Year: 2025

Kotahitanga to me means unity, respect, and working together as one team. It’s about feeling connected to my teammates, valuing each person’s contributions, and creating a supportive environment where everyone feels included and motivated. For me, kotahitanga isn’t just about playing volleyball, it’s about building relationships and being kind and understanding with others.

During this unit, we were randomly sorted into 4 teams of at least 6. Each person in each team took on a role. The roles were coach, manager, captain, referee, and stats keeper. I took on the role of manager. My job was to mark the ‘roll’ for our team and making sure everybody had full gear. I also had to let our team know what court we were on and who we were versing.

In our 1PE volleyball class, we showed kotahitanga by focusing on teamwork. Our team includes me as the manager, our coach guiding us, the captain encouraging and uplifting us, the stats keeper tracking progress, and the referee ensuring fair play. Each role is important because it helps us work together smoothly and stay connected. We know that our success depends on supporting each other and playing as one.

During lessons, we do activities that encourage kotahitanga. We practice together, cheer each other on, and communicate well. Our team chants boost our spirit and unity, making us feel more connected and motivated. We also show manaakitanga by respecting everyone’s efforts (teammates, opponents, referees) making sure everyone feels valued and respected. This kindness helps create a positive environment where everyone can enjoy and learn from volleyball.

We also practice tuakana/teina  by teaching and learning from each other. As more experienced players or people that have a little bit more knowledge of the game/rules more than others (tuakana), we help our teammates (teina) learn skills and strategies. We share our knowledge, encourage questions, and support each other’s growth. This makes the team stronger because we lift each other up.

Here is my video about Kotahitanga that has been demonstrated within my team: ‘Bubble Guppies’

Understanding Maori and Pasifika Health Models: A Simple Comparison

To provide caring and culturally respectful healthcare, it’s important to understand different health models from Maori and Pasifika cultures. Two well-known models are Te Whare Tapa Wha (Maori) and Fonofale (Originated in Samoa however, applied to all Pasifika Cultures). Both models see health as a balanced and connected whole, but they do this in different ways.

Te Whare Tapa Wha (Maori Model)

• Meaning: “The four walls of the house.”

• Focus: Health is made up of four parts that support each other:

• Taha Tinana (Physical Health): The body and physical wellbeing.

• Taha Wairua (Spiritual Health): Spiritual beliefs and practices.

• Taha Whanau (Family and Social Well Being): Support from family and community.

• Taha Hinengaro (Mental and Emotional Well Being): Thoughts, feelings, and mental health.
• Key Idea: All four parts need to be balanced for good health. If one is neglected, it can affect the others.

Fonofale (Pasifika Model)

• Meaning: Uses the image of a fale (Samoan house)

• Components: 

• The Fale (House): Represents family, community, and culture.

• The Roof: Spiritual beliefs that shelter and support health.

• The Pou (Pillars): Four supports–Physical, Mental, Spiritual, and Cultural or Socioeconomic factors.

• Environment: The [physical and social surroundings affecting health.

• Time: The importance of history and cultural context.
• Key Idea: Health is connected to family, community, environment, and history, and these should all be considered.

Main Similarities:

• Both see health as more than just physical – including spiritual, emotional, and social parts.
• Both highlight that these parts are connected, and imbalance in one can affect the others.
• Both are based on cultural values and practices, promoting respectful, culturally safe care.

Main Differences:

• Cultural Focus: Te Whare Tapa Wha is specifically Maori, including Maori spiritual and social ideas. Fonofale is based on Samoan and broader Pasifika cultures.

• Design: Te Whare Tapa Wha uses the house with four wales. Fonofale uses the house with a roof, pillars, environment, and times, adding layers of context.
• Environmental and Historical Factors: Fonofale explicitly includes environment and history, recognizing their impact on health. Te Whare Tapa Wha focuses more on balance among four key areas.

Why It Matters: 

Knowing these models helps healthcare providers care for Maori and Pasifika patients in ways that respect their cultures. It encourages seeing patients as whole persons with connections to family, spirituality, and community. Using these models can lead to better, more respectful healthcare.

In Short: 

Both models teach us that health is a balance of different parts connected to culture and community. They remind us to consider the whole person, not just physical symptoms, to provide truly respectful and effective healthcare.

This is a drawing I made on Google Images using my amazing skills of booth models:

Last Monday, on the 17th of February was international RAK day. At our school we decided to have RAK week, or Random Acts of Kindness Week. RAK is celebrated globally to encourage individuals and communities to engage in acts of kindness. The week encourages spontaneous acts of kindness to promote compassion and empathy, reminding us that even small gestures can greatly affect others. Whether one receives, gives or observes RAK there is a sense of happiness and fulfillment felt amongst individuals and this is what we were wanting to create within our school community and in our wider community. RAK week, started in 1995 by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation in the U.S, is a global movement celebrated every February.

As a class, we celebrated RAK week by doing various acts of kindness in our school and the community we live in. Some of these acts included:

– Cleaning tagging off signs

– Picked up rubbish (around school and off the streets)

– Wrote positive and motivational quotes around the school

– Painted rocks and planted them around the school 

– Put positive and motivational quotes on mirrors and whiteboards

– Made homemade cookies and wrote letters to hand to some staff 

– Cleaned the music block to relieve the cleaner of a task at the end of the day

– Gave some extra cookies out to the AE class and more kids around the school 

I believe that by participating in these acts, we could create an atmosphere where kindness is valued and encouraged, and give a good sense of belonging for people in our school, with the intent to have a ripple effect of others practicing RAK. To be honest, I was reluctant to get involved because I thought it was cheesy and embarrassing, because other people might judge me because some of them don’t know me or believe me as kind. However, I still got involved and participated in as many acts as I felt comfortable with.

RAK highlights the positive of kindness on individuals and communities. By practicing kindness, we uplift others and enhance our own wellbeing.