Ahi Kōmau

In an episode that is close to Kahu's heart, we talk about how mātauranga Māori might help us find solution and understanding on the topic of suicide.

Content warning: Includes discussion of suicide and mental health.

In an episode that is close to Kahu's heart, we talk about how mātauranga Māori might help us find solutions and understanding on suicide prevention, hope and community. Episode three emerges, much as everything does, from within Te Pō.

by Briar Pomana

Ahi Kōmau - the eternal flame, the deep-rooted fires such as those found in volcanoes and with our atua Rūaumoko. Back in the day, our tīpuna would bury the ashes of their fires in the ground and even when the people who had lit them had shifted and moved on across the land, the buried ashes continued to burn. When the time came, upon their return, the ahi kōmau were unearthed and re-distributed upon a new flame and the fire would dance strongly and burn bright once again.

The kaikōrero of this episode of He Kākano Ahau are similar to ngā ahi kōmau. They are that spark and breathe of hope onto a buried flame.

Beginning in the big smoke, Kahu Kutia travels between Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Urewera to speak to people working in the realm of mental health and whānau Māori, specifically people working closely with the taniwha that is whakamōmori.

Rikki Solomon, an embalmer and funeral director based in Tāmaki Makaurau is researching and applying traditional mātauranga to his practice. He draws reference from the maramataka Māori, the study of the moon and stars in relation to how these influence human behaviour, actions and spirit.

"What we teach is whānau to find their balance in both of these worlds, '' says Solomon. "Then how healing and empowering it can be to reclaim that maramataka Māori. Certainly, for myself in the last three years, it changed my life really. To understand and be empowered when you're feeling certain ways on certain days."

New Zealand has among the highest rates of youth suicide in the world. According to the 2020 Unicef Innocenti report card we come in at number two of the countries deemed 'developed' for suicide among youth aged 15-19.

New Zealand's high record of youth suicide is well known. According to the 2020 Unicef Innocenti report card New Zealand comes in number two on the table of countries deemed 'developed' for suicide rate among youth aged 5-19. The data shows that over a three year period, per 100,000 adolescents, there were 14.9 deaths linked to suicide.

Figures released by the Ministry of Health in 2019-2020 reveal rangatahi Māori are overrepresented within these statistics.

Most whānau are all too aware of these staggering statistics…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details