'Aroha' began as a storytelling resource which communicated the complex layers of whānau violence. It has been reimagined as a flat pack set that whānau and kaimahi can build for themselves to use as a learning tool and healing taonga.
'Aroha' began as a storytelling resource which communicated the complex layers of whānau violence. It has been reimagined as a flat pack set that whānau and kaimahi can build for themselves to use as a learning tool and healing taonga.
The Whakamārama video below gives you an overview of the resource, breaking down the layers of storytelling.
Wāhine māori are disproportionately represented in whānau violence statistics, and yet many wāhine have expressed that they feel unsafe approaching response services. ‘E Tū Wāhine, E Tū Whānau’ (2019) is a report produced by Taupua Waiora Māori Research Centre, which details the complex contexts of whānau Māori experiencing violence and unsafe relationships.
Bryre (a communication designer) explored how design could turn this research into an accessible resource for kaimahi and whānau alike, communicating the research findings in a storytelling format. This project highlighted how design can enhance the impact of research data by communicating with clarity and beauty.
The resource Bryre produced consists of layers: two illustrated ‘boxes’ and an inner kete. Each of these layers represents the different challenges that whānau Māori navigate as they approach services for support with whānau violence. At the centre of the layers, within the kete are a series of cards which illustrate the inherent mana and tapu of wāhine Māori.
'Aroha' upholds wāhine and their whānau as taonga with strengths and aspirations, who want to do the best for their tamariki. They must be protected. They need genuine, kind and caring people to help them on this journey. This resource uses design conventions to better understand wāhine Māori, by shifting thinking and doing (interactions and practices) about whānau affected by violence and unsafe relationships.
Whānau and kaimahi can receive this resource as a flat pack. This is a series of pages with instructions to build the tool. While building, whānau and kaimahi journey through the story of the resource, building an understanding of the complex contexts of whānau Māori navigating unsafe relationships. The completed resource could be a learning/healing/counselling taonga for whānau.
This resource honours whānau Māori with a tool which is both beautiful and grounded in research. This project provided insight into design’s capacity to represent heavy and difficult stories with hope, highlighting the strengths of whānau Māori amidst adversity.
Wilson, D., Mikahere-Hall, A., Sherwood, J., Cootes, K., & Jackson, D. (2019). E Tū Wāhine, E Tū Whānau: Wāhine Māori keeping safe in unsafe relationships. AUT Taupua Waiora Māori Research Centre. https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/handle/10292/13068
