Powhiri continue to play an important and valuable role at Corrections.
Chief Executive Barry Matthews says there has been some concern that Corrections’ new Cultural Practices Guidelines forbid powhiri being held on Corrections sites.
“This is not the case. Powhiri continue to play an important role in many of our offender management processes that are based on tikanga Maori approaches,” says Barry.
“While less formal processes, such as mihimihi, are now used by Corrections for welcome ceremonies, powhiri are approved where they are considered to be essential to the effective management of offenders and comply with the Cultural Practices Guidelines.
“Most of the approved applications have been from Maori focus units, which are one example of a tikanga Maori approach to offender management,” explains Barry.
“In each case, the application for a powhiri was considered in terms of its fit with the kaupapa of the unit, its relationship to effective management of offenders and the extent to which it is supported by the tangata whenua.
“Where powhiri have been held, they have been well planned in advance and a kaumatua representing tangata whenua has been nominated as having responsibility for ensuring that tikanga is correctly applied.
Barry says Corrections sites are adapting their practices to ensure they are upholding the key principles of the Cultural Practices Guidelines - that staff are not excluded from employment opportunities and that tikanga Maori is respected.
“Examples of how the new policy has been applied have been the welcoming of the Maori and Pacific Policy Manager Harry Waaka and the Public Prisons Service Regional Manager Warren Cummins to their new roles. On both occasions a mihimihi was the appropriate format and it worked very well.
“In contrast, a powhiri was used to welcome iwi guests to New Plymouth Prison to celebrate the awarding of a Queen Services Medal to Norma Ordish for her work with prisoners.
“This was a situation where the celebration would normally have been held on her marae but because the prisoners could not go to the marae, the marae came to the prisoners,” says Barry.
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ISSN 1178-8453