Making a difference for Māori health
Community and Public Health is committed to ensuring positive Māori health outcomes and reducing inequalities. We have a number of projects that specifically address Māori health needs throughout Canterbury, South Canterbury and the West Coast.
Community and Public Health embraces a model of best practice (Te Pae Mahutonga) that promotes and brings together the value of traditional and contemporary viewpoints on Māori wellness and current research to enhance its service delivery.
Our role is working with Māori to assist and to strengthen whānau, hapū and iwi – in addition to liaising with non-Māori.
Community and Public Health works in Māori settings such as Marae, Kura and Kohanga Reo, to develop Māori communities. This so that they are able to make their own healthy choices, and create their own healthy environments.
Community and Public Health have a valuable role in contributing at a population level to ‘living healthy lifestyles’, ‘participating fully in society’ and ‘confidently participating in te ao Māori’.
The current CDHB Māori Health Action Plan (2017-18) also outlines the key activities that Community and Public Health will contribute to as part of the Canterbury health system to improve Māori Health outcomes.
Protection yourself and your whānau from flu this winter
Immunisation against influenza is simply about being healthy says Canterbury’s Medical Officer of Health. Dr Ramon Pink (Te Aupouri, Te Rarawa) is calling on kaumātua to get the flu shot for themselves and their mokopuna.
“This year is the 100th anniversary of the Spanish flu epidemic in 1918. When it came to New Zealand, Māori were significantly impacted compared to Pākehā. It’s interesting that 100 years later, with all of the technology and things we’ve learnt, that the disparity between Māori and Pākehā still persists with respect to influenza.”
Dr Pink has identified a real level of caution among kaumātua and kuia around the idea of putting chemicals into the body. Getting the influenza vaccination is a person’s best protection against the flu and will not make you sick as it does not carry a live virus – contrary to what some believe.
“Getting vaccinated helps keep me healthy, and means I can spend more time with my whānau, my moko,” says Dr Pink. He is encouraging kaumātua and kuia to set the example and get vaccinated this winter. “Encouraging those influential people to get the vaccine is really important because that sends an important signal to the community.”
Contact your general practice team today about getting yourself and your whānau immunised against the flu.
Documents
Latest Maori Health Publications
- Te Ohonga Ake: The Health Status of Māori Children and Young People in New Zealand – Series Two (NZ Child and Youth Epidemiology Service 2017)
- Ngā Hua A Tāne Rore: the Benefits of Kapa Haka (Ministry for Culture and Heritage 2014)
- The Health of Māori Adults and Children, 2011–2013 (Ministry of Health 2014)
- Te Ohonga Ake: The Determinants of Health for Māori Children and Young People (University of Otago 2014)
- The Health and Wellbeing of Māori NZ Secondary School Students in 2012/ Te Ara Whakapiki Taitamariki: Youth’12 (University of Auckland 2013)
- Hapū Ora: Wellbeing in the early stages of life (Massey University 2013)
- Te Ohonga Ake: The Health Status of Māori Children and Young People in NZ (NZ Child and Youth Epidemiology Service 2012)
- Mātātuhi Tuawhenua: Health of Rural Māori 2012 (Ministry of Health)
- A Focus on Māori Nutrition: Findings from the 2008/09 NZ Adult Nutrition Survey (Ministry of Health 2012)
- Māori Smoking and Tobacco Use 2011 (Ministry of Health)
- Tatau Kura Tangata: Health of Older Māori Chart Book 2011 (Ministry of Health)
- Hauora Waitaha I: Health Profile for Maori in Canterbury (Community and Public Health 2010)
Maori Health Tools, Models and Strategies
- Te Tiriti o Waitangi-based practice in health promotion (STIR: Stop Institutional Racism 2017)
- The Guide to He Korowai Oranga – Māori Health Strategy (Ministry of Health 2014)
- Whānau Ora: Transforming our futures (Ministry of Health 2011)
- The Health Equity Assessment Tool: A User’s Guide (Ministry of Health 2008)
- TUHANZ – a Treaty Understanding of Hauora in Aotearoa-New Zealand (Health Promotion Forum 2002)
- Te Pae Mahutonga: A model for Māori health promotion (Mason Durie 1999)
Downloads
Download or order resources from the Community Health Information Centre.
- Me Mutu Tātou/ Let’s All Quit
- Me ū ki te wā tika hei whakatō i te kano ārai mate ki tō tamaiti
- Aroha in Action (Ministry of Social Development)
- Te Tiriti o Waitangi/ The Treaty of Waitangi
Links
For further information, contact:
CANTERBURY
Ph: +64 3 364 1777
SOUTH CANTERBURY
Ph: +64 3 687 2600
WEST COAST
Ph: +64 3 768 1160
MĀORI RELATIONSHIP MANAGER
Gail McLauchlan
Ph: +64 3 364 1777
Te Mana Ora Panui
Nau mai haere mai. This pānui aims to share kōrero on the mahi happening within Community and Public Health and our Māori communities.
Issue 12 – March/April 2018
Welcome to the first edition of Te Mana Ora for 2018. As we have moved forward into the year and begin to plan around the mahi we are doing alongside our Māori communities; one of the highlights for us has been to reflect on our commitments to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and how biculturalism moves from meaningful kōrero to meaningful relationships and lived experiences.
Kaimahi from Community and Public Health had the privilege of attending two education workshops at Tuahiwi Marae during February as a way of connecting with whānau from Ngāi Tūāhuriri and taking the time also to learn pepeha, local whakapapa and pūrākau.
An important part of understanding our relationships within Te Tiriti o Waitangi is gaining an insight into the histories of local families and the events that have shaped our landscape. For many of the staff the journey to Kaiapoi Pā was the first opportunity to learn about the events that have shaped the lives of our Ngāi Tahu people and the many hapū of this rohe. Understanding our history allows us to better see one another kanohi ki te kanohi.
E iti noa ana nā te aroha: Small gifts given with love
All Right? has created season-based activities that whānau can do together. Vaea Hutchen (Ngāi Tahu, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Porou) from the All Right? team says it’s no coincidence that the focus is on whānau wellbeing.
“When it comes to the wellbeing of our community, it all comes back to whānau. The activities are all about looking to strengthen the everyday magic that happens within the whānau,” says Vaea.
Traditional Maori values are woven throughout all the activities. “Even really simple things like making a guest a cup of tea is a really important way of showing manaakitanga.”
There’s also a focus on helping whānau connect with the natural environment and sacred places. Activities include exploring Rāpaki, finding the home of Te Pōtiki Tautahi, and discovering Oruapaeroa (Travis Wetlands).
New online tool puts the focus on Māori men’s health
Mana Tāne Ora o Aotearoa (the National Māori Men’s Health Coalition), has launched the Tāne Ora Health Indicator tool.
“The Māori Men’s Health Indicator tool identifies key priority areas that we need to focus on if Māori men are to be enabled to fulfill their potential as the best fathers, brothers, sons, husbands and leaders at home, at school, at work and in the community,” says Chair Riki Nia Nia.
The Tāne Ora tool looks at six primary health and wellbeing indicators:
- heart disease;
- diabetes;
- smoking;
- mental health;
- education achievement; and
- being in employment, or currently in education or training programmes.