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Huia Tāngata Kōtahi – Unite the People wānanga series

Last updated: 18 September 2024

In recognition of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the Problem Gambling Foundation launched a new wānanga series of online videos entitled Huia Tāngata Kōtahi – Unite the People on Waitangi Day 2023.


What is Huia Tāngata Kōtahi?

The wānanga series of online videos feature conversations with Māori influencers about the systemic injustices experienced by Māori including gambling harm, through a social justice lens.

The initiative is funded by the Health Promotion Agency (HPA) through the Safer Gambling Aotearoa Community Fund. The project aims to promote holistic intergenerational wealth creation underpinned by mātauranga māori values, increase awareness about systemic injustices, and to denormalise and destigmatise gambling harm for Māori communities as a priority population. 

The Māori influencers generously give their time and space to this kaupapa. They are open to discuss and share their knowledge and experience about themselves as people of influence in the spaces they occupy by Māori for Māori of Māori as Māori.

The wānanga series is available via You Tube. The collaborative partners are Safer Gambling Aotearoa www.safergamblingaotearoa.org.nz 

The Māori influencers are:

Mātike Mai Aotearoa x Dr Veronica Tāwhai

Massey University Pūkenga Tiriti. Dr Tāwhai is a founding member of Te Ata Kura Society for Conscientisation, and a lead contributor and facilitator to Mātike Mai Aotearoa the call for Constitutional Transformation. 

Veronica discusses her experiences as an advocate for Māori political determination as a vehicle to achieve a socially just society where all peoples can flourish.

Māoriland x Libby Hakaraia

Tumu Whakarae of Māoriland. Libby and husband Tainui Stephens co-founded the Māoriland Film Festival, the first indigenous film festival in the southern hemisphere running into its 10th year, and established Māoriland Charitible Trust as a centre for the social, economic, and cultural benefit of Ōtaki.

Libby discusses her experiences with multi-levelled racism as the driver to want to make change in the world through indigenous story telling.

Soldiers Rd x Taaniko and Vienna Nordstrom

Co-founders of Soldiers Rd Portraits. Their unique photography experience has connected hundreds of whānau and indigenous peoples all over the world to reclaim their mana through the visual representation of themselves in the likeness of their tūpuna.

Taaniko and Vienna discuss the importance of valuing cultural heritage as a vehicle to heal and make transformational change in the world.

Rongoā Collective of the ART Confederation x Sharlene Maote-Davis, Hemaima Wiremu and Pania Solomon

Co-founders of the Rongoā Collective of the ART Confederation. Sharlene, Hemaima and Pania visualise the importance for whānau to reclaim their rongoā practice accessible in everyday life for the three iwi Te Ati Awa, Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Toa Rangatira.

Sharlene, Hemaima and Pania discuss rongoā practices to regenerate our healing connection to wairua and mauri.

Bonus x Māori equity and gambling conference presentation

Is Māori equity attainable in the Midlands? The dream versus reality of pokies in Māori communities presented at the International Gambling Conference 2022.

The intent of the presentation is to share observations as a Multi Venue Exclusion (MVE) Coordinator, analysing gaming venues in Māori communities across the Midlands region: Whakatāne, Kawerau and Ōpōtiki Territorial Local Authorities (TLAs). 

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