NorthTec’s Director of Learner Support, Huhana Seve is one of a growing number of E Tū Whānau supporters that find the movement’s focus on traditional Māori values promoting strength and well-being helpful in their professional as well as their whānau life.
Huhana Seve and her daughters. “E Tū Whāmau encourages us to celebrate who we are.”
“E Tu Whānau’s emphasis on building mana and a sense of belonging within a whānau is inspirational”
“It’s especially appropriate to Whangarei-based NorthTec which has a 61% Māori student population, the highest proportion of Māori to non-Māori students in the country,” she says.
NorthTec already has good values around diversity, inspiring excellence and encouraging a mutually supportive whānau-type culture.
“E Tū Whānau validates them, but it also encourages me to think wider and use the whānau model to develop and support our students and our staff.”
Huhana, who is developing a programme of action with the NorthTec’s Human Relations department to support staff as well as students, has been discussing E Tū Whānau values with her colleagues. Interest has been much stronger than she expected.
“I think it’s because E Tū Whānau encourages us to celebrate who we are”
“It reinforces our uniqueness as tangata whenua in Te Tai Tokerau, the birthplace of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi, our commitment to treaty partnership and our place as protector of that great legacy.”
NorthTec and E Tū Whānau sponsored a number of events in Whangarei’s Matariki Festival in 2015. All events reflect E Tū Whānau’s values, which are, of course, kaupapa Māori values that are dear to us all.
