“As tangata whenua, we are people of the land. That’s why our spirit settles when we get in there and do the tiaki whenua mahi.”
For Tangiaahua, reconnecting with the whenua during her time at Te Whare Hīnātore has been the foundationof her healing.
At Hīnātore, our kaupapa-Māori-led transitional housing service for women, she found much more than a safe place to stay. She was able to reconnect with the things that ground her – the whenua,her whakapapa and a supportive community.
“When I arrived at Hīnātore, I knew this was where I needed to be, where I was going to get back on my feet.”
Today, Tangiaahua is focused on building a stable, healthy future and working towards her goal of one day regaining care of her two youngest children.
But when she first came to Te Whare Hīnātore, she was facing homelessness and had no access to the support she needed to rebuild her life.
“I was a month out of jail and I was starting with nothing. I had no help. My health was deteriorating and I was in and out of hospital with asthma attacks and other health issues. I felt lost.”
Her parole conditions required her to remain in Auckland for more than a year, far from her children, her community and all her support systems. With no support, she was finding it hard to avoidthe triggers that could lead her back to substance use.
“I was pretty much homeless,and I didn’t want to go back to jail.”
At Te Whare Hīnātore,we welcome women into a safe, supportive community where they can heal and grow. Known as raukura*, each woman stays for around 12 weeks – longer if needed – and we support her with a programme of wrap around care, tailored for her individual journey.
Our team supported Tangiaahua with practical steps - helping her organise ID and set up a bank account, as well as clinical care. We provided AOD support to help her stay drug-free and counselling to help her deal with the trauma she’s experienced. The outreach nurse from our Calder Health Centre, who visits Hīnātore every week, made sure that Tangiaahua was getting the medical treatment she needed, including regular iron infusions to manage her anemia.
At the heart of Tangiaahua’s healing journey has been the Tiaki Whenua rōpū. Each week the rōpū spends time at Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae at Unitec, caring for the local spring, Te Puna o Wairaka, and the surrounding environment. The work includes harvesting harakeke [flax], weaving papawai [mats] to filter the water, and clearing watercress so the stream can flow freely.
Being part of the rōpū has given Tangiaahua the opportunity to reconnect with the whenua - something she’d really missed since being in Auckland.
“Being around nature, doing the tiaki whenua mahi, cleansing my wairua [in te puna] - these are the things that keep me grounded. It's what I need. It's who I am.”
And Te Puna o Wairakahas special ancestral significance for Tangiaahua, strengthening her connection toher whakapapa: “I come from the line of Ruaihonga, who was Wairaka’s brother.”
She also attends our weekly Mana Wāhine dinners at HomeGround, where women facing homelessness can come together over freshly prepared kai in a safe, welcoming space. Every fortnight, raukura from Hīnātore have the responsibility of preparing the dinner, which means a lot to Tangiaahua.
“It makes me feel like I’m in the kitchen at the marae, doing ringawera work, feeding the people. Which is why I keep coming every week.”
The kaupapa-Māori-led approach at Hīnātore has been pivotal in Tangiaahua’s recovery.
“I've been born and raised in Māori tradition, Māori culture. Before being in addiction, I was active in my community, my marae, my awa and my whenua. So having those things back in my life now is helping me heal and grow.”
During her three months at Hīnātore,Tangiaahua was able to start healing – physically, emotionallyand spiritually. With her health conditions under control and with support from our team, she has been able to move into an apartment of her own.
The support does not end when raukura move out of Te Whare Hīnātore – we continue to walk alongside raukura for a further twelve weeks as they settle into their new homes.
And Tangiaahua has remained closely connected with Hīnātore, coming back every week for the Mana Wāhine dinners,Tiaki Whenua and Speed freaks, a group which supports recovery and wellbeing through running and walking.
“Because I’m so far from my community, being part of Hīnātore makes me feel like I’m at home.
“It's like my homestead. I can go back when I need help, and it keeps me active in what I love doing - giving back to the whenua, giving back to the people and being involved in Te Ao Māori.”
“I'm just so grateful to have Hīnātore there, to guide me through the difficult struggles and make me feel part of a community”
“I came to Hīnātore with nothing, and they helped me get up on my feet – housing wise, health wise, career wise.”
Now Tangiaahua is focused on her future. She’s committed to maintaining her health and staying drug-free, and is looking forward to starting a Level 4 course in Health & Wellbeing (Mental Health and Addiction), so she can use her lived experience to help others facing similar challenges.
She knows it will take time, but she’s determined to create a stable, healthy life – grounded in her connection with whenua, whakapapa and community – so she can one day have her children back in her care.
*an adornment of white feathers, symbolizing they are beautiful and treasured