Providing resources online could be the best way for iwi around the motu to support their members
Waitaha iwi in the Bay of Plenty is about to launch online webinars to more than 3000 members to keep them active, busy and entertained at home during the coronavirus lockdown.
Te Kapu o Waitaha group general manager Vivienne Robinson says the webinars will be launched next week to cater to iwi members of all ages. They will include morning and evening karakia, Waitaha history, exercise, mahi mau rākau, mahi raranga and mahi rongoā.
“These webinars are focused on things within our Māori world, taking care of te taha wairua, te taha tinana, me te whānau.”
Some will include waiata and rongoā webinars by Whirimako Black, waiata by Stan Walker and baking webinars for tamariki by 6-year-old Te Awarua Anasta.
“These are the things just to get people participating involved and enjoy music because we all love music,” Robinson says.
Ngāti Ruanui and Te Korowai o Ngāruahine iwi
Meanwhile, Ngāti Ruanui and Te Korowai o Ngāruahine iwi in Taranaki have set up a digital iwi response team to check in with their members.
CEO of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says it is a way to check on the well-being of members and to assess their needs.
“To get across some key messaging that we've seen coming out, whether it be more whānau plans or, more recently, the tangihanga guidelines," she says,
“We also tap into all of our other whanaunga that are doing karakia, zoom. We're sharing zoom facilities, we're sharing exercise facilities and we should all come out of this looking quite buff, matatau and have learnt all next year’s Matatini bracket. Hopefully, it’s still going.”
With online iwi support like this, whānau are sure to stay safe and entertained during the lockdown.
“When you're home alone or you're mokemoke and you’re not sure of what to do or where to go. So it’s how we manaaki online, how we give our aroha and our manaaki in a modern sense.”