June 2014: Canaan’s mahi sees him supporting whānau by helping them to understand and learn how to use the PATH Planning Tool, an innovative goal setting tool that makes use of easy to understand pictures and steps. He’s also a part of the Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Lifestyle Intervention team, Toiora Series and lends his hand to support Te Arawa Pride Events and Ngā Taonga Tākaro.
Canaan has worked with Te Papa Tākaro, the oldest Māori sports and recreation organisation in Aotearoa for the past 3 years.
Working within the community for whānau is one of the most rewarding parts of his job Canaan explains, “working with my people and within my community has been rewarding to say the least and throughout my experiences with Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa I have gained an abundance of matauranga (knowledge) that has not only helped to improve my actions and those of my whānau but has been transferred or passed on to a number of people we work with to empower them and their whānau as well”.
Canaan takes a very holistic indigenous approach to understanding well being saying “I have learned that there can be a greater opportunity to not only enhance your wairua but also to develop your physical and mental wellbeing through mātauranga Māori processes”. The processes he refers to are those that our tupuna followed, through karakia, whakapapa, haka, waiata, hikoi or hoe waka.
Not only does Canaan teach others he has embraced these understandings both at work and at home with his own whānau. For Canaan it’s about living a healthy and rewarding life and enjoying and celebrating his whānau by treasuring every moment he has with them.