5 October
Twenty prisoners from the Waikeria Māori Focus Unit (MFU) celebrated graduating from the taonga puoro (Māori music and instruments) class on Friday 2 October by performing a production about a prisoner who finds salvation through the gift of a renewed outlook on life.
The production called and ‘The Poupou That Spoke’ is about a prisoner who has come to a low point in his life where he is considering suicide. While sitting in a meeting house he has a vision whereby each of the six poupou (carvings) on the walls comes down and speaks to him one at a time.
Each of the poupou gives him a gift and provides him with the ability to see that his situation is the result of his negative feelings toward himself coupled with a lack of respect for others. These visions enable him to get a new view of the world that he had not previously seen and through this realisation he gains the will to live. The story is illustrated through haka, waiata and the use of various instruments prisoners learnt from their taonga puoro class.
The production was attended by a number of guests invited from the local community, Corrections staff and the other prisoners from the unit.
The taonga puoro class teaches prisoners how to make and play Māori musical instruments to inspire and give each a sense of pride. Each prisoner hand crafted several instruments, such as bone and wood koauau (flutes) and putangitangi - or ‘small crying instruments’.
“It is fantastic to have these prisoners perform this very moving production that reflects what they themselves have learnt from being in the Māori Focus Unit. It is also great to have other prisoners attend so they too can hear the very important message the production imparts, respect for oneself and even more importantly respect for others,” says Waikeria North Prison Manager Paul O'Byrne.
“We are very proud of the way these prisoners have developed such skills and then put them to use in a very positive way. The Department of Corrections has a significant focus to reduce re-offending amongst Māori and this is another example of how the Māori Focus Units are a key tool in helping us to achieve this outcome.”
Notes to Editors
Waikeria Prison has one of New Zealand's five Māori Focus Units. The Unit, called Te Ao Marama or The Path to the Light, establishes a culturally appropriate environment in which prisoners can address issues relating to their offending in a holistic manner.
The unit is constituted on Tikanga Māori principles and operates within a Tikanga Māori environment. Through the practice of Māori values and disciplines, and specialist Māori programmes, the unit aims to bring about positive changes in thinking and behaviour.
Corrections has a commitment to offering a wide range of services to Māori offenders, and to further strengthen the MFU model to reduce re-offending amongst Māori.
Research has shown that using the Te Ao Maori (Maori world view) approach, such as that applied in an MFU strengthens the cultural identity of Maori offenders, improves their attitudes and behaviours and motivates them to participate in rehabilitation opportunities.
A recent review into the effectiveness of the MFU's was conducted and key findings of the evaluation indicated:
MTP participants displayed positive change in terms of attitudes and beliefs related to criminal lifestyles
positive changes in terms of reconvictions and re-imprisonments rates
all five MFUs are operating in conformity to the prescribed requirements for the programme
extensive evidence of MFUs participants acquiring new knowledge in relation to Tikanga Māori.
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