Whanaungatanga at the heart of Honeybeez Preschool
24 May 2023
When Marlena Bunnage is greeted by tamariki at Honeybeez Preschool they give her a wave and say, “Kia ora, Whaea.”
The Māori term is commonly used as a sign of respect for kaiako in schools, but for Marlena, who works at the Kaiapoi-based preschool as a kaiwhakatere (navigator) supporting tamariki and their whānau, it’s a badge of honour she wears with pride.
“We’re one big whānau. We support each other, and my job is to be there for them when times get tough,” she says.
Marlena has been working at Honeybeez Preschool since 2020. Her role was created in response to a “growing need” for someone to walk alongside whānau, helping them to achieve their future dreams and aspirations.
Preschool owner-operator Jasmyn Pihema says the role is similar to a Whānau Ora navigator, but instead of being based within a health provider, it is at the preschool, tapping into existing relationships with whānau who need support.
Whanaungatanga is at the heart of everything we do at Honeybeez, and with that comes strong connections with the community. We wanted to capture the honesty that’s been shared with us by whānau, rather than simply passing a card on to a specialist that might be able to help. In Waimakariri it’s really hard to find connections as Māori, so this is about bridging that gap.
Marlena Bunnage
Bringing whānau together
Recently, Marlena has been bringing the community together through wānanga.
“The kaupapa gets so heavy sometimes, I felt we needed a way to bring whānau together in a real strength-based, positive way. I love the arts, including mahi toi and taonga puoro. They bring me enjoyment, and I wanted to share that joy with others,” says Marlena.
Marlena says she teaches through a te ao Māori lens, and that helps whānau reconnect with their cultural identity.
“Recently, we’ve been using art to learn about atua wāhine (Māori goddesses). Using needle felting, we each had a go at creating Hinepūtehue, goddess of the hue (gourd) wind instrument.”
Marlena says supporting whānau to build connections is yet another benefit.
“At one stage I had a group of kaumātua come along. They’d sit alongside the teenagers and just laugh for a couple of hours. That, in itself, is huge, because, for that moment in time it gives everyone a chance to relax and not think about life’s stressors for a while,” says Marlena.
Honey Beez Preschool & Nursery (transcript)
[Music]
[Graphic: Te Pūtahitanga Te Waipounamu logo]
Jasmyn Pihema:
[Text on screen: Jasmyn Pihema – Kaiwhakahaere]
[Graphic: Honeybeez logo]
Honeybeez is a preschool. We’ve been in operation since July of 2009. Prior to that the whare was our family home. Every single one of the whānau that joins our Honeybeez whānau becomes like an extension of our whānau and us, theirs.
We identified there was a need within Waimakariri for a preschool that allowed the tamariki the opportunity to naturally walk within both te ao Māori and te ao Pākehā. And being a preschool that honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi really.
[Music, singing]
Kaiako:
Well done Jessie.
Let me see you patting your knees Troy, ka pai!
Jasmyn Pihema:
And so, my role as the Kaiwhakahaere I guess I’m in charge of making sure that all of the wheels of the cog turn. I teach here as well which is a huge privilege.
[Text on screen: Marlena Bunnage – Kaiwhakatere]
[Graphic: Honeybeez logo]
Marlena Bunnage:
I actually taught at Honeybeez over six years ago and left to work at Karanga Mai, and have come back to Honeybeez in my role as Kaiwhakatere.
Jasmyn Pihema:
The kaupapa behind that role is that she is a face that’s known in our community, that’s trusted, and that’s available to anyone within Waimakariri that needs someone to tautoko and walk alongside them.
Marlena Bunnage:
Hey bubba.
For the Kaiwhakatere role, it’s unique and you do have to work a wee bit differently and a wee bit out of the box. So, initially it’s all about getting to know our whānau and that whanaungatanga.
Māmā:
[Chatter]
And then you’ll be royalty.
[Laughter]
Jacinta McInerney:
[Text on screen: Jacinta McInerney – Tūmuaki]
[Graphic: Karanga mai early learning centre logo]
Whaea Marlena’s offered heaps of support to us in her role as Kaiwhakatere at the Karanga Mai. I think the fact that she was already known to many of our students and our whānau made it really easy if they wanted some support and some access because the relationship was already there.
Jasmyn Pihema:
She’s made a huge difference in many whānau lives which is pretty awesome.
Merrick Cooper:
[Text on screen: Merrick Cooper – Matua tāne]
[Graphic: Honeybeez logo]
Marlena helped me achieve my class five licences and now I’m driving these because of her.
Marlena Bunnage:
We are an education provider here at Honeybeez and so to expand that out to other education providers like Karanga Mai Young Parents’ College and Early Learning Centre, and Tuahiwi Kura.
Melanie Taite-Pitama:
We’ve always got that hard to capture whānau that we need a little bit of support with.
[Text on screen: Melanie Taite-Pitama – Tūmuaki]
[Graphic: Te Kura o Tuahiwi logo]
I think the Kaiwhakatere role has supported those hard to reach whānau, the more, probably at risk whānau to come in and partner with us to have an educationally powerful relationship.
[Music]
Marlena Bunnage:
You know our kaumātua are a real taonga. It’s great for the young tamariki, for our tamariki at Honeybeez to work alongside our kaumātua. There’s all these different… it’s generational learning.
You know, because it can be lonely being a kaumātua and isolating at home. So, just providing opportunities for them to connect with each other, to connect with the tamariki, and the wider community has been really great.
After one year, like, we’re only just beginning to fly now with all our kaupapa. You know, the last quarter was when I’ve had the most referrals. So, yeah, definitely that this role needs to continue in Waimakariri.
Jasmyn Pihema:
A tamaiti cannot be well if their whānau isn’t well, and so what can we do to do our part in walking alongside that whānau towards being well, to having ora.
[Music]
[Graphic: Te Pūtahitanga Te Waipounamu logo]
A growing need
Bringing Marlena into the role has been a “huge success”, says Jasmyn.
Through connections with Karanga Mai Young Parents College and Te Kura o Tuahiwi, both based in Kaiapoi, Marlena has been able to help a growing number of whānau Māori. She often acts as their voice if they don't have the courage, skills or confidence to connect with other organisations that provide support.
“Every year it’s just gotten bigger,” says Marlena.
“More people are hearing about us and, as the cost of living keeps getting higher, the need is growing.”
