Recently, hapū champions and leading Māori health professionals from across the region welcomed Dr. Ashley Bloomfield to acknowledge his efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Nō mātou te maringanui kua tae mai ia, i noho mātou rae ki te rae, pokohiwi ki te pokohiwi ki te mihi atu ki a ia. He tikanga Māori mai anō tēnei nō reira ko ia tēnei mātou i tēnei wā tonu he mihi ki te rangatira,”
Te Arawa and Ngāti Pikiao leader Piki Thomas says we are really fortunate to have him here and we have had the opportunity to sit face to face and shoulder to shoulder with him. This has always been our tikanga, in thanking our nation’s leader.
Dr. Bloomfield has become a household-name and a key connector to many communities across the nation.
“Kua kite ngā tari kāwanatanga katoa ngā nekenekehanga, ngā āheitanga, ngā mātauranga anō hoki i roto i ngā marae me ngā hapū anō hoki nō reira ko te tumanako ia kua ū, kua tau ērā whakaaro nui kei roto i ēnā tari kāwanatanga katoa kia waiho te iwi, kia waiho te Māori kia whakahaere i ana ake mahi.”
Thomas says Government sectors and ministries can see the movements, opportunities and knowledge systems our marae and hapū hold. Therefore, the hope is for these Government entities to continue having these thoughts and have ongoing support of by Māori for Māori led approaches.
In 2020 Te Arawa COVID-19 hub was established as an Iwi response to COVID-19. The hub is a collective of Te Arawa Iwi, hapū, marae delegates, social services, youth services health and community organisations across Te Arawa rohe including Te Puke, Maketu, Pukehina, Matata, Rotorua and Reporoa who came together to mobilise support for whānau within the Te Arawa rohe.
For more please watch Mihi Motuhake: Dr.Ashley Bloomfield