Te Kura Nui o Waipareira: Issue 2 – Manaakitanga

Manaakitanga // Nourishing and providing for the needs of our people and communities.

Manaakitanga is considered here as a broad concept of nourishing or caring for individuals, whānau and communities physically, spiritually and/or culturally. It is where the mana of others is recognised and given due respect to the elevation or enhancement of all. This could be enacted through providing appropriate resources for best practice, or upholding Māori values and tikanga such as Te Reo; it could be reflected in the philosophy and practice of engaging individuals and whānau in programmes in a way that upholds their mana, or hosting with generosity with the aspiration of enabling better outcomes.

For the second issue of Te Kura Nui o Waipareira, the idea of manaakitanga has guided the thinking around how this essential value is represented not merely in theory, but in approaches and practices of working with Māori whānau within frontline services, education, workforce development, research and outcomes measurement. The voices in this second issue are diverse in regards to the areas they represent, and the insights and journeys that are conveyed in the articles present new and unique examples of manaakitanga in action, reflections on work practice, as well as research-based insights and whānau experience of Whānau Ora frontline services. By inviting diverse voices and showing mutual respect for them Te Kura Nui o Waipareira engages in manaakitanga, and invites the readers to go on this journey and find ways to incorporate aroha, hospitality and respect in their practices.