From Whakapapa to Wellbeing: Heritage Driven Healing Through Culture and Collaboration
Tracks
Kookaburra Room: In-Person & Virtual via OnAIR
| Tuesday, October 21, 2025 |
| 12:10 PM - 12:40 PM |
| Kookaburra Room (M3) |
Overview
Terukutia Tongaawhikau, Georgina King & Aeireira Walker, Raukura Hauora O Tainui
Presenter
Miss Te Rukutia Tongaawhikau
Pou Whakahaere - General Manager
Raukura Hauora O Tainui
From Whakapapa to Wellbeing: Heritage Driven Healing Through Culture and Collaboration
Presentation Overview
By centring maatauranga Maaori within health, justice, and community frameworks, legacies of trauma are transformed into springboards for thriving. Our experience offers vital lessons for global health and social justice practice: authentic healing arises when people walk together, draw strength from whakapapa, and flourish in solidarity.
Founded in 1991 to honour the vision of our ancestors; Kingi Tawhiao, Princess Te Puea Herangi, and Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu; Raukura today serves 30,000 whaanau (families) across the Waikato Tainui region of Aotearoa (New Zealand) with a whaanau centred, empowerment focused approach delivered by 140+ kaimahi (staff).
We share our approach over four interrelated themes:
1. Cultural Anchors for Resilience
Embedding tikanga (customs) and whakapapa (geneology) in care pathways
Language revival and land based wānanga (learning) to heal intergenerational trauma
2. Collaborative Hauora Ecosystems
Co designing services with justice, social service, and community partners
Whaanau led (community) forums that drive local mental health and wellbeing initiatives
3. Heritage Driven Healing Practices
Adapting rongoaa Maaori (traditional healing) and narrative practices for modern clinics
Storytelling and advocacy as therapeutic and empowerment tools
4. Holistic Wellbeing Integration
Seamlessly blending physical, spiritual, emotional and relational dimensions of hauora (health)
Early outcomes: increase in general practice engagement, higher uptake of preventative services and improved whaanau satisfaction.
This presentation showcases Raukura Hauora o Tainui’s model of care; anchored in maatauranga Maaori (indigenous knowledge) and cross sector collaboration to advance Indigenous wellbeing and resilience.
Three Key Learnings:
1. Whakapapa as the Foundation of Wellbeing
Reconnecting whaanau to their whakapapa—through te reo, tikanga, and land‑based practices. Anchors identity and cultivates the collective resilience that underpins mental and spiritual health.
2. Heritage‑Driven, Maaori‑Led Healing
Revitalising cultural practices (rongoaa, puuraakau, weaving, haka) in modern formats empowers whaanau to transform intergenerational trauma into sources of strength and pride.
3. Cross‑Sector Collaboration for Holistic Hauora
Integrating kaupapa Maaori frameworks with justice, clinical, and community services (e.g., Te Whare Whakapiki Wairua, Kia Piki Te Ora) creates seamless, culturally‑grounded pathways that address whānau needs in a truly holistic way.
Founded in 1991 to honour the vision of our ancestors; Kingi Tawhiao, Princess Te Puea Herangi, and Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu; Raukura today serves 30,000 whaanau (families) across the Waikato Tainui region of Aotearoa (New Zealand) with a whaanau centred, empowerment focused approach delivered by 140+ kaimahi (staff).
We share our approach over four interrelated themes:
1. Cultural Anchors for Resilience
Embedding tikanga (customs) and whakapapa (geneology) in care pathways
Language revival and land based wānanga (learning) to heal intergenerational trauma
2. Collaborative Hauora Ecosystems
Co designing services with justice, social service, and community partners
Whaanau led (community) forums that drive local mental health and wellbeing initiatives
3. Heritage Driven Healing Practices
Adapting rongoaa Maaori (traditional healing) and narrative practices for modern clinics
Storytelling and advocacy as therapeutic and empowerment tools
4. Holistic Wellbeing Integration
Seamlessly blending physical, spiritual, emotional and relational dimensions of hauora (health)
Early outcomes: increase in general practice engagement, higher uptake of preventative services and improved whaanau satisfaction.
This presentation showcases Raukura Hauora o Tainui’s model of care; anchored in maatauranga Maaori (indigenous knowledge) and cross sector collaboration to advance Indigenous wellbeing and resilience.
Three Key Learnings:
1. Whakapapa as the Foundation of Wellbeing
Reconnecting whaanau to their whakapapa—through te reo, tikanga, and land‑based practices. Anchors identity and cultivates the collective resilience that underpins mental and spiritual health.
2. Heritage‑Driven, Maaori‑Led Healing
Revitalising cultural practices (rongoaa, puuraakau, weaving, haka) in modern formats empowers whaanau to transform intergenerational trauma into sources of strength and pride.
3. Cross‑Sector Collaboration for Holistic Hauora
Integrating kaupapa Maaori frameworks with justice, clinical, and community services (e.g., Te Whare Whakapiki Wairua, Kia Piki Te Ora) creates seamless, culturally‑grounded pathways that address whānau needs in a truly holistic way.
Biography
Te Rukutia is the General Manager of Hapori – Community Health Services for Raukura Hauora o Tainui, mobilising holistic community-based services across ngaa rohe o Tainui
She is recognised by Te Rau Ora 100 Maaori leaders for making positive change in Maaori health through:
• Contribution to preventing and minimising gambling harm in Aotearoa.
• Kaitiaki in Professional Supervision, for her framework “Tatari Ake”
• Contributed to establishing Kaupapa Maaori interventions for the Department of Corrections NZ.
