Ōtautahi Christchurch based group for Māori LGBTQIA+ young people

Kaupapa

Mana Tipua is a kaupapa Māori organisation led by takatāpui, and is the only rangatahi takatāpui focussed organisation in Waitaha. Our purpose is to tautoko (support) the hauora (health & wellbeing) and mana of rangatahi takatāpui and their whānau, including all Māori with diverse genders, sexualities, and sex characteristics to enable them to flourish in the fullness of their identity.

We seek to improve mental health and wellbeing outcomes by providing opportunities for rangatahi to engage in mātauranga and tikanga Māori and taonga tuku iho practices. We provide social connection opportunities, informal education, and assist with health and wellbeing pathways. We also work to advocate, educate, develop takatāpui focussed resources, and foster collaborative opportunities.

We know kanohi ki te kanohi wānanga is important for the exchange of hā and mātauranga and have designed our programme to reflect this. Our Te Kōurunui sessions on Sundays connect rangatahi with Tohunga, Ringatoi, Ringapuoro, and other cultural experts, many of whom are takatāpui themselves. We also have a community of takatāpui pakeke and kaumātua who support the rōpū.

The ingoa Mana Tipua honours Dr. Elizabeth Kerekere’s academic and activist mahi that strengthens our whānau takatāpui community. Mana is not translatable into English but is a foundational aspect of Te Ao Māori. It is key to every aspect of life, including people, places, and things. Tipua refers to the shape shifting nature of our takatāpui whānau who move through the world in ways that are outside the Western norm - whether that’s trans or intersex people living their truth, or fluid sexualities that we have inherited from our tīpuna.

Mana Tipua was established in 2023 following a Takatāpui Taiohi Ora Hui run at Rehua Marae in by InsideOUT Koaro. Community engagement at this hui identified a need for a Te Waipounamu (South Island) based kaupapa Māori service to support - Māori aged 12-25 who are also LGBTQIA+.

wāhi mahi | contact us

We are Ōtautahi Christchurch based. The location of our activities changes regularly. Check our events, instagram or facebook for information about our next session or contact us via the form below.