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In this episode of Te Puna Wai Kōrero Sewlyn Muru examines the problem of young homeless people in Auckland and the Tole Park tent dwellers of Ponsonby.
Two women Betty Wark and Pat Hammond, have organised the tent dwellers into a type of commune and created a more structured environment to the camp.
Pat Hammond talks about the daily running of the camp and the fellowship
that exists within the camp. She also talks about how she found her own urban Māori identity through going on the Māori Land March and talks about the problem of identity for young urban Māori.
She says there is a good relationship with the police, even though the majority are Māori and Polynesians. Once the individuals have got themselves together and have confidence they are then guided back into society. No one is turned away.
Betty Wark also talks on the positives of the Tole Park dwellers.