Abstract
Do Māori initiatives by Māori and for Māori really help Māori? In order for me to answer this question I will discuss ‘Hokowhitu’, a rangatahi life-skills programme designed specifically for Māori, by Māori, using a kaupapa Māori approach. The programme was part of a research project undertaken by the School of Physical Education at the University of Otago and was aimed at Māori rangatahi who were susceptible to alcohol and drug abuse within their micro-interactive surroundings. After a description of the programme I will finish with a discussion on how the programme influenced me personally with a critical analysis based entirely on my personal thoughts which should not be used to undermine the objectives of the creator of the programme.
Highlights
Do Maori initiatives by Maori and for Maori really help Maori? In order for me to answer this question I will discuss ‘Hokowhitu’, a rangatahi life-skills programme designed for Maori, by Maori, using a kaupapa Maori approach
Alcohol and drug abuse is widely experienced throughout this country no matter age, race or sex
The Hokowhitu programme was created by Justin Ihirangi Heke, and inspired by the GOAL programme from overseas
Summary
Newton Thompson (Ngati Raukawa ki Waikato) is in the final semester of a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and Community Development at the University of Otago. The programme was part of a research project undertaken by the School of Physical Education at the University of Otago and was aimed at Maori rangatahi who were susceptible to alcohol and drug abuse within their micro-interactive surroundings. The vision Heke had was to develop a sport-based lifeskills programme that increased drug and alcohol awareness, academic self-esteem, intrinsic motivation for schoolwork and career awareness in adolescent Maori (Heke, 2005) by teaching ‘ ‘life-skills’ such as goal-setting, problem-solving, emotional control, leadership, confidence, social support and increasing self-esteem’ (School of Physical Education, 2002). The research study came from an indigenous perspective, namely a kaupapa Maori-styled approach This decision was reached because it best suited the interests of the desired participants, and empowered all the people involved. A core part of a kaupapa Maori approach is that, ideally, anyone attempting to undertake a Maori-preferred approach would allow Maori to define their own social prerogatives and ethnic identity and it would not occur merely as products of non-Maori academic validation (Heke, 2005)
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