Hapu Hauora
The ancient Māori healing system that is making waves image

The ancient Māori healing system that is making waves

19 January 20
Davina Thompson (R) orders her time according to the maramataka, by using the phases of the moon, stars and planets, traditional knowledge, her own observations and scientific data to synchronise her everyday life with nature.

An ancient system that aligns daily activities with the natural world, moon, sun, stars and planets could help improve Māori health inequities. Carmen Parahi explores how maramataka is being revived…
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Tooth-conscious mokopuna 'E Whakahāmama…Te Wero Oranga-ā-Waha' to win oral health challenge image

Tooth-conscious mokopuna 'E Whakahāmama…Te Wero Oranga-ā-Waha' to win oral health challenge

18 January 20
The mokopuna and whānau of Te Kiriwera Hana Kōhanga Reo based in Te Teko have triumphed in an Eastern Bay of Plenty oral health challenge.
  
Kōhanga Reo from across the Eastern Bay were invited to enter the annual challenge, run by the Bay of Plenty District Health Board's (BOPDHB) Oral Health Promotion team, which looks at initiatives employed by Kōhanga Reo to inspire tamariki and…
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'Trailblazing': Rotorua's Tūnohopū Marae bans fizzy drinks, plastic bottles image

'Trailblazing': Rotorua's Tūnohopū Marae bans fizzy drinks, plastic bottles

14 September 19
A Rotorua marae has banned fizzy drinks and plastic bottles - a move a health professional has described as ''trailblazing''.

The chairwoman of Ohinemutu's Tūnohopū Marae, Norma Sturley, said all 20 trustees were involved in the decision gradually introduced over winter to ban soft drinks and plastic bottles (not just single-use), both large and small.

"The amount of sugar in the fizzy drinks we were serving…
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 Kohanga Reo compete for breast and cervical health image

Kohanga Reo compete for breast and cervical health

25 June 19
Kohanga Reo in Tauranga are going head to head to get as many women as possible to undergo breast and cervical screening for the chance to win prizes.

Klash of the Kohanga Reo will see 18 Maori early childhood education centres encouraging their wāhine mā to undergo life-saving screening.

The challenge is being run by the Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation’s Support to Screening…
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 Mammograms for wahine Māori at Pink Ribbon breakfast event image

Mammograms for wahine Māori at Pink Ribbon breakfast event

27 May 19
Raising money for cancer support isn't the only aim of a Pink Ribbon breakfast in Matapihi.

Some of the women attending the breakfast at Hungahungatoroa Marae in Matapihi this month will have a mammogram the day before, earning a free ticket to the breakfast and a special pamper pack.

Pink Ribbon Breakfast is Breast Cancer Foundation NZ's biggest fundraising campaign, held in May each year.

Waipu Hauora…
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Smear your Mea Legacy Lives on Through Ride4Talei image

Smear your Mea Legacy Lives on Through Ride4Talei

13 March 19
The build up to Te Matatini received a boost like no other as cyclists rode from Rotorua to Wellington celebrating the life and leagcy of Smear Your Mea founder Talei Roimata Morrison.

Talei passed away on June 16, 2018, aged 42, after a nine-month battle with cervical cancer.  The mother of three founded the Smear Your Mea campaign, encouraging Māori women to get health checks and smears. …
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Women Bringing Health to Tūwharetoa Marae image

Women Bringing Health to Tūwharetoa Marae

07 March 19
It is by Māori, for Māori.  It is driven by iwi and hapū, not by government or health organisations.  It is on the marae, not at the medical centre.  And, it is proving successful.

A group of Ngāti Tūwharetoa women have picked up the Smear Your Mea campaign and are offering cervical smears for wāhine Māori in a comfortable cultural environment - the marae.

The new approach is…
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Māori zero waste initiative supports Tūwharetoa Festival

18 September 18
A kaupapa Māori zero waste initiative is helping to change a community's mindset about how they eliminate rubbish.

Students of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Whakarewa i Te Reo ki Tūwharetoa are implementing the zero waste teachings at this year's Tūwharetoa Festival in Taupō.

Organising rubbish and waste has turned into a labour of love for Te Kahu-o-te-rangi Ngawhika-Pihema Ritete.

“Our school has always been environmentally…
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Ukaipō programme helps Māori mum-to-be quit smoking image

Ukaipō programme helps Māori mum-to-be quit smoking

23 November 17
Tauranga mums and mums-to-be are trying to reduce their smoking habits while creating a special gift for their unborn baby.

