A Bright Future at Manurewa Marae
April 2011
Health and wellbeing are flourishing at Manurewa Marae.
The marae is introducing a range of initiatives with the aim of being able to provide whaanau with all the services they need. The result is a space that is flourishing, with tamariki and rangatahi dancing in the hall, a large garden bursting with vegetables onsite and a kitchen serving healthy food for lunches.
The marae received funding from the Counties Manukau District Health Board’s Creating a Better Future strategy to address Maaori obesity and promote healthy lifestyles. Included in this grant was money to develop an education garden led by a garden project coordinator, employ a healthy lifestyles coordinator and introduce mau rakau and tae kwon do programmes.
The garden, in partnership with the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT), has been a noticeable success.
The marae offered the site to MIT as a teaching garden and last year, two National Certificate in Horticulture (level two) programmes were held onsite, involving 40 students.
The results have transformed both the site and the people involved with the project.
Lorraine Byers, the health programme coordinator of the marae, says some students had not been involved with formal education since leaving school while others had literacy difficulties or other personal issues. Through their involvement in the programme, students gained the opportunity to demonstrate whakawhanaungatanga and as a result, developed themselves physically, mentally and spiritually.
“It became so much bigger than just a gardening class. People were able to support each other in all areas of their lives and without judgment. We have found it’s actually broadened their own lives. Their confidence has really taken off.”
The programmes had a higher overall passing rate than classes based at the MIT campus and 90% of graduates have gone on to establish gardens at their own homes in addition to ongoing voluntary involvement at the marae. Other whaanau connected with the marae have also learnt from the garden, with many getting involved or setting up their own garden at home. The marae is also able to use produce grown onsite in its kitchen or to offer to local whaanau through Te Rau Korowai, its onsite service which helps people access other services they require, including fresh vegetables in times of hardship.
Marae manager Mary-Ann Harris describes the change as “a domino effect”.
“We had no knowledge of how big this would get. Now whaanau all go over to each other’s houses and share and say ‘I’ve got this growing’ and ‘what’s working well?’. They’ve learned what to do with different vegetables. I know that they are eating vegetables daily now so that’s a great thing. It’s about helping our people to get healthier and it’s a benefit for us to be able to do that for our community. As a marae, that’s what we feel we should be doing.”
Alongside this focus on healthy eating, the marae has also introduced some physical activity initiatives as part of its holistic approach to health and wellbeing. Whaanau can take their pick from line dancing, tai chi, zumba, mau rakau and tae kwon do.
Average class numbers have been growing steadily, with 60 people now doing regular zumba, 50 involved in tae kwon do and 35 learning mau rakau.
“People are hearing about physical activity and wanting to be a part of it,” says Mary-Ann. “We have seen families take their tae kwan do really seriously and save for their uniforms because they are so motivated and keen. We know that’s a huge thing – uniforms are around $50 and it doesn’t sound like a lot but some of the families, there’s dad and a couple of kids involved, so there’s a little bit of money required there.”
Lorraine says whaanau have been very grateful to be able to participate in the physical activity classes for free, enabling tamariki, parents and grandparents to all be involved.
“The energy of the whaanau coming together was astounding. It created an excitement within the community to the level that they are keen for this year’s sessions,” she says.
The marae is excited about being able to provide all the services its families need and creating a space of holistic health and wellbeing that incorporates Maaori tradition by drawing on the past to enrich the future.
“Our marae really needs to take our hat off to CMDHB because they’ve assisted us to create a very holistic place which we hope to see in the very near future as a one stop shop for our community,” says Mary-Ann. “Our community is gaining so much from the marae now. They have realised that the marae is a place to be, even if they just want to come and sit under the trees. Our funding from CMDHB has opened a window that people are starting to look through.”