January 26, 2022
Te ao Māori insights for water safety
Te ao Māori perspectives are being used to reach people who may have difficulty understanding either Māori or English.
Lavinia Rongo from learn to swim charity SplashSave says a recent spate of drownings in the Manawatu River has reinforced the need for better water safety messaging for non speakers.
Two refugees from Myanmar drowned in the river shortly before New Year near the Ahimate Reserve, which loosely translated means calm death.
While a rāhui was placed, just days later when two Pasifika men also drowned in the same area.
Ms Rongo says SplashSave is holding a workshop this weekend for the Burmese community, and other groups can apply on the SplashSave website to have programmes run in their community.
“We can come into your communities and uphold this kaupapa, deliver it from a te ao Māori persepctive but we are keen to get translators in for those who need that and can’t understand te reo pākehā,” she says.
Lavinia Rongo says the Ahimate stretch of the river looks calm on the surface but there are strong currents below.