New brand to carry Child Abuse prevention messages

Maori Child Abuse Summit

25-28 November 2007

Auckland

MEDIA RELEASE

25 November 2007

New brand will carry Maori Child Abuse prevention messages

Anglican Minister and veteran Maori activist Dr Hone Kaa said will launch a new brand this week, as part of his Maori Child Abuse Summit which commences with a special service in Auckland this afternoon.

“Ririki is the brand I’ll be presenting to the Maori experts who are gathering,” Dr Kaa said today.

The phrase “Nga Mana Ririki” (the power of the little ones) is lifted out a famous Ngati Porou haka. The word ‘ririki’ can be translated as ‘children’, and unlike the more commonly used word ‘tamariki’, it is not gender specific.

“We have incorporated the white ribbon into our brand because it such a well known symbol of anti-violence work. This has been stylized into a koru, and we have incorporated the triangular pattern known as ‘kaokao’. This is the armpit or place of security where the baby nestles.”

Dr Kaa is establishing a charitable trust (The Nga Mana Ririki Foundation) to oversee and implement the plan that is developed at Nga Mana Ririki this week.

“It is a working hui, and we are asking practitioners to help us develop a plan to reduce the incidence of Maori child abuse for the region from Waikato North.”

“I have been overwhelmed by the support I have received for Nga Mana Ririki. Maori in this region want to take control of this situation and look to the future with hope.”

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Memorial Service

4.00pm, Sunday 25 November, at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, top of Khyber Pass Rd, Auckland.

This is a special church service, where we remember those children who have been killed as a result of child abuse. The service will feature readings and reflections from:

·         Broadcasters Carole Hirschfeld and John Campbell

·         Journalist Julian Wilcox

·         Comedian Mike King

·         Songstress Hinewehi Mohi

·         Health Worker and songstress Leonie Matoe

·         Songwriter and performer Brannigan Kaa

Everyone welcome.

The Summit

Monday 26 November – Wednesday 28 November.

St John’s Theological College, 202-210 St John’s Rd, Meadowbank, Auckland

This three day Summit is open to Maori who work to prevent child abuse. The Summit will be a combination of presentations and workshops but it is essentially a working hui. Maori from Waikato North are being invited to develop a strategic plan to reduce Maori child abuse in this region.

The days have been themed as follows:

·         Day One: Issues for wahine

·         Day Two: Issues for tane

·         Day three: Issues for rangatahi

Workshops in the morning and afternoon will focus on the following issues:

·         Advocacy

·         Communications

·         Education

·         Research

The information gathered from participants during the workshops will form the basis of the strategic plan. Politicians and decision makers are invited to join us at 2.00pm on Day Three to review the plan developed at Nga Mana Ririki.

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Maori Child Abuse

·         Maori children are twice as likely to be abused as children from other groups

·         New Zealand has the third highest rate of infanticide in the OECD, with around a third of those deaths being Maori children

·         There are statistically significant differences in the rate of homicide of Maori and non-Maori children and the differences have widened over the past 25 years

·         The child most at risk of fatal violence in New Zealand between 1991 and 2000 was less than one year of age, male, and Maori. He was most likely to die from battering, sustaining head and other fatal bodily injuries inflicted by one of his parents.

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