June 2013: The whānau wanted to feel connected to each other as they once had been as children. For them it was about strengthening the ties between their whānau, their whenua and their kararehe.

Horse riding traditions were integral to their plan. Ever since the whānau could remember, their tamariki would learn to ride before they learned to walk and these customs were at the heart of this connection. Over time, the family home deteriorated, the lands were forgotten with only a few of the whānau keeping these traditions alive but doing so alone.

It was about being together, but in meaningful ways. The focus of the uncles, aunties, koro and kuia was to pass onto our tamariki, the skills and knowledge they had around caring for our land, our family and our animals. In was incredible, Whānau Ora helped us to re-establish these ties and rebuild that sense of whānau belonging that we had all remembered as children and yearned to have again.”

Te Arawa Whānau Ora paearahi, Ann Kururangi, helped navigate the whānau through the PATH planning tool, helping them to work together to articulate their intergenerational dreams and aspirations.

The whānau spoke of this saying “It was so different to what I had expected. She helped us to see beyond any raru we had with each other and look to the skills and expertise we already had within the whānau, reminding us of the strengths and opportunities that were there already.”

Since this coming together the whānau has grown stronger and they are seeing positive change in their lives. Each weekend up to 100 members of the family come together to learn the traditions of their ancestors and as a result are becoming stronger, more confident and more connected.

Whānau Ora gave us something we had lost… Belief and confidence in ourselves, the understanding that we had the answers to our problems all along, we just needed guidance to work that all out.”