What does safety look and feel like to you?

Hoani | Whakatū

Hoani shares how his nan created a safe, loving environment for her community.

“I think about the feeling of what safe feels like and what it takes me back to is my nan’s house.

And nan… we’d have whānau sleepover and we’d be all in the lounge and then, she would make these beds out of the squabs of the couch. She’d chuck them on the thing. And honestly, without a doubt, she would make the best beds. And she had these old school feather duvets, and there’s nothing like chucking on a feather duvet I reckon.

When I think about the feeling of safe or safety, that’s what it takes me back to. Is jumping in that bed with a full puku, warm, nice – just the environment that my nan essentially created. And I feel like my nan’s house was that for a lot of people. With whānau, wider whānau, or community essentially.

Or it’s this community that became your whānau, because I’ve got plenty of aunties and uncles that are not officially your aunties and uncles but they are your aunties and uncles.

Her name is Miriama but she was known as Tiny, because she was tiny and small but her heart and her manaaki (care), her mana (authority), everything that she was, was the opposite to tiny. She was a really strong personality and could hold the line, hold accountability and from the kai, the aroha, the conversations, the care.

She made an impact on many, many lives.”