thriving organisation with a diverse community of disabled partners, team members and whanau, ConneXu has been reaffirming and enhancing our commitment to Tikanga Māori and to the people we partner with who are Māori.

 ConneXu cultural advisor Reon King has been working within the organisation to build capacity and enhance the presence of karakia (traditional Māori prayer), pepeha (traditional oral recitation to introduce yourself) and waiata (song). Reon says the focus has been about building capacity within the ConneXu team.

 “We have been focusing on incorporating waiata and karakia into our everyday and building individual team members’ confidence to speak in Te Reo in their conversations and encounters,” says Reon.

 Some key events in the calendar including Matariki in June and Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) in September have been a great opportunity to practice some of these skills and reinforce the commitment to Māori culture.

 “Outside of the Christmas / end of year celebration, Matariki is the largest celebration on the ConneXu calendar now,” says Reon.

 “Leading up to Matariki, there is  a lot of preparation and planning, collaboration, whakaaro (thoughtful, considerate, attentive, mindful) and decorating,” says Reon.

 “We set up a hangi team and used the Matariki celebration as an opportunity to guide some of our disabled partners through prepping the hangi and build their capacity in that area as well.”  

 During Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, or Māori Language Week in September, we introduced workshops for anyone keen to participate, focusing on waiata, karakia and speaking in Te Reo.

 “Our organisation is committed to karakia and the importance of it, and we now always have someone lead the karakia at the beginning of each meeting or event. Earlier this year our Executive Group set our pepeha as well.”

“Kate (Shaw, General Manager Partnership and Enablement) led the waiata at our team meeting recently and it was really encouraging and wonderful to see her grow in confidence and put those skills into practice,” says Reon.

“Tikanga Māori is definitely a valued tool in the kitty at ConneXu.”

The enhancements have filtered through to some of the policies, cultural practices and day-to-day activities at ConneXu as well.

 “Our team handbooks have been printed with karakia and some common Te Reo phrases to enhance that learning for the team,” says Reon.

 “We’ve been building capacity in terms of our cultural responsibilities as well,” says Reon.

 “For example, if a family member of someone in our team was to pass away, what does that help look like? We are committed to helping in whatever capacity, whether that’s Whaikōrero (formal speaking), financial reasoning, being there, supporting and providing background works with both partners and staff.”

 “Hākinakina (to play sport) and getting active can be an outlet for positive energy, so for some partners we have refocused their energy in a positive way and weaved that hākinakina into their cultural story,” says Reon.

“We offer sporting opportunities for people – basketball, cricket, soccer, touch – it’s about bringing everyone together to enjoy physical activity and refocus energy.”  

 Disabled Māori partners Nigel and Troy have been active participants in these cultural enhancements within ConneXu.

 “Nigel and Troy come to new ConneXu house blessings to bless the homes, and they are bringing back their connections with their whanau. They’re building capacity learning waiata and more Māori words. Being able to have these connections with their culture really changes their day so it has been a very positive experience for them.”