WATCH--> Dr Rebecca Wirihana talking about the process of 'containment' in healing during COVID-19 Alert level 4 Aotearoa/New Zealand State of Emergency. Rebecca is a Māori Clinical Psychologist currently based at the Northland District Health Board working in the Community Māori Mental Health Service.

Read --> a situation report from the Amerindian Support Network at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. The Amerindian Network connects with eight Mbya Guarani Tekoa and organize to broaden understanding of the different life contexts of indigenous communities both in and outside of Brazil, their struggle for human and civil rights, especially involving issues concerning land demarcation, differentiated education and health.  Faced with the crisis of COVID-19, this report summarises selected news items regarding the situation of different communities and indigenous peoples in Brazil. At the end of this piece, some critical challenges based on ongoing conversations with the Mbya Guarani people are summarised.

Photo credit: Danilo Silva Guimarães & Rafaela Waddington Achatz. Students outside the House of Indigenous Peoples, University of São Paulo

The COVID-19 pandemic has been taking hold of our Indigenous communities, nations and lives. To our Indigenous friends worldwide, we reach out to connect, to weep for spirits passed, to acknowledge our concern for each other and to be warmed by your gaze.  We are devastated by the death toll the pandemic is extracting across the globe yet strengthened by the brave leadership demonstrated by Indigenous leaders to protect and sustain our communities. It is a time for cool heads, swift action and confident resolve. Let us be strong together.
 

Kowhiti19, kei hea tōu mārie?
Covid 19, where is your calm?
E te momo kaitangata, kei hea tōu āiotanga?
O human-eating species, where is your serenity?
Ngaua i runga, ngaua i raro.
Devouring from above, devouring from below
Ngaua i tata, ngaua i mamao.
Consuming from close by, consuming from afar
Pōkaihia tōu takapau hei waha i tō mate hei hoa mōu.
Wrap your ceremonial mat of death as your friend to accompany you,
Waiho mai mātou hei apakura ki ērā kua kāhakihia e koe,

WATCH--> Dr Hinekura Smith (Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Te Ati Awa) messaging to the Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga MAI Te Kupenga Doctoral network on staying well during COVID-19 Alert level 4 Aotearoa/New Zealand State of Emergency.  Hinekura is NPM's Emerging Researchers’ Leader, providing national leadership and coordination of MAI Te Kupenga and developing and nurturing initiatives that contribute to the outcomes and objectives of NPM’s Capab

READ--> The New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse (NZFVC) and researchers at Ngā Wai a Te Tūī launch the new Whare Māori portal to keep whānau and communities safe. 

WATCH--> Dr Valance Smith (Ngāpuhi, Waikato, Ngāti Haina, Ngāti Pākehā) messaging on "Noho ki te kāinga" - Stay at Home during COVID-19 Alert level 4 Aotearoa/New Zealand State of Emergency.  Valance has recently been appointed to Assistant Pro-Vice Chancellor (Māori Adavncement) and leads the Mātauranga Māori Strategy at AUT. 

WATCH--> Dr Dan Hikuroa (Ngāti Maniapoto, Tainui, Te Arawa) messaging on "Noho ki te kāinga" - Stay at Home during COVID-19 Alert level 4 Aotearoa/New Zealand State of Emergency. Dr Dan Hikuroa is an Earth systems scientist and a senior lecturer in Māori Studies Te Wānanga o Waipapa, University of Auckland. He was the Research Director for Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga from July 2011 - December 2015.

WATCH --> Professor Suzanne Pitama (Ngati Kahungunu) messaging on "Noho ki te kāinga" - Stay at Home during COVID-19 Alert level 4 Aotearoa/New Zealand State of Emergency. Suzanne Pitama (Ngati Kahungunu) is the Associate Dean Maori and Professor at the University of Otago, Christchurch. Suzanne is also the Chair of The Māori Health Committee, a statutory committee of the Health Research Council and responsible for advising Council on health research for Māori, including cultural issues relating to the gathering, verification, and validation of information.

WATCH--> Dr Lynne Russell messaging on "Noho ki te kāinga" - Stay at Home during COVID-19 Alert level 4 Aotearoa/New Zealand State of Emergency. Dr Lynne Russell is a senior research fellow in Māori health at Victoria University of Wellington. She has recently emerged from 14 days of self-isolation and is thrilled to be reunited with her whānau and especially her mokopuna.