Makareta Tawaroa gives a glimpse of some of the ways Māori iwi prepared whānau for Lockdown.

Crisis situations are not new to the people of Te Awa Tupa. We live in a flood-prone region and have learned to cope with the consequences. The flood in 2015 was devastating and the one before that in 2004 was even worse. There’s always a lockdown period in any major flood. It was a week long during the 2004 flood. When a flood is imminent, whānau are warned to top-up emergency supplies — food, water, batteries, torches, gas bottles, medical kit, games — all the basics. Low-lying marae are increasingly vulnerable to rising waters. Putiki Marae suffered major damage in 2015.

Iwi Crises Response Group

Most marae now have their own civil defence group which works alongside other iwi groups within our region. Te Ranga Tupua is the Iwi Crises Response Group and includes hapu and iwi across South Taranaki, Whanganui, Waimarino, Ruapehu, Taumarunui and Rangitikei — most of it rural. It acted very quickly during the first week of COVID-19 Lockdown. As Whanganui iwi leader Ken Mair explained: “During times of crises our people are hit the hardest, so as early as Alert Level 1 we started mobilising to reassure our people that they were not alone. We must protect our most vulnerable, particularly our kaumātua.”

Mobilising Resources

Pandemics are not new to us. In 2010, Jennifer Tamehana, the CEO of Te Oranganui Iwi Health Authority, sounded the pandemic alert about the H1N1 flu virus, commonly known as swine flu. In the past the people who caught it had had direct contact with pigs. That changed several years later when a new strain emerged and spread among people who hadn't been near pigs.

In 2009 when H1N1 was spreading fast around the world, the World Health Organization called it a pandemic. Since then a vaccine has been found and swine flu is one of the viruses included in our annual flu shot.

Te Oranganui Iwi Medical Centre responded quickly as soon as they heard about COVID-19. They set up a helpline and made more than 500 phone calls to patients to offer flu injections, particularly to kaumātua, pregnant women and healthcare workers. They prepared care packages, medication kits and food packs.

Other iwi groups delivered firewood and basic essentials to the needy in their community. Kaumātua Whairiri Renata Nikora said: “Knowing we have whānau here for our needs so that we have no need to leave home, is comforting.”

And in other areas of the country the response was also swift. Grant Huwyler, CEO for Te Runanga o Ngati Apa, Nga Wairiki explained: “We’re dealing with our most vulnerable with high needs. There’s poverty in our communities and we’re already responding. We were able to kick into action and provide a food bank.”

Katarina Hina, the Strategic Leader of whānau programmes at Te Kotuku Hauora o Rangitikei, spoke of meeting other needs: “We found a lot of our kaumātua struggling with cell phones and computers. It’s not easy to do online shopping. We spent a lot of time assisting our kaumātua with the new technology.”

Nutritional Supplement for Essential Workers

South Taranaki-based “native superfood” company Kaitahi, an award-winning, iwi-owned enterprise of Nga Rauru, distributed 400 cartons of its frozen smoothie drops to local and urban marae in Auckland and across the country. It was Nga Rauri Ki Tahi's gift to “all the essential workers who are supporting their communities. The main objective for us is to show our appreciation.” The drops come in 1.2 kg packets and by adding 200ml of water and shaking you have a nourishing smoothie. It’s a great energy source for busy workers.

Support for Roadblocks

Māori initiatives are not always appreciated by the wider public but we supported the roadblocks initiative of the Far North and East Coast people to visitors and so preventing the spread of coronavirus in their regions. They know what’s best for their people.

We were well into the third week of Lockdown before certain roads in our area were closed to non-residents.

Ken Mair said: “I was pleased that the local council supported our local hapū in closing the Whanganui River Road and Kaiwhaiki Road from non-residents. It is important that iwi are included in decision-making at every level right from the beginning. We need to protect our whakapapa.”

Number of Māori Tested Increased

Early in Lockdown the Ministry of Health recommended testing only for those with symptoms. Figures soon showed that Māori were being undertested. So mobile clinics visited high need areas, as well as marae and in community hubs.

No Māori on Government Response Committee

Many of our people have been critical of the Epidemic Response Committee’s lack of consultation with Māori. Debbie Ngarewa Packer, Co-leader of the Māori Party said: “A Māori voice is lacking at this time. This exclusion is deliberate. There is always someone who can fill this role. They know how best to deliver the message. We need our own voice, that’s what’s important.”

Reports on Māori Health Needed

Given that Māori have the worst health statistics in the country, I was disappointed that the daily reports by the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern and the Director General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, did not give up-to-date statistical data concerning Māori. Even a general impression of what was happening in certain parts of the country would have been helpful as most of us have whānau all over the country.

In the first weeks I watched the TV reports with interest, particularly around the numbers — those counted as confirmed, recovered and hospitalised. I was always happy when no one had died. But I soon lost interest as it gave no reports on the Māori community. I would have liked a Māori, or a Pacifica, health expert to have been included in the Prime Minister’s communication team on some days.

Tangihanga Restrictions

It was a relief when the restrictions around tangihanga were discussed again in Level 2 and the rules changed to allow 50 people to attend. Having time to mourn is an important part of the healing process and tangihanga is as much about the living as it is about the dead.

Gratitude in the New Normal

We have all made sacrifices over the last weeks. Now as we move through Level 2 we are anxious to start up again. There’s nothing like a pandemic to make us appreciate the things that we take for granted. Somehow I don’t think things will change very much for Māori. If it’s taught us anything, it’s that we should be ever-ready for a crisis.

Two weeks ago I had the COVID-19 test. I didn’t have any symptoms but I wanted to be sure that I wasn't going to pass coronavirus on to my three adult mokopuna who share my bubble. My test was negative.

Tui Motu Magazine. Issue 249 June 2020: 14-15