An octet of officers at first Māori officers’ hui

Eight Māori officers along with Te Tai Hono kaimahi gathered at the Booth College of Mission last week for the first Maori Officers’ Hui and left feeling re-energised, re-connected and recognised.

Te Tai Aroha Tumuwhakarae Richard-Kerr-Bell (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Ngāti Kuri, Te Aupouri) says the intention of the hui was simply to bring Māori officers within Te Ope Whakaora together.

“It was really for us to provide a space for them to connect, to share, to strengthen each other, and to say we see them and for us to acknowledge their commitment and their presence,” he says.

The hui opened with a mihi whakatau and over the next two days, officers held karakia, waiata and wānanga, spent time reconnecting with te taiao, completing group challenges and sharing kai while building lasting relationships which will ultimately benefit Te Ope Whakaora and the whānau Māori we work with.

Rūnanga co-chair Ian Hutson (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Raukawa) – who attended with his daughter Collete (Irwin) – says he came away from the hui feeling positive about the future.

“I thought it was really good for the officers to get together, Māori officers, and to share their cultural connection, talk about common issues and connect. I thought there was some really special connecting that went on and it helped affirm our identity as Māori officers, for all of us,” he says.

“It made me realise that there’s people all around who haven’t felt included in the past and they felt they were being included, so I felt really uplifted by that.”

Manukau Corps officer Maree O’Brien (Tainui, Ngāpuhi) says the hui was “a great start” but she’d like the next one to be longer so she could spend more time getting to know her fellow officers and Te Tai Hono kaimahi.

“I didn’t know Cass (Henderson) and Tammy (Mohi) very well, so I got to know people that I don’t normally have interactions with,” she says.

“I liked the fact that this was new to probably over half the people there. There were people that normally would not be around that table. I have to say it was a great start.”

Mt Albert Corps Officer and pastor Erica Kearse (Ngāpuhi) says it was a great experience to feel welcome and included.

“For me it was awesome to find I had a place at the table. That really was the highlight,” she says.

“And connecting, not only with Māori officers, but with my own journey and in a safe way, that was huge.”

She returned home “feeling really energised and reconnected.”

“I just hope that we have more and I look forward to seeing more people join the table.”