He Korowai Oranga Māori Health Strategy

He Korowai Oranga - Māori Health Strategy
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Date of Publication: November 2002

page 6 of 14

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Te Ara Tuatahi – Pathway One
Development of whanau, hapu, iwi and Māori communities

Pathway One acknowledges:

whanau priorities identified by whanau, hapu, iwi and Māori communities

that whanau operate within the wider context of a community and that community development models offer another route to wellbeing

the need to foster conditions that build on the strengths and assets of whanau and encourage their health and wellbeing (as well as preventing or treating disease)

that fostering the capacity of Māori will lead to whanau development.

A healthy whanau is one that fully realises its potential to participate in and contribute to te ao Māori and the institutions of wider New Zealand society.

These conditions include a strong sense of identity and belonging; the knowledge, skills and resources to participate effectively in te ao Māori and wider New Zealand society; and a safe (nurturing) physical home, work, school and social environment.

Fostering Māori community development

Objective 1.1

To increase whanau health and wellbeing through fostering Māori community development that builds on the strengths and assets of whanau and Māori communities

The ability of whanau to participate in both te ao Māori and New Zealand society as Māori is fundamental to health. Having control over the direction and shape of their own institutions, their communities and their development as a people is essential to the advancement of whanau ora into the future.

An approach that recognises that whanau are supported within a wider network of structures (hapu, iwi and communities) will assist whanau to manage their own health. The whanau is strengthened, as is the ability of whanau to participate in their own communities. This means adopting a community development approach.

Services should be organised around the needs of whanau rather than the needs of providers. This includes removing infrastructural, financial, cultural, geographical, physical and other barriers (including arbitrary divisions between health and other social services).

The Ministry of Health and DHBs will identify ways they can support whanau to identify and address their own needs, and to support Māori community development initiatives.

Building on Māori models of health

Objective 1.2

To recognise and value Ma ori models of health and traditional healing

Pathway One builds on, and encourages, the use of Māori models of health, which are holistic in approach. These include the well-known ‘whare tapa wha’ approach, which comprises whanau (family and community aspects), tinana (physical aspects), wairua (spiritual aspects), and hinengaro (mental and emotional aspects) (Durie 1998). If each side of the house works in harmony, there will be positive benefits to whanau ora.

Other Māori models recognise the significance of environmental health. Protecting Papatuanuku (mother earth) and Ranginui (sky father) and the realm of Tangaroa (seas) from the effects of toxins and pollution is an important feature of protecting the health and wellbeing of whanau.

The Ministry of Health will continue to encourage the integration and implementation of Māori models of health into the activities of the health sector.

Māori being Māori

Māori want to be able to express themselves as Māori in Aotearoa. This pathway supports whanau (including tohunga, kaumatua, Māori healers, health specialists and researchers) to develop services that reflect Māori cultural values. Therefore, extending opportunities for health services to practise Māori views of health and healing (while recognising the diversity of whanau) will be fostered in order to progress whanau ora outcomes.

Using models that operate within and through te ao Māori can be a very effective means of reaching Māori whanau. For example, health promotion initiatives that use an approach based on the Māori world have achieved effective results.

The Ministry of Health will support the health sector to ensure Māori cultural values are included in the planning, funding and delivery of health services.

Māori traditional healing

In particular, this pathway recognises that Māori traditional healing is based on indigenous knowledge – it encompasses te ao Māori and a Māori view of being. Māori traditional healing practices include mirimiri (massage), rongoa (herbal remedies) and acknowledging te wairua (spiritual care). For Māori the unobservable (spiritual, mental and emotional) elements are as relevant as the observable or physical elements.

The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with key stakeholders, will continue to support the ongoing development of Māori traditional healing in New Zealand.

Removing barriers

Objective 1.3

To remove barriers to Māori with disabilities and their whanau participating in New Zealand society, including te ao Māori

The New Zealand Disability Strategy highlights the need to remove the huge barriers facing people with impairments, including discrimination toward Māori with disabilities.

There is a clear need to improve access for Māori with disabilities to te ao Māori, as well as the wider society. This issue was articulated in He Anga Whakamana (Ratima et al 1995):

“There is an added onus on providers of services to Māori, that not only shall clients be equipped to participate in mainstream New Zealand society, but they should have the opportunity to participate in Māori society, to belong to Māori institutions, and importantly to remain Māori. The costs of disability are high; they should not include cultural alienation.”

The New Zealand Disability Strategy includes two objectives that are specifically relevant to Māori and to He Korowai Oranga:

to promote participation of disabled Māori (also see Pathway Two)

to value family, whanau and people providing ongoing support.

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