As the country learnt about and coped with Covid 19, the elderly have been seen as vulnerable.

Their story is one of resilience, of connectivity, of whānau and hapū, of leadership, problem solving all tied up in the catch cry of “Feed the Pā”.

This first part of our series captures the thoughts of three Ngāti Whakaue kaumātua:

• Wiremu Keepa
• Miriama Searancke
• Iris Thomas

He mihi nunui tēnei ki a rātau no te mea i whakaae rātau ki te haramai ki te whakatakoto ō rātau whakaaro mo te mate urutā me te nohoanga ō rātau me ō rātau whānau hoki.

Thank you to the elders who participated and told the story of their experience of the pandemic, Covid 19, and that of their family and community.

He mihi anō ki ngā kaitautoko o tēnei mahi ki te hopu o rātau whakaaro. Ā, ko:
- Kia eke kairangi ki te taikaumātuatanga
- Te Wānanga o Aotearoa

Thank you also to the following for their support:
- Ageing Well National Science Challenge
- Te Wānanga o Aotearoa (Waiwhero Campus, Rotorua)

Link to Part Two of this video series here