Makirikiri Marae was the scene for both education and entertainment on Saturday November 21 when Rangitane Te Kete Hauora hosted the nationwide Mana Wahine event which promotes women's health and wellbeing, attracting several hundred participants.
Co-ordinator Ngareta Paewai has been hosting these promotions within the Manawata as part of a national programme initially created to bring to Maori wahine the importance of cervical screening under the slogan "smear you mea".
It has since expanded to include every kind of health and wellbeing issue which includes men's health as well. Speaking at the welcome she said far too many young Maori are losing their lives to diseases that are preventable/treatable and free to detect and combat.
Scattered around the Makirikiri meeting house were agencies covering almost every health issue including diabetes, asthma, cervical cancer, vaping, cot death, mental health, the HPV virus, alcohol and drugs, cigarette smoking and breast cancer.
Most visitors quickly became engrossed in the messages the organisations delivered with such passion and came away armed with leaflets and knowledge bound to pay dividends in the future.