The Ukaipō programme was created to combat the high percentage of Māori women who smoked while pregnant by providing useful information and the incentive of weaving a wahakura (traditional Māori woven flax basket).

The programme was held at Wairoa Marae in Bethlehem this week and ran…
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One of a kind online health hub launched for Māori image

One of a kind online health hub launched for Māori

24 February 17
The health of whānau and hapū will be celebrated at Te Mānuka Tūtahi Marae in Whakatāne today as Toi Te Ora - Public Health Service launches a one of a kind online Māori health hub to Bay of Plenty whānau, hapū and iwi.

Hapū Hauora is a unique health resource hub available at www.hapuhauora.health.nz that has been specifically developed for hapū and whānau to improve…
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Initiative for pregnant women to be rolled out around region image

Initiative for pregnant women to be rolled out around region

17 October 16
An initiative for pregnant Waikato women, believed to be the first of its kind in the country, now has a role of more than 200 women.

Hapū Wananga was launched last year and mirrors that of a programme in Finland where mothers are provided education on a range of issues as well as starter packs of clothes, sheets, toys and a bed for their baby.…
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Toolkit to prepare marae for emergency launched image

Toolkit to prepare marae for emergency launched

22 June 16
Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) staff from across the country assembled at Te Mānuka Tutahi marae in Whakatāne to launch the Marae Emergency Preparedness Planning Toolkit.

Emergency Management Bay of Plenty Director Clinton Naude says the toolkit serves to build and strengthen relationships with marae and hapu and provide planning resources for marae preparedness.

“Like most of New Zealand, the Bay of Plenty needs to be…
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'New ideas' needed on Māori health image

'New ideas' needed on Māori health

18 April 16
The Public Health Association wants to change the conversation about why Māori have worse health outcomes than other New Zealanders.

Māori are more likely to get sick and live shorter lives than other New Zealanders and many of the root causes are blamed on the aftermath of colonisation.

The Public Health Association, which is holding a Māori health symposium in Wellington next month, does not want…
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Push To Improve Maori Health image

Push To Improve Maori Health

13 April 16
A new partnership between Ngati Ranginui iwi and the Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation is set to tackle Maori health issues head on. The Mauri Ora Project, which was signed last Friday, aimed to address health issues identified by hapu and marae groups.

Mauri Ora project manager Charlie Rahiri said the partnership would be about recognising health deprivation and how the iwi could…
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Caring for the heart of the hapū image

Caring for the heart of the hapū

22 February 16
Te Hapū O Ngāti Wheke is the heart of the Rāpaki community, and it’s a heart the hapū are committed to keeping healthy.

The small settlement of Rāpaki sits on the on the shores of Lyttelton Harbour, and is one of four marae-based communities situated on the Banks Peninsula.

Rāpaki Office manager Cushla Dwyer is helping lead the challenge of creating a healthier environment.

‘The health of…
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Marae health and wellbeing initiative impresses Eastern Bay hapū image

Marae health and wellbeing initiative impresses Eastern Bay hapū

18 March 15
Improving the health and wellbeing of hapū was the theme at Toroa Marae in Whakatane recently as Toi Te Ora - Public Health Service (Toi Te Ora) previewed the Hapū Hauora initiative.

The Hapū Hauora initiative is being developed by Toi Te Ora, working collaboratively with members from local hapū.  Hapū Hauora aims to help improve the health of whānau and hapū through creating a…
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Revitalising te reo through mau rākau

14 September 18
Hopu i te Ariki, or 'Catch the Ariki' is a game that is helping promote te reo Māori through the art of war.

A battle is going down for Te Reo Maori and the aim of the game is in the name.

One group attempts to capture the others Ariki, or leader.

At the forefront of the game is te reo.

One of the major rules of the…
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Whānau Snap Up the Challenge image

Whānau Snap Up the Challenge

03 July 17
Matariki Whānau Day took place on Sunday 25 June, the finale to four weeks of fantastic events around Tauranga which included live performances, exhibitions, nature walks and celestial navigation in celebration of the Māori New Year.

Sport Bay of Plenty were proud to attend Whānau Day, offering resources, information and a number of interactive challenges, including Mauao Wero.

Mauao Wero, which means Mount Challenge, was created…
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