Whakapapa | History
Nōku te Ao has been working to counter prejudice and discrimination in Aotearoa since 1997.
Tīhei mauri ora.
Ko te kaupapa ko Nōku te Ao.
Ko te whainga kia mutu te whakatoihara me te whakahāwea ki ngā tangata whaiora.
Ko te moemoeā te whakamana i ngā tangata katoa.
Tū pakari, tū taha. Ko te kotahitanga o tō tātou kaupapa. Nōku te Ao.
Stand proud. Stand alongside. We are united by our purpose. This is our world.
Nōku te Ao means the world is mine, yours, and ours. Part of Te Whatu Ora, Nōku te Ao is a kaupapa Māori research and social movement partnership supporting Aotearoa to end prejudice, discrimination, and exclusion of those with lived experience of severe mental distress.
Led by those with lived experience for people with lived experience, Nōku te Ao is built on the shoulders of the world-leading Like Minds: Like Mine programme and its 25+ year legacy.
We all deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. Nōku te Ao reminds us that mental distress does not define us and that we all should feel supported to take our place in the world.
Tomo mai ki tō mātou whare, enter our whare and join us on our journey towards inclusion.
Te Haerenga | The Journey
Watch the story behind the evolution of Like Minds, Like Mine into Nōku te Ao, including the development of the Māori Tohu by Māori artist Len Hetet.
Video Link: https://www.nokuteao.org.nz/assets/Videos/1UxigGGbTmc.mp4
Like Minds, Like Mine
Established in 1997 by the Ministry of Health, it was one of the first comprehensive campaigns in the world to counter the prejudice and discrimination associated with mental distress.
Combining award-winning national television campaigns, with media, community action, and education, Like Minds, Like Mine thrived through ongoing partnerships, particularly with people with lived experience of mental distress, Māori and Pasifika communities.
Mental health is now firmly on the agenda and people speak more freely about their experiences of depression and anxiety. The 2018 Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction indicated there is more to do, particularly for people who experience severe mental distress.
Grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and a commitment to equity, Nōku te Ao Like Minds introduces a new phase.
We work with and for the people most affected by discrimination, including Māori and Pacific communities.
Evidence shows one in five New Zealanders and one in four Pacific people experience mental distress. However, one in three Māori are affected by mental distress. To that end, the chances of prejudice and discrimination impacting on Māori with lived experiences of distress is extremely high.
Nōku te Ao Like Minds is grounded in kaupapa Māori research and evaluation. It is a multi-level programme based on kaupapa Māori principles with national campaigns and communications, media monitoring and community-led social movement activities, education and social action grants.
Our brand
The Nōku te Ao tohu/brand was designed by Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Ātiawa, and Ngāti Apa, artist Len Hetet.
Each element is enriched with meaning and combines under our whakatauākī:
Tū pakari, tū taha. Ko te kotahitanga o tō tātou kaupapa. Nōku te Ao.
Stand proud. Stand alongside. We are united by our purpose. This is our world.
This whakatauākī is the overall essence of the tohu, which in essence means to stand proud, and be united by our purpose.
