The leadership role of Rehua Marae in response to the earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 was highlighted by Emma Rawson from the Canterbury District Health Board at the Public Health Association’s annual conference in New Plymouth recently.
She was outlining The Building community resilience: Learning from the Canterbury earthquakes study,which involved researchers from the Canterbury District Health Board, Mental Health Foundation, Otago University, and public health research firm, Quigley and Watts Ltd. This large study of six communities affected by the quakes has found that marae have played – and continue to play – a leadership role in the rebuild and recovery of the city.
Many emergency services were based at Rehua, including fire, police, ambulance, social workers and Maori support workers. It hosted high numbers of visitors for at least six weeks after the February earthquake. Ngai Tahu also organised professional Maori mental health support available at the marae.
“Marae leadership was important. So, the rapid response at Rehua Marae was facilitated by leaders with the autonomy to act quickly. A clear chain of command was in place, based on whakapapa, seniority and mana. Marae became emergency response centres.”
The Ngai Tahu earthquake response also included the Maori Recovery Network – a collaboration between iwi and Maori organisations, locally and nationwide, to support the people of Christchurch. The network emerged from Rehua Marae. A Ngai Tahu Earthquake Recovery Working Group (Te Awheawhe Ru Whenua) was also established to plan the iwi’s immediate and longer-term response and recovery. There is also a fund to assist affected whanau.
“The high needs meant intense workloads and demands on marae workers and volunteers. Some whanau worked shifts of 24 or more hours cooking, feeding and hosting affected people. Some reported problems with burnout and stress. Participants expressed concern about the mental health implications of the earthquakes over time, and the cumulative effects of stress and trauma,” Emma Rawson said.
“Maori values like manaakitanga have been key – marae were opened up to the whole community, not just Maori,”
Source: based on article that appeared on the Rebuild Christchurch website.
