About Us
ACROSS Te Kotahitanga O te Wairua was formed in September 1990 and became an incorporated society under the Charitable Trust Act (1957), in July 1991. In 1996 a new Constitution was adopted as a result of a merger between its parent bodies, the Anglican All Saints’ Children’s Home Trust and Catholic Social Services in Palmerston North. It moved the governance of the service from the Catholic Bishop of Palmerston North and the Anglican All Saints’ Children’s Home Trust to a Board comprising membership from Anglican, Catholic Church, Rangitāne o Manawatu and community representatives.
Rangitāne o Manawatu gifted the name Te Kotahitanga o te Wairua. The element in this name has deep meaning to ACROSS
KOTAHITANGA
Kotahitanga is solidarity, unity, and collective action. It refers to the cultural imperative to work for the common interest of all. It is a way of enhancing whanaungatanga. The well-being of the wāka, iwi, hapū, whānau, and Māori relies on the strength and support of all working for the common interest, and for the good of everyone.
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi
Engari he toa takitini.
My strength is not that of the individual
But as a collective.
WAIRUA
“There are many different dimensions of wairua … wairua of the people, wairua of the land, wairua of the spoken word, wairua of the child, wairua of different generations; wairua of our ancestors, the wairua that directs and inspires a person to engage.” (Valentine, 2009, p 60)
“He maha ngā peka o te wairua … te wairua a te tangata, te wairua o te whenua, te wairua o te kōrero, te wairua o te tamaiti, te wairua o tēnā whakatipuranga o tēnā whakatipuranga; te wairua o tātou matua tīpuna, te wairua whakahaere te tangata kia tau te wairua.”
He oranga ngākau, he hikinga wairua.
When it touches your heart, it lifts your spirit
WAIRUA
“There are many different dimensions of wairua … wairua of the people, wairua of the land, wairua of the spoken word, wairua of the child, wairua of different generations; wairua of our ancestors, the wairua that directs and inspires a person to engage.”
“He maha ngā peka o te wairua … te wairua a te tangata, te wairua o te whenua, te wairua o te kōrero, te wairua o te tamaiti, te wairua o tēnā whakatipuranga o tēnā whakatipuranga; te wairua o tātou matua tīpuna, te wairua whakahaere te tangata kia tau te wairua.”
He oranga ngākau, he hikinga wairua.
When it touches your heart, it lifts your spirit
The ACROSS Te Kotahitanga o te Wairua logo further connects these tikanga through to our landscape within Rangitāne o Manawatu rohe.
The image connects our kotahitanga and wairua; and our desire is to work with tamariki, rangatahi and whanau in a deep and meaningful way. The hills and river in the logo represent the most distinctive physical features of the Manawatu, the Ruahine and Tararua Mountains, and the Manawatu River. The Ruahine’s stand to one side of Palmerston North, towering above us, always in view. The Manawatu River winds its way amongst us, part of the city itself.
The blue of the river and the green of the hills represents the opposite but complimentary relationships of land and sea, earth and sky, man and woman. They also represent growth (green) and movement (blue). The concept of equal but opposite relationships draws on the wisdom of taha Maori.
ACROSS Te Kotahitanga o te Wairua is transforming our way of working to incorporate Te Ao and Mātauranga Māori so that it integrates our faith based values of unconditional love, caring and compassion to meet the needs of the wider community in particular tamariki, rangatahi and whānau.