Passengers on board embarked on Haere Tonu — a Suicide prevention hikoi that took Maori mental health and social service professionals to a symposium in Ōtautahi.
The bus stopped at four key points on their journey to Christchurch, to kōrero to whānau and local media, sharing a collective message, "Mai e te pō ki te aō marama out of the darkness and into the light".
They arrived in Christchurch on Tuesday to lead a symposium on suicide prevention.
The Ngā Kete Matauranga Pounamu Charitable Trust Kōrāri Maori Public Health Team together with Te Waipounamu Kia Piki Te Ora (All Ages Suicide Prevention Maori) are championing outcomes for whanau by presenting Haere Tonu — Kia Piki Te Ora Te Waipounamu Suicide Prevention kaupapa which coincided with World Suicide Prevention Day on Tuesday.
Kōrāri Māori Public Health service manager Karina Davis-Marsden said Haere Tonu was tino rangatiratanga in action.
"We are in the business of hope, and whānau suffering mental health distress whether directly or indirectly affected need guidance, support and awhi to navigate the space of suicide prevention and whakamōmori (grief)."
While on their haerenga (journey), the organisations also promoted te reo me ona tīkanga (custom), mātauranga (knowledge) Māori and whakawhanaungatanga (establishing relationships).
"On our hīkoi we shared a collective message of aroha and kotahitanga across the motu," Ms Davis-Marsden said.
This was a unique opportunity to "grow māori approaches to wellbeing and to meet other kaimahi and whānau from all corners of Te Waipounamu working and supporting the mahi of suicide prevention".
The four collective sites were He Waka Tapu (Ōtautahi), Maataawaka ki te Tau Ihu (Wairau), Te Tai Poutini (West Coast) and Ngā Kete Mātauranga Pounamu (Murihiku).
The travelling sites travelled by bus with pick-up points along the way at rūnaka, marae and other sites that picked up whānau and kaimahi.
The symposium involved keynote speakers that worked in suicide prevention as well as mental health lived experience and hauora experts.
There were also workshops and activities, kai, whakawhanaungatanga and waiata.
"Massive shout out to the managers from Te Whatu Ora who supported the journey, our hosts, He Waka Tapu, our northern team from Wairau and, of course, the crew from Blenheim," she said.
