Huaki-JAN2026

Huaki

“To bring to Light”

Edition 28 Friday, January 30, 2026

Heart Place Hospital: Healing Beyond the Clinical

By Talia Rikihana

Founded by Jacqui O’Connor, Heart Place Hospital is redefining healing through kaupapa Māori values. This is a story of vision, resilience, and building sustainable wellbeing for whānau, communities, and Aotearoa.

Across Te Tai Tokerau, Māori business owners are building more than businesses They are restoring balance, strengthening whānau, and creating futures grounded in whakapapa, purpose, and mana

For Jacqui OConnor, founder of Heart Place Hospital the journey began with a deep personal and professional realisation about the kind of care and healing the world truly needs.

“I saw a space for change and knew, I am the change I can’t wait for it ”

Heart Place Hospital was created as a place to heal the heart, spirit, and body A space that nurtures people with love, guided by kaupapa Māori and a belief that wellbeing must honour the whole person

Like many pakihi Māori, the path forward has not always been easy Choosing to step away from the status quo often comes with challenge

“I’ve faced many challenges along the way Being misunderstood judged and even gaslit all because I stepped away from what was familiar. But I stayed true to my knowledge my heart, and my purpose ”

That perseverance has been key Supported by a strong Board of Trustees and champions such as Dame Susan Devoy, Jacqui has continued to hold fast to the vision Recognition has followed, including receiving the Kaipara Citizen Award and the Stella Collection being ranked 2nd in the Top 50 Over 50 in Aotearoa But for Jacqui, success looks deeper than accolades

“The real impact is keeping people in the roles they love, healing beyond clinical outcomes, and supporting others to create sustainable offerings for their communities ”

Heart Place Hospital is grounded in Te Wheke, the wellbeing model developed by Dr Rose Pere Through principles such as whānau, wairuatanga, hinengaro, taha tinana, mauri, mana ake, hā a koro mā a kui mā, and whatumanawa, the focus remains on holistic wellbeing and collective strength

“Our work ensures the wellbeing of the whole person, body, spirit, and heart, while supporting the community to be strong and sustainable.”

The impact ripples outward. By supporting sustainable health and education providers, Heart Place Hospital strengthens whānau, uplifts local businesses, and contributes to resilient, interconnected communities

Looking ahead, the vision is bold and hopeful

“My vision is sustainable health and education across Aotearoa and beyond I hope for deeper

understanding, celebration of who we are, and a society that values sovereignty, awareness, community, and unity ”

For Māori business owners walking their own journey, Jacqui offers this whakaaro

“Stay true to your vision and values Be patient through challenges, learn from mistakes, and seek support from your community and mentors Remember, you are the change you want to see, and there’s no time to wait Start now ”

Across Te Tai Tokerau, your ideas, your courage, and your kaupapa matter Keep going We are

3

manaakitanga (hospitality) and (by all of us, for all of us)

AUNTY’S GARDEN

Traditional Māori potato project builds climate resilience in Northland

HanuiLawrence

Garden FreshRoast Vegetables

Ingredients:

• 3 new potatoes

• 2 kumara

• 14 pumpkin

• 6 baby beetroot

• 6 red onions

• 3 capsicum (red, yellow and g

• A bunch of fresh green peas

• bread crumbs

• 3 rashers of bacon

• A mix of fresh herbs (rosemar parsley, thyme, sage, celery)

• salt and pepper

Method:

Chunky chop all the vegetables and add the herbs (finely cut)

Toss and add a Tbsp of Butter, pepper and salt

Place all into a roasting bag, evenly lay in an oven dish and roast in a (thermal) oven for about 30-40 minutes

Saute bread crumbs and bacon in oil and put aside when nice and crisp

After 30-40 minutes, cut the oven bag open and spread the bacon and bread crumbs mix over the top and further grill until browned (about 5 minutes)

A handy hint: I open the oven bag by cutting the two edges and lay it across the top of the dish This works really well as well as putting everything in the roasting bag.

TahuWarmington,TeRingaRaupā–ProjectCoLeadinthepurapura(seed)coolerstorageroom Photocredit:PitaTipene

ATe Taitokerau initiative is helping communities strengthen food security and climate resilience through the revival of traditional gardening practices

Based at Ngāwhā Innovation and Enterprise Park, The Peru Packhouse – led by Āteanui Ltd founders Moana Timoko and Tahu Warmington – has become a respected hub for kai resilience, specialising in growing peruperu, Māori potatoes

The project recently received funding from Northland Regional Councils Climate Resilient Communities Fund, which Moana says helped cover costs of expanding peruperu crops and preparing a stock of purapura (seed) for intensive wānanga

Guided by the maramataka (an ancestral lunar calendar), the wānanga involve sharing information about growing practices and identifying optimal times for planting and harvesting to help whānau grow their own produce and build sustainable food systems

More than 80 whānau attended last year Whānau had the opportunity to purchase seed to plant their own peruperu in designated plots, maintaining and harvesting their produce according to the maramataka

What began in 2020, with just 1,000 seeds, has grown into a seed bank of approximately 1 million, with the project now supporting some whānau of the Hokianga to grow on a large scale

Āteanui Ltd was one of seven 2025 Food Resilience (Te Kai) funding recipients, supporting projects that create low-carbon, sustainable regional food systems while fostering community and tangata whenua well-being

For Moana and Tahu, however, the kaupapa is much more than just growing kai.

“We’ve created a visible example for our whānau to observe and learn from, using the ancestral wisdom of our tūpuna We’re bringing that learning into the future so we can sustain a future for our mokopuna ”

Learnmore:nrc govt nz/climateresiliencefunding