Strengthening Culture, Faith and Wellbeing: Fiji Tekivu mai Jerusalemi in Community
Photo caption: The Fiji Tekivu mai Jerusalemi Men’s Group representing their movement, connecting with families, and promoting culture, faith, and wellbeing at a community event in Mangere, South Auckland. Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu’s Fiji Tekivu mai Jerusalemi Men’s Group continues to grow as a movement grounded in culture, faith and wellbeing, focused on building long-term strength, leadership, and stability within Fijian families and communities as a preventative […]
Niuean Elders Embrace Digital Age to Navigate Modern Life
In a small room within the Holy Trinity Church in Ōtāhuhu, a group of Niuean elders has started a new journey to grow their digital skills. A weekly computer course supported by Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu, is helping these seniors, most of whom had never touched a computer before, to navigate the digital world. […]
Tokelau Christmas Message From Lise Hope-Suveinakama
Ke manuia te Kilihimahi! Greetings from Reverend Iutana Pue and Lise Hope-Suveinakama, the Facilitators and Change Agents for Kaiga Maopoopo and Tugaki Ke Olatia. These are initiatives run in collaboration with Nga Vaka and The Cause Collective to improve family wellbeing using cultural tools as protective factors against family violence. Lise’s Christmas message is simple: […]
Fiji Christmas Message From Reverend Talatala Atu Lagi
Me nomu na marau ni Siganisucu. Merry Christmas from our Fiji Champions of Change led by Reverend Atu Lagi. The group known as ‘Tekivu Mai Jerusalemi’ aims to confront the cycles of harm that our men accept and normalise in their families and community. Reverend Lagi extends his best wishes to the Fiji community in […]
Tongan Christmas Message From Penisimani Langi
Kilisimasi Fiefia and seasons greetings to everyone! As we all prepare to celebrate Christmas and time with our families, we know this can be a challenging time for many. Our Champions of Change would like to offer some words of support and encouragement to get us through this period, starting with Penisimani Langi from the […]
Kiribati Christmas Message From Lydia Teatao
🇰🇮 🇰🇮 Tekeraoi n te Kiritimati. Lydia Teatao is the Kiribati facilitator for Boutokaan te Mweeraoi, a programme that works to help i-Kiribati families become violence free. 🎊 In her Christmas message, Lydia wishes everyone a safe and merry Christmas and New Year holiday. For more information about Boutokaan te Mweeraoi please visit Nga Vaka […]
Samoan Christmas Message From Reverend Featuna’i Liua’ana
Manuia le Kirisimasi ma le tausaga fou. Reverend Featuna’i Liua’ana from the Samoa EFKS church in Sandringham sends Christmas greetings to everyone and offers words of advice to keep our families safe during this holiday season. “It’s not the material things of this world that are important but celebrating in joy in happiness the birth […]
Niue Christmas Message From Maliaga Erick
Kia Monuina e Kilisimasi mo e Tau Foou. Maliaga Erick, our Niue facilitator and Change Agent for Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu reminds everyone to look after our elders and those who live alone. Christmas is a time to be kind to our families. Fakatupuolamoui signifies the potential for Niuean families and individuals to achieve […]
Partnership to address family violence signed between The Cause Collective and NZ Police
A crucial step towards addressing family harm within Pacific kāiga (families) was announced this week in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between The Cause Collective (TCC) and the NZ Police. Move to eliminate family and sexual violence. The Cause Collective, through its Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu (Nga Vaka) and Champions of Change initiatives, has […]
Thanksgiving Celebration Marks Launch of Safe Space for Tokelau Community
Last night, the Tūgaki Ke Olatia Champions of Change gathered at the historic Ferndale House in Mt Albert, Auckland, to celebrate the establishment of a special ‘safe space’ for their community. Many in the Tokelau community face tough challenges due to displacement and the resulting intergenerational trauma. Creating a safe space for them to meet […]
K’aute Pasifika: Fostering Change in Waikato
“This framework is a great tool for us.” Anggie Lotu Tuifua is the Social Services Team Leader for K’aute Pasifika in Hamilton. She recently attend Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu’s Tongan cultural framework training, ‘Fofola e Fala Kae Talanoa e Kāinga’ in Hamilton with members of her team. Anggie shared some of her reflections of […]
