Lay summary
Gangs in Aotearoa have evolved over four generations into distinct gang whānau with mokopuna and great mokopuna born into them. Gang whānau are some of the most marginalised and discriminated against communities in Aotearoa. Recently, some gang leaders partnered with Te Whāriki Manawāhine O Hauraki (Te Whāriki) to begin healing their intergenerational trauma so that it is no longer passed onto their mokopuna. This healing has been most effective through Trauma noho, Poutama wānanga, and Wānanga Tāne Whakapiripiri programmes. Te Whāriki has been recording the results on how programme attendees are turning their lives around. These results are vitally important to share with other gang whānau, particularly wāhine and kōtiro who seldom get to venture into this space, unless through their tāne. Using Mana Wāhine methodology (Pihama, 2001) and pūrākau kōrerō (Lee, 2009), this project aims to illuminate the voices of gang whānau women and girls and capture their healing journeys.