- Friday 30 July 2010
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Kohanga pair out to beat smoking
QUITTERS: Ngati Hamua Kohanga Reo staff Gloria Waikare (centre) and Anaria Matiaha (right) show off their patches _ the pair made a pact at the kohanga's whanau health day to give up smoking.
A whanau health day has inspired two kohanga reo workers to give up smoking.
Masterton's Ngati Hamua Kohanga Reo yesterday invited whanau of staff and children to listen to talks on smoking, healthy lunches and nutritional kai. A hangi was laid down in the centre's new multi-kai cooker and all the children were given Well Child and Whaiora health checks.
Staff members Anaria Matiaha, 16, and team leader Gloria Waikare, 34, said as part of the day they had decided it was time to give up smoking.
The talks were motivational, they said, and thinking about health in a whanau setting brought home the impact smoking had on those around them.
Ms Waikare said as well as her own health she was concerned about those around her who smoked, and the littlies who might learn smoking was something good to do.
''At kohanga reo you see kids role-playing smoking, so it's not really a good look, so that's another motivation to give up,'' Ms Waikare said. ''If I start then hopefully the rest of the staff will be motivated to do the same thing.''
Ms Matiaha said it would be good having support and understanding from the whanau.
''It's going to be really hard for me. Trying to find stuff to do every five minutes, and trying to put a fake smile on all day.''
She smoked about 15 cigarettes a day, and more in social situations, and was looking forward to having extra money to spend on her young nephew, she said.
Kohanga kaumatua Angie Poura, who is also a nutrition spokeswoman for the Maori Women's Welfare League, was supporting the pair.
Mrs Poura said 10 years ago she smoked 60 cigarettes a day, until a cancer scare when doctors told her to make a choice between smoking or life. ''They said I could either live or die, so I had to quit.'' She was proud of Ms Waikare and Miss Matiaha.
''I think it's awesome what they're doing ... and after quitting you get a better life and can save money and can do more things as a family.
''It's important for whanau to support each other, especially young mothers,'' Mrs Poura said.
