Omahu Whanau Ora Day

Post date: Jul 31, 2011 9:21:51 PM

Omahu, Runanga and Te Awhina Marae's held their whanau ora day of Friday 29th July at Omahu Marae. Due to a whanau tangi the week before the day was postponed till a week later. In the end it worked out well with us being blessed with a beautiful sunny day. It all started with a whakatau in the wharenui and then straight into a number of presentations by the providers. Nga Kairauhii kicked it off, followed by Cranford Hospice. We had two huge bouncy castles, nestled between the wharenui and whare kai. The kids were all over them from start to finish. By around 10.30am lots of whanau started arriving so all of the providers moved over to the wharekai where they had their booths where whanau could get health information. Aunty Nan and her whanau were in the kitchen and were preparing healthy kai throughout the day. I heard a few asking "where all the cakes were", as all the kai was either fruit or veges. Most of our whanau are not used to so much healthy kai at our hui.

There were a number of providers who had stalls in the wharekai including, Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga [smoking cessation, nurse clinics, healthy lifestyles], Asthma Hawke's Bay, Te Roopu Huihuinga Hauora [Emergency preperation, Rongoa Maori, Zumba] & Cranford Hospice. Bobby Joe got the whanau energised with a Zumba class which all the whanau really enjoyed. Some of the kids got T-shirts as prizes for their participation. Tane Edwards ran traditional Maori games outside for all the tamariki which they also enjoyed. The hakari was a fitting end to the day with healthy kai again on the menu. Mane Adams finished with a T-shirt give away for whanau who could recite their pepeha in front of the all the whanau. Aunty Nan had designed the T-shirts especially for the whanau day and gave the whakapapa of the design. The T-shirts were very popular with a number of orders going in for more. Not long after the hakari and while the whanau were cleaning up we had a visit from Maori Party candidate Na Raihania, and MP's Pita Sharples and Te Ururoa Flavell. Although they were rather late and missed all the action it was still good that they made the time to visit.

Overall it was an awesome day. The kaupapa was met, that being to encourage our whanau to return to the Marae to celebrate whanau ora, to see the marae as a place where whanau can be healed and can enjoy whanaungatanga, kotahitanga and whanau ora. Narina did a count up of those that were at the Marae after lunch, mindful that some whanau had already left and counted the following: 34 mokopuna, 60 tamariki & 68 pakeke or a total of 162 whanau! Ka mau te wehi! We are already looking forward to the next one. No reira nga mihi atu ki a koutou e pupuri nei ki nga taonga tuku iho e nga matua tipuna!