Autism is a superpower, not a disorder. That’s according to a Waikato-based couple, who are raising a son with autism.
“Ka tino hakapono ahau he taonga tuku iho nā ngā atua, nā o mātou tūpuna tēnei momo āhuatanga o te takiwātanga,” te kī a Jessica Hita.
(I’ll be very honest, takiwātanga is a treasure that has been gifted by the atua, by our ancestors for this type of autism,” says Jessica Hita.
Hita (Muriwhenua) and partner Tūhoro Paki (Ngāti Mahuta) are the parents of 8-year-old Te Aurere, who was diagnosed with autism in 2019 and have faced challenges seeking treatment under mainstream health care that addresses their cultural needs.
Hita shared with Te Ao Māori News that since Te Aurere’s diagnosis, the clinical processes and information they were provided are from a Westernised system, and it did not culturally fit their family.
“Ehara tēnei momo āhuatanga te takiwātanga i te māuiuitanga. Tā te tauiwi tērā ngā whakaaro, nā reirā me waihō ēra whakaaro ki a rātou,” te kī a Hita.
(This type of autistic behaviour is not a disorder. That’s what non-Māori think; that’s their way of thinking. Leave those ideals to them.)
To raise awareness around autism and drawing on their personal experiences, the young couple founded Kanorau Takiwātanga Consultants to support whānau experiencing takiwātanga. Last month, they published a children’s bilingual book on autism.
Tōku Takiwā is a children’s book that explores the unique experiences of Te Aurere, the main character, who shares his perspective on life as a gift when viewed through a te ao Māori lens.
Hita says Tōku Takiwā is a book that celebrates not only the uniqueness of Te Aurere, but also all takiwātanga children, highlighting their deeper compassion and understanding worldview compared to others.
“Ko te whāinga matua ka taea e rātou ki te kite a rātou āhua i roto i ngā rauemi.”
(The other main goal is for them to be able to see a depiction of themselves in these resources)
Hita hopes that this book will help people see that autism is a superpower, not a disorder, as so often referred to by health practitioners. It’s a sentiment she hopes will reach other children diagnosed with autism, and the rest of Aotearoa.
“Ko te mea tuatahi kia mōhio rātou tā rātou ake mana. Me whakanuia a rātou pūkenga, ae,”
“The number one thing is that they (takiwātanga children) know of their mana and that we should value their skills. Yes,”
The book launch took place in Hamilton Waikato over the weekend but was published by Kanorau Consultants Limited in March.
Ko te reo takiwā he oranga pūmau
Nā Kristin Ross te pukapuka nei i whakamāori. Hei tāna, he tuatahitanga tēnei mōna, ara te tuhi i tētahi pukapuka e pā ana ki te takiwātanga.
“He reo hou tēnei ki ahau, he ao hou tēnei ki ahau otirā ko te painga o tēnei, kei te ora te aro rere tini i tōku āno whare. Nō reirā, he huarahi tēnei e āta noho ai ki tēnei ao o te aro rere tini me te takiwā.”
Hei tāna anō, ko te painga o tēnei pukapuka, ka whakamārama atu ki te ao i ngā āhuaranga, ngā wheako, me ngā whakaaro o ngā tamariki kua pāngia ki takiwātanga.
“Kua roa e pēhia ana, me mutu tērā āhua. Mā tēnei pukapuka e whakaatu atu ai ki te ao i tō rātou whakamīharotanga.”
