ABSTRACT
Therapeutic note-taking practices can be critical sites where colonisation is perpetuated, Indigenous knowledges and practices are discounted and pathologised, and records about whaiora are created without their input. However, a therapeutic note-taking practice that resists these discursive practices is possible. The article argues for a weaving together of narrative therapy and Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the foundational agreement of Aotearoa (New Zealand). We use the metaphor of weaving of a kākahu (a treasured woven Māori cloak) as an invitation to kaiwhirirwhiri (counsellors) to reflect on the philosophies and ideas that underpin their note-taking practices. We offer an explanation of an approach that weaves together an honouring of Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the whenu (foundational threads) and the collaborative and anti-individualising principles of narrative therapy, which serve as the aho (the horizontal weaving threads), ensuring the process honours the storyteller’s own language and expertise. Weaving together Te Tiriti o Waitangi and narrative therapy invites re-authoring of the purpose of note-taking. It moves beyond records of deficit to the creation of a therapeutic taonga (treasure) co-authored with the people who consult us. Lastly, this article reframes note-taking as an act of kaitiakitanga (guardianship), a sacred responsibility to ensure that the stories of individuals and whānau (families) are protected, honoured and reflective of their enduring strength and agency.