This year, Dementia Tai Tokerau was present at the Waitangi celebrations, joining around 35,000 people who gathered to mark Waitangi Day over two days of festivities.

For Dementia Tai Tokerau, being there was about presence – standing alongside whānau in a place of deep significance and taking part in conversations that unfolded naturally throughout the day. The team were invited to support a dedicated space for kaumātua and kuia (the Kaumātua and Tangata Whaikaha Forum Tent), offering a place for older members of the community to rest, connect, and take part in the celebrations at their own pace.

General Manager Trudi Bridges says the invitation itself carried weight.

“To be invited into that space was a real privilege. It was about being present, listening, and letting people know who we are and how we can support them – sharing information when it was welcomed and allowing us to build relationships in our local community.”

Dementia | mate wareware affects whānau in every community, including Māori whānau who can face additional barriers in accessing timely, culturally safe support. Being at Waitangi reflected Dementia Tai Tokerau’s commitment to meeting people where they are – not only through services, but in the places where community life happens.

Across the day, conversations were unhurried and human. Some were about dementia. Some weren’t. All were part of being there, and of offering manaaki (care) to the community.