Te Hā Kura: Restoring Te Hā on our Collective Pathway to Wellbeing in Tairāwhiti

At Healthy Families East Cape, we recognise that the environments where people live, learn, work, play and connect have a profound influence on health and wellbeing. Our approach is grounded in systems thinking and prevention, with a focus on shifting the conditions that contribute to chronic illness and health inequity.

Te Hā Kura is an example of this approach in action. It is a regional collaboration committed to reducing harm from nicotine and alcohol, by restoring and protecting the hā, the sacred breath of life, for our people and whenua. This kaupapa is rooted in whakapapa and inspired by Kurawaka, the place where Tāne-nui-a-Rangi breathed life into Hineahuone. It calls us to reimagine health not only as the absence of disease, but as a reflection of balance, connection, and collective wellbeing.

We know that the challenges we face in Tairāwhiti are complex and intergenerational. High rates of smoking, vaping and hazardous alcohol use are not only drivers of preventable illness and early death, but also symptoms of deeper, systemic issues. Māori communities, in particular, continue to carry the burden of these harms due to longstanding inequities shaped by colonisation, social exclusion and structural disadvantage.

These challenges cannot be addressed in isolation. Te Hā Kura brings together a diverse network of partners who are working across different parts of the system. This includes Gisborne East Coast Cancer Society, Ngāti Porou Oranga, Te Whatu Ora Tairāwhiti, Gisborne District Council, Hāpai Te Hauora, Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ, the Heart Foundation and Tāne Ora Tairāwhiti. Each brings their own expertise, reach and relationships. Together, we are aligning our efforts, sharing insights, and building collective accountability for outcomes that matter to our communities.

This collaborative model reflects a collective impact approach. It moves us beyond fragmented initiatives toward coordinated action around a shared vision. It enables us to respond more effectively to the complex drivers of harm, while ensuring that whānau voice and lived experience remain central to the design and delivery of solutions.

In Tairāwhiti, where over half the population is Māori and nearly a third are rangatahi, the opportunity for prevention is significant. Most nicotine and alcohol use begins during adolescence and early adulthood. These behaviours are strongly linked to a range of chronic health conditions later in life, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, respiratory conditions and mental distress. Through Te Hā Kura, we are supporting initiatives that create protective environments for rangatahi, promote smokefree and alcohol-free spaces, and strengthen access to culturally grounded support.

Our role at Healthy Families East Cape is to support systems-level change by identifying opportunities for policy, practice and community innovation. We bring a prevention lens to this mahi, with a focus on enabling long-term transformation rather than short-term fixes. Te Hā Kura is one example of how a shared commitment, built on trust and collaboration, can lead to coordinated action that benefits the whole region.

This work is not only about reducing harm, but about building the conditions for sustained wellbeing across generations. Te Hā Kura represents a collective commitment to systems change — where the policies, environments and social structures that influence everyday life are designed to promote health, not harm. By aligning our efforts and placing whānau at the centre, we are shifting the systems that have contributed to inequity and poor health outcomes. Together, we are creating a future where the breath of life is protected and where all whānau in Tairāwhiti can thrive.

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About Healthy Families East Cape Healthy Families East Cape is part of a national prevention initiative focused on improving health outcomes by addressing the systems and environments that influence wellbeing. Working in partnership with whānau, community leaders, organisations and local government, we support place-based, kaupapa Māori approaches to long-term change across the East Cape region.

For more information about Te Hā Kura or to connect with our team, please contact George at george@healthyfamilieseastcape.co.nz.

To read the Te Hā Kura position statement click here