We shared our stories, he told me his whakapapa and his own journey. He shared his ups and downs and talked about the whanau past and present who tautoko him. He talked about wrong turns and although we didn't get to talk about future plans and aspirations - I'm hopeful that he gets help and can find that inner peace he's seeking.
The korero today was a reminder of how important it is to address mental health issues and look for the underlying issues - rather than just medicate for the sake of medicating. Lots of our young people are gifted with the ability to see beyond the veil, and for many of them, like this young man - it's a constant struggle to navigate.
With a stronger mental health system that has a dedicated support and education programme designed to understand Whare Tapa Wha and the holistic view of a person -- we might see more well people, less crime, less māmae and more positive outcomes ♥️
More active acknowledgement is needed of our taha wairua and understanding that there is an ongoing negative impact from the 1907 Tōhunga Suppression Act. If this young man had been given support in this area - his life could have been so different.
Far... Just imagine if our tōhunga didn't have to hide our indigenous knowledge... and if they had been able to share that with us over the last five generations.... Where would be now?
Ka aroha bub. Ka manawanui. Ka tūmanako. Pai marire ♥️
