Wai Māori

Water

Healthy Families Hutt Valley is working to promote wai māori and water as a way of building physical, cultural and environmental hauora (wellbeing).

We have two interrelated goals for our wai and water mahi, increasing access to drinking water and promoting the value of wai and water.

We’ve created impact in our collective work to increase access to water in our community places and spaces as well as normalising water as the drink of choice through our All Star of the Week initiative. 

Why is this important?

  • When we drink water, we’re not drinking sugary drinks

  • Two out of 10 children in the Hutt Valley had fizzy drink three or more times per week

  • Sugary drinks are the leading source of sugar for children and the second biggest source for adults

  • Sugary drinks contribute to obesity, poor oral health, Type-2 Diabetes and other preventable chronic disease

  • In 2018/19, 385 children in the Hutt Valley had dental treatment under general anaesthetic, costing approximately $1million per year

  • Wai māori plays an important role in our wellbeing through our environment, tikanga and whakapapa

Imagine if there was no demand for sugary drinks from our young people because water is the normal and desired drink of choice.

 

How we’re increasing access to water

Community hydration stations – We have been working with local government to make it easier for people to Go the H2O in our communities.

The mahi we have helped influence includes: Seven high profile water fountains being installed in community spaces in Stokes Valley, Taita, Naenae, Wainuiomata, Fraser Park, Petone and Moera, funded by Hutt City Council.

Portable hydration stations – The Go the H2O movement has gathered so much momentum that the demand for portable hydration stations has meant local business have stepped in to provide extra capacity.

Local business owner Bulk Water Transport has partnered with Meet PAT to provide three hydration stations that can be used for events. The extra capacity means that Hutt City Council’s station is able to focus on high priority community and Council events without impacting the wider momentum. 

All Star of the Week – All Star of the Week is a Healthy Families Hutt Valley initiative that evolved from the traditional ‘Player of the Day’ model. Instead of fast-food vouchers, tamariki and rangatahi are rewarded with a free pool pass — a healthy, fun, and whānau-friendly way to celebrate effort, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

To access the free pool passes, sports clubs and organisations simply need to show their support for a pro-water kaupapa, promoting water as the drink of choice on sidelines and within their wider sport environment.

The value of wai māori & water

Increasing the value of Wai Māori and water – Having easy access to water is just the first step, we need to build the value of wai and take action to make water more desirable to drink and ensure it is treated with the care and respect it deserves as a natural taonga that brings hauora. By changing how we think about and value wai, we can start to create systems change that supports wellbeing while reducing harm to our environment.

Value proposition of Waiora – We worked with the Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA Wellington) and our young people in Taita to create a pro-water mural. NZDA Wellington sponsored the creation of the mural which is situated near the water fountain in Taita.

The artwork from the mural was adapted for use in other community settings including the water stations at Te Matatini festival 2019. 

Through the Poly Odyssey event, a Pasifika articulation of the value of water has been created and validated by those involved. The kupu is “Vai Ola” which means “Water is life”.

We’re continuing to explore ways that we can work with young people to build our understanding of how they value wai and water and how we can make water the drink of choice.

 What can you do?

  • If your tamariki or rangatahi play sport, encourage their sports club to join our All Star of the Week

  • Take your water bottle out with you when you are out and about and fill it up at one of our many community hydration stations, available FREE of charge to community events, festivals, or sports fixtures who are promoting water as the drink of choice - you can book it here.

Imagine if we all treated wai with the care and respect it deserves as a natural taonga that brings hauora for our whole community.

Want to help?

Contact us to share your insights around the value of wai Māori.