New Migrants Lunch with Citizens Advice Bureau Kapiti 9 March 2019

Sue from Waikanae

"Understanding Maori Culture"

Imagine moving to a new country where you have no friends or family, no knowledge of the culture or perhaps even the language, and you certainly do not understand who can advise you on how to access very basic services. This is the daunting prospect for many new migrants to Kapiti.

Now imagine you find when you arrive in that country there are not one, but two cultures and languages that you need to understand. Your children start school and you are invited to a Powhiri and asked to take part in the Waiata; And you may be asked to provide Koha. What does this all mean?

To help new migrants better understand Maori culture, CABK is holding an Information Session and lunch on Saturday 9 March between 11.00am and 1.00pm in the Rimu Room, upstairs in Coastlands in Paraparaumu. The lunch is free and open to all migrant groups or individuals. You can tell CABK you are coming beforehand or just turn up on the day.

The lunch will provide an opportunity for new migrants to hear from and meet a local Maori leader who can help them understand Maori history and culture. Gwen Greenham is a respected teacher and elder in the Kapiti Maori community, who will trace the history of the Maori migration to New Zealand and through this story provide advice on lan-guage, customs and traditions.

For further advice about the lunch or if you wish to talk to someone about any issue at all (and we have had questions about just about everything!), just call into CABK upstairs at Coastlands weekdays from 9.00 am to 4.00pm, phone 04 298 4944, or email
kapiti@cab.org.nz .