E Tū Whānau’s violence free and whānau centered kauapapa is proudly Māori but it’s proving rich and inspirational to our refugee and migrant communities as well.
Jenny Janif (right) and Naida Ali
Our values – aroha, whanaungatanga, whakapapa, mana, kōrero awhi and tikanga – resonate immediately with these new New Zealanders, many of whom come from collective, family focussed cultures that have much in common, spiritually and socially, with Māori.
Auckland-based community development kaimahi, Jenny Janif (pictured on right with Naida Ali) has spent the last 20 years helping refugees and migrants settle into their new homes. Jenny’s own heritage is primarily Melanesian and Fijian Indian and she’s worked with people from Africa, Asia, South America and the Pacific.
She has been a staunch E Tū Whānau supporter since the movement started eight years ago.
“E Tū Whānau encourages Māori to be proud of their culture and the choices they make to create a positive, violence free future for their tamariki. Refugee and migrant communities feel exactly the same,” she says.
“They recognise their own cultural values in the E Tū Whānau kaupapa and many feel an affinity with Māori because of it. They feel at home.”
