Matariki hunga nui.

Matariki of many people.

Every year during this month, an open-star cluster rises in the north-eastern sky above Aotearoa. Made of many luminary siblings, all born about the same time, different cultures have different names for this celestial event around the world. In Aotearoa, when these stars become visible, we call this Matariki and along with Puanga – this is the beginning of the Māori New Year.

Matariki legends from Te Ao Māori come with many stories, told for generations, closely connected with the maramataka – the Māori lunar calendar, and customary way by which time was marked through movements of the moon.

In the past, the way Matariki appeared was also looked upon to predict if the next harvest would be abundant. The brighter and clearer the stars seemed, the warmer the growing season would be, ensuring a good harvest. Matariki is now often a time of commemoration, celebration, and renewal.

Just as many prepare for the dawn of new beginnings, celebrating fertility and fulless during Matariki this month, we too rejoice in the growth of our team, revitalised and grateful for possibility, drawing on the richness of all which has come before.

Within this context, as we prepare for a new season at Kore Hiakai, please join us in warmly welcoming our new stars – Sonya Cameron, Kairangahau – Researcher (food security and sovereignty), Tony Fuemana and Sophie McCarthy, Kaihononga Hapori Kai Whānui – Community Food Networkers, bringing a wealth of brightness to our mahi whānau. We also welcome back for the university break Kaea Tibble, Kaiawhina – research assistant, doing a project focused on Māori Māra and Mahinga kai.

nau mai, haere mai … tēnā koutou

Sonya Cameron, Kairangahau – Researcher (food security and sovereignty)

Tēnā koutou! Ko Sonya Cameron tōku ingoa. I am from Tauranga, but live in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

I try to live sustainably with chooks, fruit trees and veges; and I’m involved in our local Crop Swap and Timebank. I also take every opportunity to travel around our beautiful motu.

In late 2019, I went on secondment from MSD to Kore Hiakai to explore the issue of food security, but quickly returned to MSD during the COVID lockdown. Together with Kore Hiakai and others we supported community food organisations in crisis, and established MSD’s Food Secure Communities programme. I then spent the next couple of years leading that progamme.

I love Kore Hiakai’s kaupapa of supporting the community sector, while working on systems change to create a Food Secure Aotearoa. At the moment I think we need to build a collective understanding of what this looks like and how we get there, and I’m excited to be able to support this mahi.

Tony Fuemana, Kaihononga Hapori Kai Whānui – Community Food Networker

Fakalofa lahi atu, my name is Tony Fuemana and I am a colourful mix of Niuean and Māori. I live in Auckland and the proud owner of 5 kids who can make me smile and scratch my head at the same time.

Over the last two years I worked in the Social Housing arena, and was in charge of the Housing first team for Hawkes Bay. I took the lead in developing a social housing service with a special focus on Pacific people who live in our regional towns. I have also enjoyed working in the Mental Health sector.

My focus in this new role with Kore Hiakai, is to support the amazing work the team is doing, and to work alongside organisations who tirelessly support our people in local communities.

Sophie McCarthy, Kaihononga Hapori Kai Whānui – Community Food Networker

Kia ora, ko Sophie McCarthy tōku ingoa, I come from Tangiteroria in the mighty Te Tai Tokerau.

I have always been interested in health and had a love for all things food so studying nutrition at Otago University was an easy choice.

I then furthered my studies with a Masters in Applied Science majoring in advanced nutrition practice which led me to do my placement at Healthy Families Far North. My placement was amazing in so many ways - it brought me back home to the North, I met some amazing, and talented people, and found my own passion for working in the space of systems innovation and public health.

 I am looking forward to joining the Kore Hiakai team and seeing where this journey will take me. I am excited to continue learning, listening, and working alongside whānau to improve health through creating food resilient communities.

exploring ongoing food assistance

In mid-March Kore Hiakai were asked by government to give some insight into what is driving the ongoing need for food assistance and the distribution of increasing numbers of food parcels at this time. We asked whānau to tell us their stories, and, by working with our incredible Foundation Partners we drew together whānau voices to offer insight to government.

This Research was drawn together rapidly in early April and passed over to government in time for Easter. It has led us to want to gain even deeper insight. For now we offer you this raw research. Please treat it with care, honouring those who stories are held within it. Later in 2022 we will follow up on this paper with deeper insight into what is driving the ongoing need for food assistance in Aotearoa.

“As Aotearoa emerges from the Omicron outbreak we begin to look at what the future could be beyond these initial two years of COVID. Many of the underlying drivers of poverty have been highlighted or exacerbated by COVID lockdowns. We have the opportunity at this point to create systems and mechanisms to address the underlying deficits that see increasingly more people experiencing poverty across Aotearoa...” Read more here.

champion blog – a small seed can sustain many

Have you read our latest champion blog?

There is a whakatauki that speaks to kai production, ‘iti noa, he pito mata’, referring to a wsmall uncooked portion of kumara replanted to produce many more. In other words, with care, a small seed can sustain many people. From this whakatauki, we not only draw on the notion of potential from the seed – or kumara, but the quality of our soils for harvesting and fundamental interconnected relationship between our soils and people… Read more here.

Mānawatia a Matariki

Happy Matariki celebrations to all.

In whatever way we each acknowledge Matariki, may we seek abundance for all; may we strive towards our moemoea –  our dreams and aspirations, to achieve all that can be imagined; and may we all feel rejuvenated by the stars above while being nurtured by whānau and whenua below.

The Kore Hiakai team - Tric, Tammie, Jennie, Kaea, Sonya, Tony and Sophie