After 26 years of holding powhiri at our Onehunga location, our move to Greenlane also meant it was time to find our own Marae. After an extensive search, we chose Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa Marae- otherwise known as ‘The Airport Marae’.

Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa Marae is a Marae that is adorned with magnificent carvings and tukutuku panels that have been handcrafted by master carvers and weavers. It bears the name of the captain of the Tainui waka Hoturoa who was a great navigator who led the Tainui people to the lands of Aotearoa, New Zealand. The Marae stands proud overlooking the Manukau Harbour and its ancestral lands.

This week we welcomed several new staff members from many different parts of New Zealand and after being welcomed onto Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa Marae, as tangata whenua (people of the land), our Spectrum roopu will now have the opportunity to welcome all our new inductees in this setting, where they also received day one of their induction training. This is a very positive consequence of our recent office move and the need for us to be more connected with our community.

It was also great to see Olivia Walker karanga us onto the marae. While she’s done this many times at our old office, it was her first experience on a marae. Tumeke Olivia! Plus,long time Spectrum Care ambassador, Wichmond Tavioni spoke on behalf of the new inductees as he too was welcomed onto the Marae as part of protocol. Thanks for the korero, Wichmond!

A big thanks also to the Awhi Group and, in particular, Gaylene Wahitapu for making this connection for us. Our Ahwi group provide appropriate cultural support for Spectrum Care and for Maori people we support and work to enhance a culturally appropriate workplace for all staff.