Tongan Cultural Framework Boosts Social Worker’s Practice
“I want to feel ok in myself that I’m doing this right.” Natalie Hopkins is a social worker for Parentline Hamilton. She recently attended Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu’s Tongan cultural framework training, ‘Fofola e Fala Kae Talanoa e Kāinga’ in Hamilton with members of her team. She share her thoughts on the training and […]
Language and Culture Vital for Engaging With Samoan Families
A social worker’s perspective on Samoa’s Tōf�� Mamao cultural framework. Mapusua Fetuao Peleti works for Emerge Aotearoa. He’s the Service Manager for their Mental Health and Addictions Pacific Community Support Team and Mobile Community Support Team in Counties Manukau. He spoke to Nga Vaka about attending the Tōfā Mamao Samoan Cultural Framework training in Manukau. […]
Turanga Māori Transforms Skin Author’s Life
Opetaia Tarata Tavita Utanga (Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mauke) is a Cook Islands skin author (tatau artist) living in Tokoroa. He talks about the benefits of applying Turanga Māori – the Cook Islands framework for transforming family harm and restoring wellbeing – in his life. “I met Tere Ford and Neville Takiri, two facilitators for Turanga Māori […]
Turanga Māori Reducing Family Harm On and Off Tokoroa Sports Fields
Turanga Māori is changing behaviours on the rugby league field in Tokoroa, according to Pacific Sharks Rugby League Chairman, Neville Takiri (Aitutaki, Ngāti Raukawa). The Cook Islands Māori coach is a Turanga Māori facilitator with his partner Tere Ford (Penrhyn) in Tokoroa. The couple were introduced to the Turanga Māori framework in Dunedin in 2018 […]
From a Culture of Silence to a Culture of Change
Proud Tuvaluan Alamai Sioni, was born and raised in the Gilbert Islands now known as Kiribati. She’s a former teacher who attended the Toku Fou Tiale Tuvalu Family Violence Training Programme. “It was very informative,” says Alamai, a mother-of-three, who says this is the kind of programme that would benefit members of the community who […]
Kiribati Youth Champions Lead Successful Vaccination Drive
“We wanted to make the Ara Covid Drive a place where i-Kiribati people felt they they belonged.” Like many in diaspora communities, i-Kiribati youth are proud of their culture, heritage and language: both as a means of survival and a strong sense of belonging, especially given the global climate impact in Kiribati. Buua Redfern and […]
A Mother’s Ngākau Aro’a (Generous Heart)
As an only girl with eight brothers, Matapo (Mata) Rakanui says she was blessed that her brothers grew up to be loving men who treated their mum, their sister (herself) and their wives and children with love and respect. It’s something she is extremely proud of considering their upbringing. “We came from a violent family, […]
Being Grounded in Cook Islands Culture Doesn’t Mean Being Stagnant
Cook Islands born and raised John Kiria from the island of Aitutaki and Rakanga is no stranger to navigating pathways of wellbeing for families under his care. As a Whānau Ora Navigator at the Mount Wellington Integrated Health Centre, John’s job is to ensure the practice is advocating for families and helping them find the […]
Vuvale Sautu (Fijian Family Well-Being) in Christchurch
“Fijians in Christchurch may be under reporting family violence incidents because of lack of support and culturally competent support workers.” That’s according to insights from the first Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu ‘Vuvale Sautu’ Fijian family violence prevention programme in Christchurch. Held over the last weekend of June, the programme yielded plenty of veitalanoa (discussion), […]
Samoan Cultural Framework Informs Disaster Response
“What happens when there’s a disaster? More violence.” Community Activator, Malia Tua’i Manuleleua (pictured above far right), from the NZ Red Cross, attended Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu’s Samoan family violence prevention and wellbeing training in 2020. So impressed was she that when Nga Vaka organisers scheduled a recent Samoan training day, Malia brought a […]
Non-Violence Programme “Makes Sense” for Samoan Men
“Samoans delivering to Samoans makes sense.” Family violence and harm are harsh realities for Fusi Mareko, a Kaimahi Family Resilience worker at The Fono, a Pacific health service in Auckland. Fusi (pictured above left) helps run an 18-week non-violence programme for Samoan men based on Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu’s Samoan cultural framework ‘O Le […]