Page URL: https://practice.orangatamariki.govt.nz/practice-approach/practice-framework/whai-akona/supervision/whakatau/
Printed: 25/03/2025
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Whakatau is the first phase of the tangata whenua and bicultural supervision session.
Arrival and opening protocol with each other
Whakatau is a process of welcoming someone from a noa (common) space into a tapu (special and safe) space using one of a range of tools to open supervision sessions – for example, takutaku (ancestral incantations), karakia (prayer), whakataukī/whakatauākī (proverbs or sayings and special thoughts), waiata (songs of significance).
This phase creates an opportunity to value the unique culture, identity and expression of both the kaiārahi and the kaitiaki.
Prompts: skills, knowledge and behaviours
My behaviours, attitudes and skills are aligned to my connection with significant sites of engagement in Te Taiao and values and beliefs.
I engage in active sharing about my life: work life, whānau, hapū, and iwiwhakapapa, and historical whānau pūkōrero.
I share successful or difficult moments that surround my experiences of 'supervision' and what I want to bring forward into this supervisory relationship.
I can share what oranga looks like for me, and how supervision can best be used to promote whānau ora, kaimahi ora and mahi ora.
Supervision prompts
Based on ko wai au, what are my preferences for entering into the engagement (that is, karakia, whakataukī, other) and how do I negotiate this with the kaiārahi?
What helps me to pause to be present, and move into the conversations I need to have within supervision?
Given this is a lineal process, it should help transition a person from the busy-ness of one's life into a place of reflection and reflexivity (āta).
Taking personal and professional responsibility for preparing to enter into this space that is driven by kaimahi ora, mahi ora and whānau ora.
My behaviours, attitudes and skills are aligned to my connection with significant sites of engagement in Te Taiao and values and beliefs.
I engage in active sharing about my life: work life, whānau, hapū, and iwiwhakapapa, and historical whānau pūkōrero.
I share successful or difficult moments that surround my experiences of 'supervision', and what I want to bring forward into this supervisory relationship.
I can facilitate the kaitiaki in expression of their ko wai au, what oranga looks like for them, and how supervision can best be used to promote whānau ora, kaimahi ora and mahi ora.
Supervision prompts
Based on ko wai au, what are my preferences for entering into the engagement (that is, karakia, whakataukī, other) and how do I negotiate this with the kaitiaki?
Be innovative in processes that create an environment that is safe and protective for those who enter it – mana enhancing. It involves moving from a noa (normal/daily) space into a tapu (safe and protective) space.
How do I welcome the kaitiaki into the session appropriately using tikanga – for example, whakataukī, whakatauākī, karakia, takutaku (incantation)?
Taking into account the needs of the kaitiaki coming in for supervision will impact on which protocols and rules (tikanga and kawa) will be used to open up the session.
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