12. Ngāti Whātua’s experiences regarding the recognition and celebration of Matariki: Joe Pihema

Background
The mission of Pūtahi Manawa | Healthy Hearts for Aotearoa New Zealand (HHANZ) Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) is to improve equity in heart health for Māori and Pacific Peoples through research excellence and precision medicine. We wish to work in partnership with communities and researchers to create a vibrant world-class environment and network for heart research in Aotearoa. It is our aim that HHANZ works directly with and for communities across Aotearoa.
Purpose of Ako series and World Views episodes
The Outreach and Education (OnE) team held a wānanga at the end of 2021 to scope out what the needs were across our membership. While there is intent to engage with communities and to create meaningful research, many of our members acknowledge lack the knowledge, expertise and cultural safety to do this. A number of topics to facilitate this process were identified which we have organised into a series titled Ako (teach and learn).
Ako Series intends to explain and discuss these foundational concepts and explore how we can apply them in our Pūtahi Manawa work.
Ako Series I laid the foundational knowledge to understand the basic concepts around Te Tiriti, Pacific Diversity in Aotearoa, Co-Design and Community Engagement. This next series of webinars, under the theme of "Worldviews" will build on this foundational knowledge to understand the different perspectives and approaches to health and research to enable us to work better with our communities for more meaningful outcomes.
Programme:
Wednesday-28th June, 2023 12-1 PM- Tikanga, and the need for awareness and the application of tikanga in the workplace and home.
Wednesday- 5th July, 2023 12-1 PM-Ngāti Whātua’s experiences regarding the recognition and celebration of Matariki.
Joe Pihema (Ngāti Whātua) started in April as Pūtahi Manawa’s new Poutikanga.
He has worked in Māori education and the Cultural and Heritage sector for over 25 years and is a former member of the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust Board, Toi Tāmaki Māori Advisory Committee and the Tupuna Maunga Authority o Tāmaki Makaurau.
Joe is currently serving as a trustee for the Taumata-a-Iwi at the Auckland Museum and is a senior tikanga advisor, historian and cultural leader for Ngāti Whātua ki Tāmaki.
In his role as Poutikanga, Joe will provide leadership regarding the implementation of cultural competency, te reo Māori, and tikanga policies and practices. This will enable Pūtahi Manawa Healthy Hearts for Aotearoa New Zealand Centre of Research Excellence to meet its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and become more culturally robust.