Te Whare Manaaki was the first kaupapa Maori residential home for people with an intellectual/learningdisability. It opened in November 1990. It was set up by whanau in Te Teko to bring back their people from the institution of Tokanui. A key driver was Hine Tihi who worked tirelessly for many years to establish the home.

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In the late 1980's, as a social worker in IHC, I was grappling with the issues of institutional racism in my community more generally as well as in the disability sector.  My thoughts at the time and Hine's work in setting up the Whare are recorded in this article that appeared in a magazine in the disability sector in the summer of 1992. 

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- Ruth Gerzon