Maori community members are invited to participate in a one hour interview for a kaupapa Maori research project, titled Nga Whakaawhitinga: Standing at the crossroads. This project aims to investigate Maori ways of understanding experiences commonly labelled as symptomatic of mental illness. All community members, not only those who work or have experience with mental health issues are invited to take part. Koha and kai are provided. Please call or email Melissa Taitimu at The University of Auckland on 09 373-7599 ext: 84990 or email m.taitimu@auckland.ac.nz for more information.

Te Ora is the Maori Medical Practitioners Association. It is a unique organisation representing Maori medical students and Maori medical practitioners working as specialists, clinicians, researchers and teachers. Sir Maui Pomare, the first Maori medical doctor graduated from the Adventist Medical College in Chicago USA in 1899. Ta Te Rangi Hiroa (Sir Peter Buck) was the first Maori medical practitioner to graduate within Aotearoa/New Zealand in 1904. Since that time a number of Maori medical practitioners have made distinguished contributions to Maori health and Maori development.

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While attending Te Matatini in Palmerston North, we happened across an impressive store named IHI. IHI has been developed to encourage the production and promotion of products and services within a Mäori world view, creating a uniquely Aotearoa product and service. We bought a nice koru-designed taonga for our brother Niu to give to his new girlfriend over in Oz (good luck brother) and really enjoyed looking at the wide range of products available – from taonga to t-shirts, installation pieces to kete. So, if you’re in Palmy, stop by IHI and have a looksy.

The Hui Taumata (Mäori Economic Summit) is on this week - we will endeavour to bring as much information from this significant Hui in upcoming issues of RANGIKAINGA

Also, we’d like to give big shout outs to all those stores who feed, clothed and supplied everyone at Te Matatini. All your hard work and nice kai was greatly appreciated, and demonstrates the huge potential in developing small to medium sized businesses that focus on Maori products, services and Maori customers. My personal favourites were Chase Media, Kakahu, 3Meke, the yummy pot of paua (hmmm paua) and the delicious ‘Ka Pai Burger’.

Over the weekend the Maori Party announced that Angeline Greensill and Tariana Turia were successful in winning the mandate to contest the seats of Tainui and Te Tai Hauauru respectively. Successful list nominees for Tainui were Hori Awa and Celia Hotene. Also this weekend Pakake Winiata, Andre Meihana, Abe Hepi and Chris Moses were confirmed as list candidates for Te Tai Hauauru. The Waiariki and Tai Tonga seats will be decided over the next few weeks. The following seats have now been confirmed:

If you are, or know of whanau who are trustees of Whanau land, whether new or have been a trustee for years... but haven't had Trustee Training, then serious consideration should be taken to attend this training in March. As a trustee you are normally there to represent your whanau and to represent them well. Attending this training session will help you know what your role as a whanau representative on a Trust is, how you can assist and direct the Trust and more importantly passing of information down to the next generation. There are also opportunities to be sought that will help the development of your Whanau Trust. If there is a time to upskill yourself in Trustee Training… Now is the time!! Send RANGIKAINGA an email requesting the info and we'll send it out to you.

Te Kooti Whenua Maori is the New Zealand court that hears matters relating to Maori land. About 1.3 million hectares in New Zealand are designated as Maori freehold land, just under 5% of the total 26.4 million hectares in the country. The Court is the only Maori court and it is unique in the way it operates. This unique approach is summarised in Parliament's directive to the Court, as contained in section 2(2) of Te Ture Whenua Maori Act 1993: "…it is the intention of Parliament that powers, duties, and discretions conferred by this Act shall be exercised, as far as possible, in a manner that facilitates and promotes the retention, use, development and control of Maori land as taonga tuku iho by Maori owners, their whanau, their hapu, and their descendants.". Issues relating to multiple ownership of land and the law relating to succession of ownership mean Maori land transactions can be complex. At the Maori Land Court, these transactions are dealt with in a traditional and appropriate manner. For example, court sittings may be conducted in te reo Maori (the Maori language) and may begin and end with a karakia (prayer). The Ministry of Justice administers the Maori Land Court although the Minister of Maori Affairs deals with legislative matters.

Waikato-Tainui and Genesis Energy have created three scholarships for students at Waikato University and who affiliate to Waikato-Tainui Tribe. If you are interested in receiving the Criteria and Application Form, please send an email here.

The Köhanga Reo National Trust was established in 1982 and formalised as a charitable trust in 1983. Its aims are to manage the kaupapa (philosophy) of the Köhanga Reo movement and to facilitate a partnership between the people and the departments of Government. In 1990 the responsibility for Köhanga Reo was transferred from the Department of Mäori Affairs to the Ministry of Education. The Trust, as the governing body, has therefore had a key role in providing the support needed by Köhanga Reo. This support has involved specific investment in mokopuna, whänau, and their cultural infrastructure of language, kinship, relationship management, whänau learning, whänau decision-making, and community interdependence. It has also involved supporting the educational, health and communication needs of Köhanga children and whänau so that they can successfully participate in and contribute towards the growth of Köhanga Reo. Nga Mihi Nui to all of our Kohanga Reo whanau.

Te Pou Taki Korero is a leading educational publisher, providing contract publishing services and professional development programmes to the Ministry of Education. Te Pou Taki Korero publish the New Zealand curriculum statements and a range of quality supporting materials for schools, including materials in Maori and Pacific languages.

Just to advise that the Ma te Reo fund opens for applications on the 4th April and closes 29 April (for hard-copy applications) and 13 May for on-line application. This putea is available to be given to whanau, hapu, iwi in support of Maori language development initiatives. The information on the putea is available through the Te Taura Whiri i te reo Maori site. Those interested, start getting organised. For more inforamtion email Kelly Harding. Thanks to Te Ururoa Flavell for the panui.

Nga Taonga Korero, is New Zealand’s foremost radio archive, responsible for managing, collecting, preserving and providing access to the New Zealand's recorded radio heritage. The various collections offer unique insights into New Zealand’s social, economic and political development via the medium of sound. The recordings give resonance to New Zealand history and offer exciting opportunities to enhance and expand the cultural identity of our nation. The Nga Taonga Korero collections have a Maori focus, whilst the Sound Archives in Christchurch collections hold a broad range of recordings. Searching is available and free for personal use. For more info send them an email.

If you are wanting information regarding your rights as both rangatahi and as a consumer check out the Citizens Advice Bureau's Lowdown Youth Website. The site provides helpful advice regarding tenancy, the police, employment and legal ages as well as a great link to sorted.org focusing specifically on students.

For rangatahi needing advice, support or information check out Youthline. This organisation grew out of the Lifeline concept and service, with an emphasis on the basic philosophy of youth helping youth. Youthline was first established in Auckland in 1970. Although this organisation specifically aims to assist young people, Youthline service is available and used by people of all ages. To find the Youthline in your area check out their region list.

Check out this interesting organisation. Sfrito is the Industry Training Organisation responsible for the Sport, Fitness, Community, Recreation, Snowsport, Outdoor Recreation and Nga Mahi A Te Rehia sectors. Sfrito works in partnership with Maori and is developing innovative ways to utilise qualifications to suit the needs of Maori, and there is Maori representation in each sector as well as the Nga Mahi a Te Rehia sector. Check out the Sfrito site to learn more.