Green Thumbs up for Matamata Community Church He Says the Rate of Depression Among the General Population in Western Cities Is Five to Eight Percent
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MARCH 2008 JULY 2012 Youth suicides signal Tongan families under stress By Paul Titus High rates of depression and youth suicide in New Zealand's Tongan community are caused by the stress of living in an urban industrial society, and families and churches need to rethink the way they raise children to cope with it. This is the view of Tongan-New Zealand psychiatrist Dr Siale Foliaki, who works with Counties Manukau District Health Board. Over the past year there has been a spike in youth suicide among Tongans in NZ. Two young people took their lives in a recent one-month period. This 'epidemic' of suicide has taken y Katrina Lintonbon/Matamata Chronicle. young people from different s denominations, including the Methodist Church. Siale believes parenting practices and social life in the Pacific Islands Photo courte provides young people with a robust, John Mott got stuck in boots and all to help create Matamata Union Parish's community garden. well-connected upbringing but that is often lost when families move to Western societies. Green thumbs up for Matamata community church He says the rate of depression among the general population in Western cities is five to eight percent. By Paul Titus “Some kids in the offenders doing community says. Among Pacific Island people the Green thumbs are helping neighbourhood were hanging service. “One of our parishioners, rates are dramatically different. Among Matamata Union Parish around the church compound “The gardens have got John Fernyhough, used his engage with its members and at night, painting graffiti and people in Matamata talking those who grow up in the Islands and tractor to dig up the ground, relocate to the city after the age of 18, the wider community. doing other silly things. I about us. I think we used to and local contractors Sian and Rev Metuisela Tafuna first thought that establishing the seem like a church that was the rate is just 2.5 percent. But for had the idea of putting the gardens could be a way to reach closed during the week and only Don Brown provided topsoil. Pacific Islanders who move as children extensive grounds at the back out to them and to the other open on Sunday. Now there is Local garden centres donated or grow up in a Western city, the rates of the church to good use by people in the community. It a sense that we are out and plants and we grew a variety of are 20-30 percent higher than the turning them into a community seemed like a good project for about, participating in vegetable crops throughout the average. garden. He shared the idea with our congregation because a lot community activities. The summer season. We had good “Early childhood - the first six years the Parish Council, and council of our elderly people love garden is a part of our effort to crops of potatoes and kumara, of life - is our formative stage when member John Mott caught the gardening,” he says. sell the church and let people as well as silver beet, broccoli, we form our personalities. It is the time when we develop our attitudes of trust vision and ran with it. Building the gardens had know we are not just Sunday leeks, celery, lettuces, and a and mistrust, and establish the Last summer the the desired effect of helping the gathering people.” fantastic crop of tomatoes. congregation got stuck into the congregation engage with the John Mott says the garden psychological patterns that will make project. Their community local youth. Some even helped project began with fundraising. “We have given vegetables us vulnerable or resistant to stress,” garden now consists of a large build the raised beds. It was successful thanks to the to families in the community Siale says. potato and kumara patch and “I think we have more support of the local businesses and to our food bank. We also “Young people start to come under three raised vegetable beds. understanding with them now. that contributed money or brought baskets of free increasing risk once they enter Fundraising is underway for Now we hardly see any tagging materials to build the raised vegetables to our local op shop adolescence. They have to deal with more raised beds. or graffiti and the amount of beds. to distribute. We sold some of higher expectations from their families, Metuisela says he got the rubbish around the grounds has “The enthusiasm for the the vegetables and the money puberty, exams, social groups, and idea for the gardens when the decreased dramatically.” project spread to some folks in went to our Church youth drugs and alcohol. congregation was having Metuisela says the church, and we built the group.” “If people are vulnerable, they may trouble with some neighbourhood people help raised garden boxes with the be overwhelmed by these