A new action group is supporting Māori mothers across the motu struggling with their mental health.
E Tipu E Rea Whānau Services chief executive Zoe Witika-Hawke (Ngāti Hako, Ngāti Pāoa) says when it comes to the struggles of māmā, mental distress is at the top of the list.
“It’s time to find solutions and we know our young māmā have them.”
Witika-Hawke says factors like lack of housing, lack of kai, economic struggles and whānau dynamics all contribute to the mental distress of mothers.
This comes as the 16th annual perinatal and maternal mortality review committee report revealed more staggering statistics about the inequities Māori mothers face within the health system.
The new action group, Hine ki te Wheiao, is a collective of young mātua (parents) and clinical professionals, formed to advocate for young whānau Māori.
‘Solutions lie within our whānau’
“The reason for the action group is because the stats have said the same thing as the recent report over years,” Witika-Hawke says.
“We knew it was gonna say exactly the same thing. And we also know that the solutions lie within our whānau.”
Some of the key findings of the recent report show that:
- ethnicity, deprivation and age inequities persist across perinatal and maternal mortality - there are worse outcomes for babies with Indian, Māori and Pacific mothers compared with Pākehā mothers;
- the overall annual perinatal mortality rate has not significantly decreased from 2007-2021;
- Māori and Pacific peoples have over twice the rate of maternal mortality compared to the group with the lowest rate (European).
The report also found that suicide remains the leading cause of maternal death in Aotearoa, accounting for over 40 percent of direct maternal mortality events.
‘We don’t want those stats to continue’
Between 2006 and 2021, wāhine Māori had over three times the suicide rate of New Zealand Europeans.
“[The stats are] too high and actually one of the highest in the world,” Witika-Hawke says.
“We can’t sit around doing the same thing and allowing discrimination, racism [and] lack of housing continue, because we don’t want those stats to continue.”
Hineraukura Martin (Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Haua, Ngāi Te Rangi) is one of many young māmā who have used E Tipu E Rea’s services over the years.
Martin found herself in a state of distress during her first pregnancy at the age of 17.
“I was scared that the way I was feeling would lead to my pēpi being taken from me.”
She was referred to the agency after finding mainstream health services weren’t a good fit for her.
Martin says the environment in mainstream perinatal services were not comfortable for her, and she felt no hononga (connection).
She was later referred to E Tipu E Rea’s Hapūtanga wānanga.
“It was a safe space and I could recognise that. There was lots of kōrero around other mama struggling.”
‘Our whānau Māori need something different’
Martin highlights the importance of support groups like Hine ki te Wheiao for young Māori parents.
“Our whānau Māori need something different because the systems we already have are obviously failing us,”
“Now we’re stepping in to say like let’s try our way - let’s see if we can make a difference because something needs to be changed.”
Witika-Hawke encourages young parents in distress to reach out for support.
“Don’t be whakamā (embarrassed) - you’re not the only one who experiences this, and there is hope.”
Witika-Hawke welcomes people to join the action grou and ‘contribute to change.
For more information, visit the Hine ki te Wheiao Action Group Facebook page.