Turanga Māori Reducing Family Harm On and Off Tokoroa’s Sports Fields

The Cook Islands Māori coach, Neville Takiri is a Turanga Māori facilitator with his partner Tere Ford (Penrhyn) in Tokoroa (both pictured above). 

The couple were introduced to the Turanga Māori framework in Dunedin in 2018 by Dr Jean Mitaera, a pioneer in Pacific social work and family violence research and one of the creators of the framework.

Since then, Neville has been applying Turanga Māori on the sport field with positive results.

“We’ve coached a Tokoroa High School team to nationals and every week we had a session around Turanga Māori and how to stop violence when it comes,” says Neville. “So, when they got into those situations where things could have got out of hand, they remembered the training and the tools we gave them. We were really proud of them.”

When it comes to his leadership style, Neville says Turanga Māori has helped him navigate his way as club chairman. 

“I don’t get loud and I try to stay calm,” says Neville.  “I know as a leader you have to be calm and that filters down.  It’s no use trying to get loud like I used to because that unsettles everything.  The wellbeing side is about balancing everything.”

Off the sports field, Tere is applying Turanga Māori in her work as the Family Violence Support Worker at SWIPICS (South Waikato Pacific Island Community Services).

Born and raised in Tokoroa, Tere works with many agencies in the family harm sector including Police, Oranga Tamariki, Women’s Refuge, Probation, Corrections, WINZ, other NGOs and Mental Health.

“If any Pacific families present at the table, I am able to make contact with them and see how best we can support them and their needs,” says Tere. “My turanga at the table allows me to offer my cultural expertise in supporting those around the table in how to work to provide safety plans and or support plans for our Pacific families.”

Tere was previously active with the ‘It’s Not OK’ family violence campaign. She says Turanga Māori is an extension of the values she grew up with as a Cook Islander.

“Having put it in a framework it actually works better for our people because our people are direction focused,” says Tere. “The framework works in a lot of amazing ways.” 

Both she and Neville have raised their children to apply Turanga Māori in their own lives. 

“We have raised our kids up to be mahi people, to do the work,” says Tere.  “If you can walk the talk then people will respect you.  Our girls have done the catering this weekend.  They’re a part of everything we do, from setting up and packing down the rugby league fields to planning and prepping for catering functions.”

“They’re no strangers to having to do the mahi but that’s because of their Turanga Māori and their understanding that they have as their responsibility to their parents, community, papa’anga and to who they are.” 

Neville agrees and says Turanga Māori has shaped the way they live and raise their kids.

“It’s strengthened us as a family. Our children walk with their head high because they know who they are and where they come from.” 

The Turanga Māori Framework

Papa’anga – Genealogy

Turanga – Position

Piri’anga – Relationships

Au Akaue’anga – Duties of Care

Aroa – Love

Turanga Māori is part of the Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu initiative that uses Pacific cultural values to help prevent family violence amongst Pacific families and communities. A partnership between Pasefika Proud and The Cause Collective, the goal is to help families nurture strong relationships.

At the heart of Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu’s programmes are eight cultural frameworks which draw on values and traditions from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, and Tuvalu. 

Read more about Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu

RELATED RESOURCES

Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu - Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu is a conceptual framework for addressing family violence in eight Pacific communities in New Zealand. It is informed by, and aligned with, the eight ethnic specific conceptual reports on addressing family violence, and a literature review. It is intended as a guide for policy writers. It defines and explains meanings of family, violence, and key concepts and principles that promote family wellbeing for the eight ethnic specific communities.

Falevitu - A literature review on culture and family violence in seven Pacific communities in New Zealand. This literature review is one of eight key documents that informed the development of Nga Vaka o Kāiga Tapu: A Pacific Conceptual Framework to address family violence in New Zealand. 

Cook Islands cultural concepts to inform family violence interventions and practice - This literature review identifies key Cook Island literature in the family violence area. The researchers concluded that the process of transforming Cook Island lives should always be underpinned by theories and practice methods that are Cook Island in origin. This research highlights the importance of indigenous Pacific approaches to family violence.

Cook Islands cultural concepts to inform family violence interventions and practice - Research Summary - Summary of the report identifying key Cook Island literature in the family violence area. The researchers concluded that the process of transforming Cook Island lives should always be underpinned by theories and practice methods that are Cook Island in origin. This research highlights the importance of indigenous Pacific approaches to family violence.

Turanga Māori - A Cook Islands Conceptual Framework transforming family violence - restoring wellbeing - A Cook Islands Conceptual Framework for practitioners working with victims, perpetrators, their families and communities. The Framework provides one pathway for continuing to progress the discourse on addressing family violence.