An Iwi (Tribal) Response to COVID-19 in Aotearoa New Zealand

This whakataudki or proverb, from Dr. Whakaari Te Rangitakuku Metekingi (LLD, CBE) of Whanganui and Ngdti Hauiti tribes reminds us that, while we must have a vision to aspire toward, we must also tend to the here and now, to the issues that are up front and close to home. It exhorts us to strengthen what has already been achieved and to find ways of creating benefits for others. This paper presents the collaborative response to COVID19 by Iwi (tribes) within Te Ranga Tupua (TRT), a collective of Iwi from the South Taranaki/Whanganui/Rangiakei/Ruapehu regions of Aotearoa New Zealand. The research employs a mixed methods design, based on a Kaupapa Maori approach. The quantitative section identifies the population served and quantum of support provided, while the qualitative data presents the processes and associated learnings from the perspective of those tasked with the response. TRT's response to the threat of COVID-19 is shown to have been grounded in Maori tikanga (values), whdnau (family) based and holistic, taking into account the mental, emotional, social, cultural, and spiritual elements of safety and wellbeing rather than just the absence or presence of the virus. The extensive relationships and networks that existed between tribes represented in the TRT collective were key to the timely distribution of care and support to Iwi members, to appropriate and relevant information dissemination, and to the overall well-being of the people during the most difficult times of the COVID-19 response.