Te Matatūhua

Stories of Transformation from Men in

Tauranga Moana

A black and white silhouette of a tribal design on a white background.

With support from The Ahuipoutu Collective Tauranga Living Without Violence Tauranga City Council & the Ministry of Social Development


Duration: 2022 - 2023


Stories of Transformation from men in Tauranga Moana.


Purpose:
Te Matatūhua is a kaupapa (project) that has grown from a partnership between the Ministry of Social Development’s Social Action Team, Manawaora / The Centre for Health, Tauranga City Council and Tauranga Living Without Violence. Te Matatūhua forms part of ongoing work aimed at understanding the causes and potential solutions to domestic violence using kaupapa Māori values that create a solid foundation for the work. A variety of programmes, strategies and campaigns have been undertaken over a number of years in Aotearoa New Zealand and while there have been positive results, it is timely to consider alternative ways of learning about family violence and how to progress toward violence free whānau environments. Te Matatūhua is innovative, collaborative and community based. The project aims to utilise the skills of peer-led facilitators and mentors to build meaningful relationships and connections within the community of Tauranga Moana. Story-telling is pivotal within Te Matatūhua, enabling a deeper understanding of the lived experience of men who want to engage in a violence free change journey. 

The central purpose of the research is to develop a better understanding of the conditions where people live, learn, work, play and connect that enable or hinder men using (or at risk of using) violence to be/stay violence free.