Culture in Aotearoa New Zealand Level 3 Social practice : Bridgepoint Waitakere :

Maori health and wellbeing Personal and Whanau ora Introduction of Western Medicine Maori models of health and well being  Whare tapa wha  Te Wheke  Te Pae Mahutonga

 It is Maori philosophy of health and well being unique to Aotearoa New Zealand  Hauora is a way to understand how Maori understand health. It comprises of :  Te taha tinana (physical wellbeing)  Te taha wairua (spiritual wellbeing)  Te taha hinengaro (mental and emotional wellbeing)  Te taha whanau (social wellbeing, strong relationships with friends and family) What is Hauora?

Mason Durie: Te whare tapa wha All four walls must be in place for a person to have good health

What is the meaning behind each principle?

Te taha wairua – spiritual well being view the heart of a culture Wairua or spirituality, is felt by Maori to be the most important part of good health Without spiritual awareness and a mauri (life-force) a person can’t be healthy Wairua is both about a spiritual connection with the environment and a belief in God. Many people have land, lakes, mountains or rivers that have a spiritual significance for them. They are particularly important for Maori: They are significant to a person’s identity and to their whakapapa (ancestory)

Te Taha Hinengaro- mental wellbeing Maori recognise that the mind, thoughts and feelings can not be separated from the body or soul Emotional and mental health and physical health are both important in how a person feels about themselves This means positive self esteem and confidence are just as important as exercise for good health.

Te taha tinana- Physical well being  In supporting physical well being, Maori ensure that their values, tikanga (practice of these values) and their view of the world are part of daily bodily care and physical well being.

Te taha whanau – Family well being  Traditionally, whanau is the place where children are taught and socialised in all things Maori  Whanau is more than the family unit  Today, whanau can also be used to describe situations where Maori with similar interests, but not direct blood relationships, form a group

Te Pae Mahutonga (Durie 1999)  Four central stars represent Mauiora ( access to the Maori world  Waiora (enviromental protection),  Toiora (healthy lifestyles) and te oranga (participation in society) The Southern cross

Te Pae Mahutonga  The two pointers represent moving forward:  Nga manukura (leadership)  Te mana whakahaere  (autonomy)  Te Pae Mahutonga is a community model to promote health

What is the government doing?  In the public sector whanau ora is a health policy and type of health service to help Maori families achieve the maximum health and well being (Ministry of Health 2002)  It was set up to help whanau become more connected not just the wider family and culture structures available but also to include health, education and social service providers and other sectors

Whanau ora – historical background  Whanau (family) hapu (sub tribe) and iwi  Tribe  On this level Maori had links to these regions where they held mana whenua (customary authority.  Maori identity came from membership and learning within the whanau, hapu iwi and waka (Walker 1989)

Concept of whanau  The networks stretch beyond the nuclear family unit.  Whanau has been described as the key to to the health and wellbeing of Maori.  With colonisation and urbanisation Maori moved away from ancestral lands and tribal structures, it has been hard for Maori to maintain whanau units that are solely based on blood line.

Different whanau units  Maori resilience may not only sits within the traditional whanau unit that are blood related but also with groups of people who share a common purpose.  E.g. Kohanga Reo, Kura kaupapa  These are collectives of whanau who participate in strengthening the whanau unit via Te Reo Maori and total immersion Maori education