Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Black Power gang rallying for vaccination event

Rotorua's Black Power gang community is coming together for a vaccination event aimed at furthering knowledge of the vaccine among its members and the wider community.

At least 100 people are expected at today's event, with members from across Rotorua and Whakatāne to be in attendance. The initiative is led by local Black Power members, in conjunction with the Lakes District Health Board and other community providers.

Held at a reserve in the Fordlands suburb between 11am-3pm, the event will feature kōrero from health officials about the vaccine, as well as vaccination staff on hand to administer any jabs.

However, there was an open invitation to the wider community to attend and enjoy the more festive aspects, including a live band, plenty of kai and entertainment for the children.

Black Power whānau at the Manurewa Marae vaccination event in Mt Wellington. Photo / Manurewa Marae

Freedom Werahiko, Rotorua Black Power member and one of the event's organisers, hoped today's event would give people, including himself, the reassurance to get the vaccine.

"It's just to enlighten our people [about] what the vaccine is and what's in it, just to give them an understanding," he said.

"I haven't got mine, I'm just sitting [on the fence] and that's why I'm going to tomorrow, just to educate myself a little bit more."

Other gangs had held similar events - the Waikato Mongrel Mob invited health experts Collin Tukuitonga and Dr Rawiri Jansen to speak to members about vaccination earlier this month.

Werahiko, 23, said there were varying positions on vaccination among members, but he was optimistic more would accept the vaccine after hearing from local health officials.

For himself, Werahiko said social media had been a large factor in why he had been sceptical, but he was now moving closer to becoming pro-vaccination, given its necessity to return to normal life.

He encouraged anyone from the community to attend, saying their focus wasn't just on immediate members.

"We're really the ones pushing this forward, just to educate everyone that's attending, whānau and the wider community."

Auckland Black Power president Mark Pitman gets vaccinated against Covid-19 at Riverside Community Centre in Mt Wellington, Auckland. Photo / Supplied

Gang communities, particularly in Auckland, had been one of many populations hit by the current Delta outbreak.

Today's event would be supported by various community groups, including the Fordlands Community Centre.

Centre programmes director Maraea Pomana commended Werahiko and other organisers for promoting the vaccination message in their community.

"I think it's amazing because through all the negative media hype, they've decided that they want to help their families and reach the people that they can reach, because a lot of the time those families feel excluded."

Pomana, a youth worker of almost two decades, said there was significant hesitancy in gang communities regarding vaccination - largely due to a historical distrust of health officials.

Lakes DHB Pou Manukura Relationships and Engagement Phyllis Tangitu said local health officials met with a forum of gang leaders four weeks ago to offer vaccination support.

"We have been privileged to hear our whānau stories. They have told us that we need to take the service to them," she said.

The DHB had worked collaboratively with Te Arawa Collective to assist local gang leaders with the event.