• Co-writing Mana enhancing service: A fresh approach to clinical practice
• Contribution as a board member for Health Promotion Forum of NZ
Ms Aeireira Walker
Team Leader - Community Health
Raukura Hauora o Tainui
From Whakapapa to Wellbeing: Heritage Driven Healing Through Culture and Collaboration
Presentation Overview
By centring maatauranga Maaori within health, justice, and community frameworks, legacies of trauma are transformed into springboards for thriving. Our experience offers vital lessons for global health and social justice practice: authentic healing arises when people walk together, draw strength from whakapapa, and flourish in solidarity.
Founded in 1991 to honour the vision of our ancestors; Kingi Tawhiao, Princess Te Puea Herangi, and Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu; Raukura today serves 30,000 whaanau (families) across the Waikato Tainui region of Aotearoa (New Zealand) with a whaanau centred, empowerment focused approach delivered by 140+ kaimahi (staff).
We share our approach over four interrelated themes:
1. Cultural Anchors for Resilience
Embedding tikanga (customs) and whakapapa (geneology) in care pathways
Language revival and land based wānanga (learning) to heal intergenerational trauma
2. Collaborative Hauora Ecosystems
Co designing services with justice, social service, and community partners
Whaanau led (community) forums that drive local mental health and wellbeing initiatives
3. Heritage Driven Healing Practices
Adapting rongoaa Maaori (traditional healing) and narrative practices for modern clinics
Storytelling and advocacy as therapeutic and empowerment tools
4. Holistic Wellbeing Integration
Seamlessly blending physical, spiritual, emotional and relational dimensions of hauora (health)
Early outcomes: increase in general practice engagement, higher uptake of preventative services and improved whaanau satisfaction.
This presentation showcases Raukura Hauora o Tainui’s model of care; anchored in maatauranga Maaori (indigenous knowledge) and cross sector collaboration to advance Indigenous wellbeing and resilience.
Three Key Learnings:
1. Whakapapa as the Foundation of Wellbeing
Reconnecting whaanau to their whakapapa—through te reo, tikanga, and land‑based practices. Anchors identity and cultivates the collective resilience that underpins mental and spiritual health.
2. Heritage‑Driven, Maaori‑Led Healing
Revitalising cultural practices (rongoaa, puuraakau, weaving, haka) in modern formats empowers whaanau to transform intergenerational trauma into sources of strength and pride.
3. Cross‑Sector Collaboration for Holistic Hauora
Integrating kaupapa Maaori frameworks with justice, clinical, and community services (e.g., Te Whare Whakapiki Wairua, Kia Piki Te Ora) creates seamless, culturally‑grounded pathways that address whānau needs in a truly holistic way.
Founded in 1991 to honour the vision of our ancestors; Kingi Tawhiao, Princess Te Puea Herangi, and Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu; Raukura today serves 30,000 whaanau (families) across the Waikato Tainui region of Aotearoa (New Zealand) with a whaanau centred, empowerment focused approach delivered by 140+ kaimahi (staff).
We share our approach over four interrelated themes:
1. Cultural Anchors for Resilience
Embedding tikanga (customs) and whakapapa (geneology) in care pathways
Language revival and land based wānanga (learning) to heal intergenerational trauma
2. Collaborative Hauora Ecosystems
Co designing services with justice, social service, and community partners
Whaanau led (community) forums that drive local mental health and wellbeing initiatives
3. Heritage Driven Healing Practices
Adapting rongoaa Maaori (traditional healing) and narrative practices for modern clinics
Storytelling and advocacy as therapeutic and empowerment tools
4. Holistic Wellbeing Integration
Seamlessly blending physical, spiritual, emotional and relational dimensions of hauora (health)
Early outcomes: increase in general practice engagement, higher uptake of preventative services and improved whaanau satisfaction.
This presentation showcases Raukura Hauora o Tainui’s model of care; anchored in maatauranga Maaori (indigenous knowledge) and cross sector collaboration to advance Indigenous wellbeing and resilience.
Three Key Learnings:
1. Whakapapa as the Foundation of Wellbeing
Reconnecting whaanau to their whakapapa—through te reo, tikanga, and land‑based practices. Anchors identity and cultivates the collective resilience that underpins mental and spiritual health.
2. Heritage‑Driven, Maaori‑Led Healing
Revitalising cultural practices (rongoaa, puuraakau, weaving, haka) in modern formats empowers whaanau to transform intergenerational trauma into sources of strength and pride.
3. Cross‑Sector Collaboration for Holistic Hauora
Integrating kaupapa Maaori frameworks with justice, clinical, and community services (e.g., Te Whare Whakapiki Wairua, Kia Piki Te Ora) creates seamless, culturally‑grounded pathways that address whānau needs in a truly holistic way.
Biography
Aeireira Walker is a Kaupapa Maaori leader from Waikato, of Ngaati Maniapoto, Ngaati Raukawa ki Wharepūhunga, and Ngaati Tuuwharetoa descent. Raised by her mother and grandparents, she embodies resilience and deep commitment to whaanau and whakapapa. Overcoming barriers to formal education, Aeireira drives generational change and expand opportunities for future whaanau. As a lead at Raukura Hauora o Tainui, she champions Whaanau Ora, Te Whare Whakapiki Wairua (AOD Court), Kia Piki te Ora, and Gambling Harm prevention. Integrating maataraunga Maaori, whakapapa, and collective wellbeing. Guided by ancestral wisdom and lived experience, she empowers whaanau to reclaim their narratives and thrive.
