Social worker Melodie Hamon’s Te Ao Māori worldview is grounded in her whakapapa (genealogy). Her connection to tīpuna (forebears), as well as past events, have provided many learnings in shaping her social work practice and ongoing journey within her Māoritanga (Māori identity). Social workers are the backbone of Barnardos’ Child and Family Services. As a Tangata-o-te-whenua (people of this land) social worker, Melodie finds inspiration through helping others to navigate life’s struggles.

Ko Karioi te maunga,
Ko Whaingaro te moana
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Ngāti Tamainupō te hapu
Ko Waikato te Iwi,
Kei te taha o tōna matua
Ko Maungahaumi te Maunga
Ko Wai-o-Paoa te Awa
Ko Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki te Iwi
Ko Melodie Hamon te ingoa

Titiro whakamuri, Kōkiri whakamua
Look back and reflect, so you can move forward

“We talk about resonating with Atua [deities],” says Melodie. “I resonate with Tangaroa, Atua of moana [oceans], adapting to the ebb and flow of constantly changing currents. And at other times I resonate with Tāwhirimātea, Atua of weather, again adapting to the atmospheric energy,” she says. On a daily basis, Melodie interweaves Te Tai Ao (the natural environment) through whakawhānaungatanga (establishing and maintaining relationships) with whānau (client families) and kaimahi (staff). This is fundamental to ensuring the hauora (wellbeing) of all.

“I encourage people to show me their moemoeā [aspirations]. With this they begin to spread their wings.” Melodie thrives on being the wind beneath their wings, responding to their wairua (spiritual essence), mauri tau (settling their life essence), and ensuring their mana (innate spiritual energy) remains intact. She strongly encourages rangatiratanga (taking the lead in their own journey), which requires some robust and difficult conversations. When accompanied with aroha (paying attention to the breath), she says, we ensure that the support is genuine and has integrity. “It is uplifting, empowering, and this excites me.”

A complex journey

However, the journey to fully understanding her role as a social worker steeped in Te Ao Māori has been a complex one for Melodie and has taken 25 years – so far. Born the middle of 10 children into a whānau during an era where English was enforced, she and her siblings were seen as being ‘behind’, as they spoke English in the Māori world and struggled with English in the Pākehā world. Growing up, Melodie’s mum got reo “thrashed” out of her. Although Melodie grew up on her mum’s marae, throughout her schooling she was scared out of learning the language by teachers, and off the marae she felt safer pretending.

Melodie describes her social work journey as being “born into it” and discovered her vocation while living in her hometown of Kihikihi in Waikato. One day, she was with her son walking past the Kāinga Aroha Community House, a faith-based hub, providing services to vulnerable whānau and he encouraged her to go in as it was “really cool”. She formed an immediate connection with the people who ran it – still her friends to this day – and was soon working there.

She also joined Te Rōpu Wāhine Māori Toko I te Ora (Māori Women’s Welfare League, MWWL). She felt that life growing up was normal. However, learning about child development and how other families lived ignited a passion for research and enquiry, and she became an influencer of change. Ten years and a certificate in social work later, she exchanged her role to become a full-time mama again to a “handsome” Kuki Airani (Cook Island) boy, a Ngāpuhi taonga (a highly prized treasure). As he grew, she returned to study for a Diploma in Social Work.

Full-time study, work, and child-rearing at the same time took its toll on Melodie’s hauora. After graduating, “home and healing” saw her return to Otawhao (Te Awamutu). She gradually returned to work and secured full-time employment in the health sector. Losing a much-loved tuakana (older sister) in the industry she was working in challenged her hauora. She responded to her unsettled wairua and took a much-needed break to heal.

Melodie became a life member and President of her MWWL branch, and was shoulder-tapped to interview for a role with Raukawa Charitable Trust, an Iwi provider in Tokoroa. Their tikanga (processes handed down through generations) Māori foundations towards a “Thriving Raukawa” resonated strongly with her mauri, and she flourished during the next two years, shaping both her professional and personal journeys.

Finding the way to Barnardos

Whānau unwellness occurred in the midst of her transitioning to a Te Awa Kairangi (Lower Hutt) Iwi provider. COVID-19 unsettled employers and she became one of the hundreds of unemployed. After many unsuccessful interviews, Melodie secured an interview with Barnardos. Though she questioned her ‘fit’ in a Western-structured organisation, she gave the same mana deserved by anyone and secured her role as Te Hunga Tauwhiro I te Kura (Social Worker in Schools, SWIS). As well as quickly becoming accepted as ‘whānau’ within her two kura, she found that she was drawn to lifting the wairua in Te Tari Te Awa Kairangi (Barnardos’ Lower Hutt office). Though her SWIS role was demanding, her presence among kaimahi seeking Tikanga Māori guidance was deeply appreciated, and they nominated her as the first recipient of the Barnardos Tu Rangatira Māori Leadership award. She is also now a member of Barnardos’ Māori Advisory Roopu (group), He Pūawai Pounamu.

Melodie’s wairua began pulling her north and it was a training session in Palmerston North that connected her with the Barnardos team in Tairāwhiti. Since returning to her ūkaipō (true place of origin) and beginning her role as a LEAP social worker, she has established strong connections, begun working along the vast East Coast, and enjoys daily karakia and waiata with Awhi Tairāwhiti, Barnardos Early Learning Centre, based next door.

"We interact alongside tamariki and their whānau through mihi whakatau, special visitors, and birthdays. It normalises social work,” she says. “It has enhanced my own mana to be given the mantle to do social work from a Te Ao Māori space. There is tuakana/teina [a reciprocal mentoring model of learning and being guided] throughout the Tairāwhiti teams, Barnardos Early Learning and Child and Family services, where we all are constantly lifting or being lifted towards strengthening each other’s mana, and thus Barnardos’ in Turanganui-a-Kiwa [Gisborne].”

By looking back through her life, Melodie is ready to haere tonu (continue forward) in a part of Aotearoa where vulnerability is lovingly wrapped in a korowai (an adorned cloak) endowed with mana, manaakitanga (the practice of respectfully caring for others), and unconditional aroha.

“Kia māhaki [stay humble]”, says Melodie.

Inspiration through helping others to navigate life’s struggles