experiences. neighbourhood teens. themselves to the vegetables in help from the community. Each John says the garden has been a steep learning curve for They will face emotional fatigue or the garden but nobody takes of the raised beds is 6.0m x depression and this can cause illness. more than they need. 1.2m so even people in wheel him and wife Jan, who has had Suicide is an extreme reaction to stress Those helping out chairs can reach in from both a big hand in its success. and pain.” INSIDE in the gardens include sides and pick vegetables,” John See Page 14 See Page 2 SAMOA’S INDEPENDENCE - PAGE 3 ADEAZE TRIUMPHS - PAGE 15 CHURCH FOR SALE - PAGE 6 2 TOUCHSTONE • JULY 2012 NEWS Auckland March advances Pasifika issues organised and it had an overall peoples. We want development that good celebratory mood. Pacific is Pacific-designed, Pacific-driven, people feature negatively in all the and Pacific-delivered, not more indices such as education, justice trickle down initiatives.” and poverty. Taking a public stance To do this City Council needs gives them a voice for change,” to more reflective of Pacific people John says. both in its recruitment and through Uesifili says because the march its initiatives. was held in a respectful manner Immediately after the march and with a spirit of optimism. It there were small but promising had a Pacific flavour, which was signs of change. On the Tuesday expressed through music and after the march, Uesifili attended dance. a meeting organised by the Pacific “We highlighted the inequality Advisory Panel. The mayor was and serious issues we face. These there, along with leading members issues are not confined to the of the Ministry for Pacific affairs Pasifika people but it is the Pasifika and local board members and people who feel the impact most Pacific community representatives. devastatingly. They came to discuss issues raised “They are not new issues but by the march. they have been amplified by the “It was arranged before then,” local and international economy. he says. “But I believe it Health, education and youth empowered discussion of the issues unemployment are major issues. and strategies to deal with them.” Without jobs young people become vulnerable to crime, drugs, Uesifili acknowledges and gambling and alcohol,” he says. thanks the Methodist Connexion The Pasifika Advance march had a positive tone and a serious message. Mayor Len Brown was present for its support, in particular By Cory Miller The marchers called for better received. on the day and he took part in the President John Roberts, and the Last month a cold Saturday housing, employment, education “These days you measure march from beginning to end, other clergy and presbyters who attended. morning in Auckland saw a and healthcare. March organiser success in message visibility across Uesifili says. He says the key thing he heard vibrant trail of almost 1,000 Methodist minister Rev Uesifili a range of media outlets,” he says. “The mayor affirmed the from people was how proud they people walk from Albert Park to Unasa says he was overwhelmed “We were overwhelmed by the political right of the Pacific people by the response. leading coverage we received on and supported raising the issues. were to be at the march, to be there Aotea Square to express their “I was impressed by the TV1, TV3, and Maori TV. We He understood the need for council in solidarity with their people. concern about the future of outstanding success the march had gained a lot of visibility profiling to champion their issues.” “Many of those who attended Pacific peoples in this country. in terms of getting our message out our issues.” The march put forth some are engaged in the issues. They, People from all walks of life in a positive light across the country Methodist Church president specific demands, including a more their children, and their participated in the peaceful and internationally.” Rev John Roberts, attended the effective voice in the Auckland grandchildren are personally 'Advance Pasifika' demonstration Uesifili was pleasantly march in solidarity with the cause City Council. affected. They came knowing what on June 16th. It was marked with surprised by the both of Pasifika people. He says the “We want to see a stronger was at stake. They saw a voice was colourful flags, songs and chants comprehensive and positive media atmosphere was a positive one. Pacific voice in the planning stage needed to make Pacific people for equality. coverage Advance Pasifika “It was extremely well of projects designed to help Pacific prominent in political circles.” Trust aims to bolster Parents, churches can support Tongan young young people under stress From page 1 often authoritative. Children are told what to do, people, families People resort to suicide when they cannot bear the criticised, and may well catch a smack if they pain they feel themselves, when they cannot bear the misbehave.