Profile
HE WAKA TAPU - TAUMATA WHAKAKITENGA
He Waka Tapu was established in 1996 by Daryl Gregory to fill a gap in the local community around violence by Maori men against women and children. After approaching Mana whenua for their support, He Waka Tapu started providing men's programmes for Community Probation Services and men released from local prisons who needed to address violent behaviour against women.
He Waka Tapu is a charitable company and now employs over 25 people ranging from alcohol & drug clinicians to social workers, nurses, counsellors, youth workers administration staff. Our staff are supported by our kaumatua, who is an active member of the kahui kaumaatua i te runanga o Otautahi.
He Waka Tapu is an approved family violence provider under the Family Court Domestic Violence Act, Community Probation Services, Child, Youth & Family, Canterbury District Health Board, Ministry of Health, Crime Prevention Unit, NZ Police, Christchurch City Council, and Mana Whenua.
He Waka Tapu is a charitable company and now employs over 25 people ranging from alcohol & drug clinicians to social workers, nurses, counsellors, youth workers administration staff. Our staff are supported by our kaumatua, who is an active member of the kahui kaumaatua i te runanga o Otautahi.
He Waka Tapu is an approved family violence provider under the Family Court Domestic Violence Act, Community Probation Services, Child, Youth & Family, Canterbury District Health Board, Ministry of Health, Crime Prevention Unit, NZ Police, Christchurch City Council, and Mana Whenua.
Violence by Men
The image of Waka is something that figures strongly in our organisation. Whanau are engaged to come on a journey of exploration, to discover new pathways and to reach for horizons that had only been a far-off dream. The wero, or challenge, laid before men and their whanau, is to consider what their tipuna had to do in preparing to cross the vast ocean, Te Moana nui a Kiwa, and reach Aotearoa safely, equipped to begin a new life.
'He Waka Tapu', literally translated, means 'a sacred vessel'. He Waka Tapu invites men to consider that the waka that will carry them and their tamariki (children) into the future is the whanau (family). To ensue that they will reach that far-off horizon, to ensure that the dreams and visions of our tupuna (ancestors) for their mokopuna (grandchildren) are realised, men must ensure that the waka they build are seaworthy enough to face the challenges of Tangaroa and Tawhirimatea. If they are going to take that journey, it is suggested they must consider who is going with them and what skills they have to ensure success.
'He Waka Tapu', literally translated, means 'a sacred vessel'. He Waka Tapu invites men to consider that the waka that will carry them and their tamariki (children) into the future is the whanau (family). To ensue that they will reach that far-off horizon, to ensure that the dreams and visions of our tupuna (ancestors) for their mokopuna (grandchildren) are realised, men must ensure that the waka they build are seaworthy enough to face the challenges of Tangaroa and Tawhirimatea. If they are going to take that journey, it is suggested they must consider who is going with them and what skills they have to ensure success.
Do they know how to get there? What navigation instruments or knowledge do they possess?
This is an invitation to men and their whanau to consider what it means to begin the most important journey of their lives - establishing a whanau - and to consider what their tupuna must have gone through when they left the comfort of what they knew (their turangawaewae upon Papatuanuku). Abandoning themselves to the ever-changing currents of Tangaroa, they were exposed to the power of Tawhirimatea, as they sat embraced in the folds of Tanemahuta, trusting that Ranginui would provide the heavenly signs in the ara whetu needed to journey along a pathway where all is fluid, where no pathway exists.
This is the wero (challenge) that is laid down before men who come to our whare. If they are ready to pick it up, then the karanga (call) to come on board our waka can begin. Programmes do this by ensuring that sufficient time is given to the process of whakawhanaungatanga (relationship building). Building good relationships, talking through the process of what is involved and exploring the motivational levels of participants is vital to ensure all are ready to embark on what can be a very challenging journey. It also begins the process of modelling by kaimahi about relationship building.
We believe this work needs to be understood by having a clear analysis of violence, causes and effects, and the context in which this occurs, especially understanding the historical issues within Aotearoa.
Violence against women and children is not and has never been sanctioned within Te Ao Māori. There are no historical laws or lore that condones any form of abuse against whanau members. In contrast within European law up until recently the law sanctioned ownership of women and children by men and the right to beat them.
This is the wero (challenge) that is laid down before men who come to our whare. If they are ready to pick it up, then the karanga (call) to come on board our waka can begin. Programmes do this by ensuring that sufficient time is given to the process of whakawhanaungatanga (relationship building). Building good relationships, talking through the process of what is involved and exploring the motivational levels of participants is vital to ensure all are ready to embark on what can be a very challenging journey. It also begins the process of modelling by kaimahi about relationship building.
We believe this work needs to be understood by having a clear analysis of violence, causes and effects, and the context in which this occurs, especially understanding the historical issues within Aotearoa.
Violence against women and children is not and has never been sanctioned within Te Ao Māori. There are no historical laws or lore that condones any form of abuse against whanau members. In contrast within European law up until recently the law sanctioned ownership of women and children by men and the right to beat them.
Reports & Plans
See below for our lastest strategic plan
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“Whanau are engaged to come on a journey of exploration, to discover new pathways and to reach for horizons that had only been a far-off dream.”
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