We are so proud and thrilled that our extraordinary founder is now Dame Hinewehi Mohi for services to Māori, music and television!
While many people know of Hinewehi’s courageous singing of the national anthem in te reo Māori 21 years ago at Twickenham, it was this trip to London which also provided Hinewehi with an introduction to music therapy. During the family’s stay in London, Hinewehi and her husband George spent hours each week travelling to Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Centre in North London to access music therapy for their daughter Hineraukatauri, as she was immediately able to communicate and move more purposefully during those sessions than her family had ever anticipated. Hinewehi returned from this trip determined to bring life-changing music therapy to Aotearoa-New Zealand so that other severely disabled children and their families could experience growth, joy, independence and wellbeing through music.
At the Opening Celebration for our new Centre in March, Hon Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for both Arts and for Disability Issues, acknowledged that it was Hinewehi’s vision, direction and, above all, love for her daughter, which was responsible for the founding and ongoing success of the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust. Minister Sepuloni described Hinewehi as a pillar of the community, supporting the revitalisation of Te Reo Māori and recognition of the value and importance of Te Ao Māori, while also enhancing the lives of disabled New Zealanders through the unique power of music.
One of the best examples of Hinewehi’s passion for music therapy and her determination to bring its life-changing benefits to anyone in need came in 2016. Hinewehi, George and Hineraukatauri moved from Auckland to Hawke’s Bay in October of that year and Hinewehi immediately realised the challenges that many families face in the regions when trying to access specialist services like music therapy. Within weeks of their move, she decided that Raukatauri would open its first regional centre and set about planning for the opening of our service in Hawke’s Bay. Raukatauri’s Hawke’s Bay Regional Centre is now fully subscribed and has provided a successful model for expansion for the Trust, allowing us to confidently open a second regional centre in Northland in 2019. We look forward to continuing our regional expansion in the coming years, particularly as Hinewehi is always driving Raukatauri towards its mission of providing services to all New Zealanders who would benefit from music therapy.
E poho kererū ana tātou.