June 22, 2020
Pou reminder meth fight ongoing
A new pou has gone up at Ōrākei Marae to encourage whānau to fight against methamphetamine addiction.
The pou whakairo, named He Kahu Tauwhiro by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei kaumātua Joe Pihema, stands alongside the pou Tane nui a Rangi which was erected 15 years ago when the hapu first started to address the scourge of meth in its midst.
Carver Arekatera Maihi says his own path out of addiction came through helping his uncle in the carving shed and reconnecting with his culture.
He says the hapū is looking for its own way to counter the problem.
"We don't want to belittle our cousins by naming them. They know who they are, some of the families know who they are, but it's not about pushing them out into the light, it's about bringing them to the light, it's about helping nurture them into this side of it, of the iwi," Mr Maihi says.
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