A Historic Day in Hawkes Bay

The work being done in the area of mental health in the Hawkes Bay area by the AIGAMUA group goes from strength to strength. Set up as a response to the rise of young people in the area suffering mental health issues, for the past year  AIGAMUA dedicated itself to a health model to ''give hope to our people.'' 

AIGAMUA, which roughly translates as Family First, reached out to members of the Tongan community, making history by organising the first ever Tongan-focused mental health event in Hawkes Bay. 

The group met with a wide range of more than 100 people from the Bay's Tongan community at Flaxmere Primary School, where, following a series of icebreakers co-ordinated by the event MC, facilitator, and translator Maarateina Fameitau, families were split into three ’Talanoa Malu’i’ (safe conversations) groups;

  1. Talanoa Malu'i Children (aged 5-12) - mainly consisting of care and ‘learning while playing’ games, but also a crucial part of the day's success as prior events had taught A that successful attendance of Pasifika peoples was heavily influenced by events catering for the whole family, including tamariki.
  2. Talanoa Malu'i Youth (aged 13-18) - youth involved took part in a series of tasks aimed at building trust and communication. This was followed up by the facilitator sharing his 10 mental wellness activities that helped him whenever he faced mental health challenges. The teenagers were encouraged to write down things they enjoyed and feel safe doing and using them in the same way.  The aim of the activities was to raise awareness around who they should listen to, turn to and what they should do whenever experiencing mental health challenges and to familiarise themselves with coping skills/mechanisms or activities they can do when their journey feels too difficult.
  3. Talanoa Malu'i (aged 19 and above) - adults openly discussed cultural barriers and issues that affect the mental wellbeing of families in the Tongan community. Phrases and statements commonly used amongst individuals within Tongan culture were read aloud by the facilitator such as; "Naʻa ku taaʻi koe koeʻuhi he ʻoku ou ʻofa ʻiate koe" meaning "I hit you because I love you". The participants were given the choice to either agree or disagree.  The session facilitator gave perspective on different understandings which enabled open and healthy discussions in a safe environment. 

    The event included a Talanoa Malu’i panel to bring both young and old together to gather the different perspectives on each of the 3 workshops. This was a key opportunity to hear from our youth enabling them to ask questions and voice opinions. The panellists included: 

    • Johnny Ika (33) - Born and raised in Tonga. Professional rugby player. 
    • Losanna Vaitaiki (40) - Born in Tonga and raised in New Zealand. Aged care and disability worker. Mother of 6 children. 
    • Oliva Ofa (56) - Born and raised in Tonga. Mental  health ambassador within the Tongan community. 
    • Tevita Fakaosi (65) - Born and raised in Tonga. Founder of Kainga Pasifika Services and Deacon within the Catholic Church. 

    A survey filled out by many of the participants highlighted some of the issues they faced.

    AIGAMUA said the survey comments, and the support the Tongan people had shown for the day, indicated a collective recognition for more talanoa/discussions on mental health within the Tongan community. A need to break societal norms and foster open dialogue to promote understanding of mental health was a major realisation of everyone involved on the day. 

    AIGAMUA CEO, Jayjay Sali-Siaki Laga’aia, said while, his people had done a great job putting the event together, there were others who deserved to be acknowledged. 

    “We would like to thank Pasefika Proud for believing in our vision. Our events could not have been possible without their ongoing guidance and support,'' he said. 

    ''We also want to extend our appreciation to our Pasifika community in Hawkes Bay. The more we continue to shed light on the importance of prioritising our mental health and wellbeing, the better off our future generations will be.'' 

    “Our mission is to champion mental health and empower aiga  
    to achieve holistic wellbeing. We strive to create a safe space where mental health matters” – AIGAMUA 

    Also of interest: 

    Family First
    The Unspoken Series

    ABOUT AIGAMUA  

    AIGAMUA is a Pacific organisation leading Pacific mental health movement for social change to reverse the adversity of mental health impacting Pacific families based in the Hastings area, raising awareness and encourage Pacific people to seek professional help. We also provide referrals to organisations that may be able to help. AIGAMUA was born from a significant rise in the number of young Pasefika suffering from mental health related issues in Hawkes Bay.  Their Folauga mental health model underpinned the key pillars of ‘Family First’ and a collective response to ensure young people and their families are protected and supported before it gets to the crisis point of self-harm.

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