Kōrero of excitement, commitment at court

Chief District Court Judge Heemi Taumaunu acknowledges the hard work those working in the Te Ao Mārama kaupapa are doing. Pictures by Paul Rickard

The mahi for Tangatarite to beome a service as part of the Te Ao Mārama vision for the Gisborne District Court was celebrated and acknowledged yesterday by those working to see change in the justice system.

Tangatarite is the name for the Whakaorangia te Mana Tangata service here in Tairāwhiti. It has been set up by Te Rūnanga o Tūranganui a Kiwa after local iwi were asked if they would support the Te Ao Mārama vision.

Whakaorangia te Mana Tangata is a whānau-centred initiative designed and provided by local iwi or iwi-mandated service providers, to support Māori offenders, victims and whānau through the court process.

The overarching aims of the Whakaorangia te Mana Tangata initiative are to reduce imprisonment rates for Māori in target courts by providing judges with better information about offenders’ backgrounds, circumstances and facts contributing to reoffending, as well as the support available and plans to address those factors.

As well as aiming to reduce reoffending rates for Māori in the target courts by supporting community involvement, the initiative also aims to provide wraparound services for participants, keeping whānau together and  humanising the court experience — seeing people in a context that is wider than their alleged offence.

Te Ao Mārama is a judicially- led kaupapa that aims to improve the experience for all people who participate in the court system, including victims and whānau.

It partners with iwi and engages with communities and is designed to best serve each community’s specific needs.

Te Rūnanga o Tūranganui a Kiwa (TROTAK) chair, Moera Brown, said when it was announced in May 2021 that Te Ao Mārama would be coming to the Gisborne District Court, the iwi collective of Toitū Tairāwhiti were approached tō see if it supported Te Ao Mārama here.

“Te Rūnanga o Tūranganui a Kiwa was given the tono (request) to drive that programme. Since then a collective of about eight people who work in the district court have been providing service — we have named them Tangatarite,” Ms Brown said.

“I think the team under Tangatarite are really excited. There’s a lot of good work that has happened with whānau and that’s because of the nature of the relationship, the partnership and methodology and for it to be supported and resourced — as well as the ability for it to be Tūranga Tairāwhiti kōrero as opposed to the Te Tahu o te Ture (Ministry of Justice).

“The original thinking under Te Ao Mārama is for the people who work in the district criminal court to be treated equally and helped to understand the delivery of support and services, and to get the support to help them with that process.

“The kōrero of the day has been one of excitement and one of a long-term commitment.

“This particular work we are doing is for Tairāwhiti. It’s for the people who live in this region and it should be, and is, connected to our particular kōrero and stories. This is for Tairāwhiti and is driven by the Tairāwhiti iwi.

“We are really fortunate that the relationship that started Te Ao Mārama, has helped drive it. It is a collective response to what we clearly see is a system that is not working, and in particular for Māori.

Chief District Court Judge Heemi Taumaunu said the day was about acknowledging the mahi Tangatarite has done to get it set up in Tairāwhiti.

“I want to acknowledge the hard work on the front lines by all those involved in Tangatarite, so a big mihi to everyone.”