Whānau hauā: Reframing disability from an Indigenous perspective

Abstract

Mäori directly or indirectly experience disability at a higher rate than any other population group in Aotearoa New Zealand. Despite one in three Mäori having some form of disability, Mäori have less access to support and health and disability services. Currently, gaps exist in knowledge related to Mäori and disability, and this is not helped by disabled Mäori being excluded from health and disability policy and service planning forums. With regard to disability frameworks, the medical model and the social model are the predominant northern hemisphere approaches to working with disabled persons. These models view disability in an individualised manner that is not relevant for many Indigenous disabled persons whose worldview is holistic, relational and collective in nature. In this paper, we critically examine current approaches to working with disabled Mäori and their experiences as Indigenous disabled persons before presenting Whänau Hauä as an alternative Indigenous approach to disability.

Organisational views on health care access for hauā (disabled) Māori in Murihiku (Southland), Aotearoa New Zealand: A mixed methods approach

“…website and newspaper presence), but actually going into the community and beginning dialogues as to what our profession can offer and what it is that hauä Mäori wish. Such community interactions truly give credence to Hickey and Wilson's (2017) proposition of Whänau Hauä, a model of health care that is holistic, relational, and collective in nature and encourages health professions to reach out into communities. To this end, a consultation hui to gain feedback from disabled whänau could be implemented, as well as having consumer advisory groups.…”

“…Further, a local cultural advisor should have local Mäori knowledge, which would help build relationships and trust with Mäori, as this can be difficult for those who do not have such knowledge. Although not a novel recommendation, it is one worth emphasising (Hickey and Wilson, 2017;Hollinsworth, 2013;King, Brough & Knox, 2014).…”

“…Many organisations appeared to not fully understand their Treaty of Waitangi obligations. There was a misunderstanding between what could be deemed a non-racial, human rights approach of respect for all people, no matter the ethnicity, and the importance of tikaka for services provided for Mäori (Cram et al, 2003;Hickey and Wilson, 2017;Hollinsworth, 2013;King et al, 2014). "We treat everyone who walks through the door the same" seemed to be the policy applied.…”

“…Organisational views on health care access for hauä (disabled) Mäori in Murihiku (southland), aotearoa New Zealand: a mixed methods approach fundamental principles, in Aotearoa/New Zealand we continue to be presented with data that identifies that hauä Mäori access and utilisation of rehabilitation and disability support services is disparately poor compared to Päkehä (New Zealanders of European descent) (Hickey & Wilson, 2017;Ministry of Health, 2012;Robson & Harris, 2007). This is despite hauä Mäori being more likely than disabled non-Mäori to have a functional disability requiring assistance (Harwood, 2010).…”

“…Whaikaha means "to have strength, to have ability, otherly abled, enabled" (New Zealand Doctor, 2017). Also recently Hickey and Wilson (2017) have argued for the term "whänau hauä" to be used as an alternative indigenous approach to disability. As our project from inception used the term hauä Mäori, we have kept to this language for this paper, whilst acknowledging the new terminology.…”