Matariki Event to commemorate though who have passed away through child abuse or family violence

Candlelight Vigil – Friday 14th June – 5:30am to 9:00am at the Mangere Mountain

Please RSVP as there will be a light breakfast at the Mangere Hall after the lighting of the candles.

Matariki is known for reminiscing on our history our whanau of our bones. Matariki signals growth it is a time to prepare, it is a time of change, it is a time of action. During Matariki we celebrate what we have and what we have to give. Matariki is our Aotearoa New Year

Tau Huirama

“Matariki is a time to rejoice and think about the transition of stepping into our Maaori new year. It is a time to learn from the past year and reclaim the better things in life that we have experienced and learnt from in life’s lessons and bring them into the present, and celebrate these successes and using these experiences it is a time to reclaim the future that we want for our families, the future where our wahine and tamariki are safe and where our wahine and tamariki are able to thrive.”

David White

“There can be no harsher introduction into the world of family violence than having your daughter murdered by her husband, the man that you had given your daughters hand to, to love and cherish as you had in bringing her up. The expectation that he will care for her as you had. Then the naivety I lived in thinking she was safe, believing her assurances that she was OK. Those false days continue to haunt. Those warning signs casually ignored. The penalty is the way we live now. The penalty is that her murder could have been avoided and I will do all I can to save other parents from living the nightmare. I will continue to speak out and tell our story to help women get out of abusive relationships, to help men seek help, and to encourage others to step in where they see a problem. I believe that no man is free of family violence until all men are free. To that end I will go anywhere and talk to anyone to make our country safer, are you willing to walk with me?”

Marica Picot

“As a former sufferer of domestic violence, an ex-bully, an over-comer, a wife, a mother and a white ribbon rider, I’m involved in the white ribbon ride each year with my husband. Why, because I believe NZ is suffering from an epidemic of domestic violence and its time that we stand up and say ‘no more!’ Matariki is a time for new beginnings. Let’s make it the beginning of a culture of non-violence.

I belong to this kaupapa because I believe that ‘wahine are worth it!’ I was, and am worth it.”

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Event organised by the Safer Aotearoa Family Violence Prevention Network