Matariki Reflections and Looking Ahead
Matariki ahunga nui, Matariki tapuapua, Matariki whetū heri kai, Matariki herenga waka.
As Matariki rises once more upon the eastern horizon, we are reminded of the importance of coming together as whānau, hapū, and iwi in pursuit of a shared future. This past year has been a reminder that change happens through hononga, through listening, through communities leading the way, and through moments that shift the systems that shape the health and wellbeing of our whānau.
Matariki begins with remembrance, and we take this time to honour those who have passed. We remember their wisdom, their leadership, their aroha and the legacies they leave behind. We acknowledge our tūpuna, whose mātauranga continues to guide the way we care for our people, our whenua and our wai. Their teachings remind us that wellbeing has always been about hononga to each other, to place and to our uri whakaheke.
This year has also asked us to reflect on the challenges our hapori have faced. Following Cyclone Vaianu, we witnessed the strength and resilience of our people. We saw our hapori come together, draw on local knowledge and support one another through uncertainty. Those moments reminded us that the answers often already exist within our hapori, and that our role is to nurture the conditions that allow those strengths to flourish.
As we reflect on the past year, there is so much to celebrate. Across Te Tairāwhiti, we've seen communities continue to lead solutions that reflect their own aspirations and strengths. Through Taurikura, local ideas have continued to grow into lasting action. Te Ara Kauhoe has shown what is possible when communities, partners and funders unite around a shared vision tostrengthen the systems that help keep our whānau safe in and around the water for generations to come.
We've celebrated local champions whose passion and leadership inspire others to step forward. We've gathered to wānanga, used systems mapping to better understand the complex factors influencing health and wellbeing, and continued to share stories that make systems change more visible and accessible. Every conversation, every partnership and every shared learning has helped build stronger foundations for prevention.
While much of this mahi happens quietly and behind the scenes, its impact is seen in strengthened relationships, collaboration and our hapori feeling empowered to shape their own futures. This is what systems change looks like, it's people coming together to create the conditions where healthy choices become easier, and where whānau can thrive.
As we look towards the year ahead, we do so with hope and honesty. The coming year may be the final year of the current Healthy Families East Cape kaupapa. While we don't yet know what the future holds, we do know the relationships we've built, the knowledge we've shared and the momentum we've created belong to our hapori.
Our kaupapa have always been about walking alongside our hapori, strengthening local leadership and creating lasting change that reaches far beyond any funding cycle. Systems change is a long journey, and the seeds that have been planted over the past decade will continue to grow through the people, partnerships and communities that have nurtured them.
Whatever the future brings, our commitment remains the same. We will continue to champion prevention, strengthen Māori-led solutions, support community innovation and work together to create healthier futures for our tamariki, mokopuna and whānau.
As one Matariki season comes to a close and another begins, we're reminded that every ending also creates space for new beginnings. We carry with us the memories of those who have gone before us, gratitude for everyone who has walked alongside us this year, and hope for what we can continue to achieve together.
Mānawatia a Matariki ki a koutou katoa.