It’s time for the Govt to give a damn again

This Tuesday as Aussie grinds to a halt, shops close, the streets empty, and a nation gathers around TV and radios, it will have nothing to do with Covid-19 and everything to do with something possibly more important, The Melbourne Cup.

It is one of the few things that Kiwis and Aussies can agree on. Our worlds stop at 5pm on the first Tuesday of November to watch horses race.

Horses are not my thing. Many of my socially conscious friends hate the cup because of the animal rights concerns. I’d like to say that was at the core of my dis-interest, but mine is just horses in general. They don’t like me. It’s not a fear thing.

They just think I’m a d---. They’d not be wrong either.

However this Melbourne Cup I amMC’ing a fundraising event for Plunket. More specifically the Whirihiria program that will do much to support the integration of traditional Maori birthing with the promotion of safe sleep, breastfeeding and the fundamentals of Plunket.

Reading all about Plunket and Whirihiria has taken me on a journey I feel I should have taken years ago. It actually makes sense that Plunket was the ‘‘baby’’ of two Maori women – Big Mary and Mrs Chicken – and one staunch feminist, mother-of-eight, and god-child of Queen Victoria, Lady Victoria Plunket.

Oh sure, Truby King was in the mix but had it not been for Mere, Ria and Charlotte, the world’s finest programme for mothers and babies would not have even existed, let alone be available to Kiwi women today.

Big Mary [Mere Harper] was a healer, midwife, Wa¯hine Toa from the town of Ka¯ritane.

Another piece of the Plunket puzzle. I remember myMum talking about Ka¯ritane hospitals where new mothers would stay for several weeks after the birth to learn how to care for their babies and rest.

That must have been back when the government gave a s...

Big Mary was aWa¯hine Toa who not only took ailing babies to Dr King but also was known for her mighty strength, once carrying three gold-diggers with swags from a surf boat to the beach – one under each arm and one on her back. She helped deliver the first ‘‘Plunket baby’’ and was hugely respected as a midwife and healer in her Karitane community.

Mrs Chicken – Ria Tikini – was 95 when, along with Mere, she took an ailing baby to Dr King. Both these women were so respected as the midwives in their community that new mums turned to them when they had trouble breastfeeding or other health issues with their babies.

Ria at 95 helped deliver Thomas Rangiwahia Ellison, then took him to friend and neighbour Dr King to stay for several months when he became ill. His elder brother had died in infancy and they were determined this would not again happen. Tommy was the first official Plunket baby.

Ria passed away at 109 still helping in her community, and watching boys she’d delivered go off to World War I, many not returning.

Enter one beautiful aristocrat, mother-of-eight, goddaughter of Queen Victoria, wife of the Governor General, and the third of the trio of Wa¯hine Toa. This is the woman behind the idea of training Ka¯ritane nurses, or ‘‘Lady Plunket’’ nurses, who promoted healthy food, good hygiene, fresh air and especially breastfeeding.

Move over Jamie Oliver. Victoria Plunket knew this stuff 115 years ago. In 1908, at five months pregnant with her umpteenth child, she travelled the country with this message.

‘‘Up to now mothers have been left to untangle for themselves the great difficulty of rearing their babies, and over and over again little ones have had to suffer through want of knowledge as to the best food to give them under their changing circumstances. All mothers, rich and poor, should have the benefit and supervision of awoman who is specially trained and fully qualified to help mothers.’’

So move over Truby King. Thank you, but at the heart of Plunket there were three

Wa¯hine Toa.

Do you know what bothers me? . As a nation we do not fully fund Plunket. Nowhere near it. To survive, the best mother and child care service globally relies on private fundraising. Thank God for the kind benefactors and tireless event planners, but who are we if we are not providing the most important service we can for mothers and babies of this country? I will proudly host an event to raise money for Plunket.

I would have had amental breakdown had it nor been for my Plunket nurse, but by God I’d like to see this Labour Government truly make a difference and show mothers in this country just how important they are, and just how important their precious newborn babies are.

Of course it was strong Wa¯hine Toa who started

Plunket. Of course it was.

So move over Truby King. Thank you, but at the heart of Plunket there were three Wa¯hine Toa.’