Ā mātou mahi | Our work
Kaupapa oranga hapori
Projects for community wellbeing and social justice
As a kaupapa Māori organisation working at the interface of toi and hauora, we are uniquely positioned to offer creative, healing experiences for communities that most need it.
On this page, you'll find information about:
The Swing
This Theatre Marae project seeks to unravel the shame and hurt that clouds and distorts the subjects of ngau whiore (sexual abuse) and whakamomori (suicide).
The initial development of The Swing attracted positive feedback about the value and necessity of such a project.
Te Rākau has worked with the original participants and additional communities to present The Swing as a play, as a community based rangahau project, and as a professional development experience.
Unreel
Unreel tells the story of a community affected by gambling through the larger-than-life launch of the very first A.I. pokie machine., revealing the legacy of gambling harm and how it impacts the community – from gaming venues and corporations, through to the families affected by addiction.
Commissioned by Ora Toa Health Services (Te Runanga o Ngāti Toa Rangatira), Unreel is the result of a collaborative project facilitated by Ngāti Toa uri, Jim Moriarty, and the theatre company he leads, Te Rākau Hua o Te Wao Tapu.
This iwi-based approach to healing and fostering thriving communities was co-designed using thoughtful listening and collaboration, weaving together lived-experience with theatrical conventions.
Other projects
In the past we've worked on community projects to support whānau addressing trauma from abuse, gambling harm, addiction or life in prison.
Nau mai hoki - we would love to hear from you if you are working on similar kaupapa oranga hāpori. If you would like to design a community wellbeing and social justice project with us, please get in touch.
Find out more about related work, such as our Kaupapa rangahau | Research.