Transition from military to civilian life can be a critical period for Veterans and a challenging time for their whānau (Perlick et al., 2017). ‘Transition stress’ is prevalent, multifaceted, and can lead to serious mental health problems (Mobbs 2018). For veterans with a strong attachment to the military culture, assimilation into the civilian world can be doubly difficult. Loneliness, social isolation and drug and alcohol addiction are possible outcomes and, this being so, the risk of suicide must be considered. Investigating these phenomena, the aim of He Toa Taumata Rau is to better understand the transition, reintegration and homecoming experiences, and needs of contemporary, New Zealand Māori, Defence Force Veterans and their whānau. Using narrative inquiry, the research is developing a set of co- constructed homecoming-transition narratives that, in turn, will inform the development of an holistic, mātauranga Māori-based model of care for veterans and whānau.
Te Reo o Ngā Ika-a-Whiro
Veterans’ Voices
“I feel very grateful and thankful for this opportunity to share my story. Because with all of the injustices that sit in my life, I’ve never received a platform to share anything of my story. But I feel that, I hope that sharing my story would be adding value to these parts of my life that have been shattered and will potentially benefit military personnel, women, young people.”
“We only get one day a year to tell our stories—ANZAC Day. One day a year where we can tell our story to our brothers using our language.”
“As a young fuller, the military teaches you so much about what it's like to work in a motivated team. You're surrounded by people that have all got the same mission. You're all together no matter what, and the way you're trained as well, it doesn't matter how crazy the job is, you're going to do it. And you know that if you all do it together, you're going to get a good outcome. And that's a lesson that Veterans struggle with later on when they leave, because civilian world is very, very different to that, civilians are so different.”
“First thing in first aid is expose the wound, treat the wound, and there’s a whole heap of things that the military needs to be accountable and take responsibility for, if they want to be an iwi. It’s not enough to just call themselves one. Even though you’re an ex-soldier, you’re still part of the whānau, part of the iwi.”
“Because there was no transition process for me when I was made to leave, it took me awhile to realise that I needed to find help for myself in order to process things that had happened.”
“The issue is deprogramming people coming out of the military. For me, I don’t think I will ever be deprogrammed from being in the military, my hardwiring cannot be changed. Twenty years after coming out, that programming is still there. Deprogramming is probably a shift in mindset really. What helped me was the higher purpose in Te Ao Māori, the values of Te Ao Māori.”
“When I think about whether or not I have transitioned, I don’t really think I have. I don’t know why or for what reason, but I think it’s gonna be like a forever thing.”
“If I was asked by other parents, now, about sending their kids to the Navy, I wouldn’t say “don’t do it”, I would just say to have a good hard think before you sign your kid away to the New Zealand Government. Because that’s who you are signing them away to…”
