Kia ora e te whānau,

Welcome to the September edition of Pakaru Pānui! It’s been a busy month with all sorts of kaupapa keeping us on our toes, and we’re excited to reflect on everything that’s been happening.

From community projects to the mahi behind the scenes, there’s plenty to catch up on. We’ve got exciting updates, kōrero about the different initiatives we’ve been working on, and a peek at what’s coming up next.

Pakaru Pānui isn’t just about updates; it’s about us, our stories, and the pathways we’re walking together. So make yourself a cuppa, get comfy, and dive into this month's edition. We’re thrilled to have you alongside us as we continue to learn, celebrate, and grow.

Mauri ora,
Pakaru Pānui

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September Highlight - Te whānautanga o Hiwa-i-te-Rangi!

On October 1st, our Founder & Director Charlizza and her husband Wiari welcomed their pēpi, Hiwa-i-te-Rangi. She’s also officially our newest (and cutest) recruit! Okay, so that’s kind of October news… but we couldn’t wait to share our excitement!!! Congratulations Char & Wiari ❤️

“Ko koe te Whetu Tārake inaeanei. Kia ū, kia mānawa nui, kia kaha Hiwa. And to your māmā and pāpā, congratulations 🥳 - Nikora, TM Rangatahi

This month, we’re excited to welcome a new member to the Pakaru Pānui whānau—Nau mai Vellyn! Vellyn is 13 years old, a boxer at Shamrock Boxing and is training to become one of our social media analysts and a familiar face in front of the camera. We’re stoked to have you on the team, e hoa!

As a rangatahi-led research company with a strong focus on youth suicide prevention, Mental Health Awareness Week holds a special place in our hearts. For Mental Health Awareness Week 2024, we embraced the daily themes from the Mental Health Foundation:

• Manaaki Monday

• Tautoko Tuesday

• Whānau Wednesday

• Tūhono Thursday

• Whakawhetai Friday

We had an awesome time out in the community, spreading aroha, gratitude, and spotlighting some amazing small businesses and organisations.

We were stoked to win the Mental Health Foundation's prize for our Tautoko Tuesday video, where we highlighted Puāwai Café—a cool little Māori-owned spot that’s become a hub for small Māori businesses to showcase and sell their products

This year’s theme for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori was “Ake, ake, ake – A forever language.” To celebrate, we dived into learning new kupu and whakataukī, keeping in mind that as the next generation, it’s up to us to ensure te reo Māori lives on forever.

The MokoBoys jumped on our TikTok and had fun learning new kupu to use in their mahi. How did you celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori? We’d love to hear your ideas for new ways to get involved and celebrate this beautiful taonga!

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2024 Youth Production

On Sunday, 29th September, we held our first wānanga to kick off preparations for this year’s youth production. It was amazing to reconnect with our creative roots and witness the incredible talents our rangatahi bring to the table. The day was filled with everything from dance and singing to haka and skits—our rangatahi leaders gave us a taste of it all!

Our Tū Tārake leadership team had the privilege of presenting to the play therapy team at Āwhina Whānau Services! We shared our framework, discussed our mahi, and explored what play means to us—plus we even got the kaimahi involved in some kēmu! Thank you, AWS, for having us and for sharing mātauranga about supporting the next generation.

Well e te whānau that is us for this month! Don’t forget that we also have a monthly piece in the Tihei Kahungunu and Hawkes Bay Today. Follow the link to stay updated, otherwise…

Catch yous next month - DOITZ!

Proudly made in Kahungunu, our specialty Kawakawa balms not only offer natural care but also support our community. All proceeds from your purchase goes directly towards MokoBoys, a community initiative run by Toi Matarua that employs local youth in the Hawkes Bay region to provide free home care services to our elderly. Driven by community needs and entirely self-funded, the employment of these rangatahi is made possible by the sales of our Kawakawa balms through our social enterprise arm - ‘Māku’.