The Vast Healing Oceans of the World: Ngā Wai o te Moananui a Kiwa / Kiva

Marion Gordon-Flower, BMA, Dip. T, MAAT (Clinical) Hons, AThR, is an established practitioner and internationally published author in the creative arts therapies field in Auckland since graduating with her master's degree in 2008. She has been a regular presenter at conferences in New Zealand, Australia and Singapore (prior to Covid-19). She was a committee member of Creative Therapies Association of Aotearoa and established the Arts Therapy 5-Pt Star model and assessment tool through international research. For the past five years, Marion has worked for a Māori iwi mental health and social housing NGO, assisting in the development and facilitation of culturally-based creative therapies group programmes. She currently co-ordinates and oversees programmes with four different cultural foci of Māori, Pasifika, Asian and Muslim and is arts therapist for a youth crisis respite unit and day programme, which caters for ethnic and gender diversity.

Manaakinui Te Kahu is a pou whirinaki Māori cultural specialist and advisor, skilled in the many different dimensions of Māori protocols, rituals, arts and healing practices. He currently provides culturally-based services within transitional housing to assist the residential community in moving forward from homelessness, and is also a degree student in theology.
Ko Whakataha ko Tāwhirirangi ngā maunga
Ko Ngātokimatawhaorua Ko Takitimu ngā waka
Ko Waitangi ko Mohaka ngā awa
Ko Te Rangiawhiowhio ko Te Kahu o te Rangi ngā tipuna whare
Ko Te Whiu ko Ngāti Pahauwera ngā hapu
Ko Ngāpuhi ko Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa ngā iwi.
Ko Manaakinui Te Kahu tōku ingoa.
Tihei mauri ora
"My passion is in education around the Māori worldview and all the treasures it has for todays ever changing world. I have a particular passion for taonga pūoro or our treasured Māori instruments. It is a few of these gifts that I will be sharing within the therapy space and how the treasures of our ancestors may help in bringing wellbeing to someone's hauora, social, mental, physical and spiritual health, in relationship to the natural environment."

Emanita Aholelei has a background in traditional arts of the Pacific Islands and the fashion industry. After making her own health recovery journey, she has become a specialist in the therapeutic use of Pasifika arts in mental health. She has facilitated highly successful community-based group programmes in central Auckland since 2017 and now also works in a consumer-leader role as advisor to Te Whatu Ora which is the new Health New Zealand. Emanita has previously been a presenter at TheMS Conferences in Sydney and Perth where she presented a Pasifika model for heath recovery which used the visual concept of canoe.
"I am of Tongan/Fijian decent born in Aotearoa, and involved in a variety of projects in the mental health services, maternal mental health, youth justice and Pasifika mental health. I also continue to support whanau/family members with their mental health needs outside my work. Through my own recovery journey, I have discovered the significance of culture in health and have developed approaches which assist people to reconnect and discover a sense of belonging through Pasifika culture, materials, language and the history, passed down from our Pacific ancestors. I value my Tongan culture and everything that comes with it including my passion for creative arts. Malo Au Pito, Vinaka vakalevu."

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