Te Whare Tapa Whā
Te Whare Tapa Whā is a holistic health model developed by the Māori people of New Zealand, emphasizing the interconnectedness of four key dimensions of health: physical (taha tinana), spiritual (taha wairua), family (taha whanau), and mental (taha hinengaro). Each aspect is represented as a wall of a traditional Māori meeting house, or wharenui, highlighting their equal importance in maintaining balance and wellness. When any one of these elements is compromised, overall health can falter, reflecting the Māori belief in the interdependence of mind, body, and spirit.
The model underscores the significance of spirituality as a foundational aspect of health, which encompasses connections to community, the environment, and cultural heritage. Mental well-being is approached through awareness and emotional expression, while family plays a crucial role in support and cultural identity. Māori communities face various health challenges, prompting integrated health programs that address both medical and traditional practices. By recognizing the holistic nature of health, Te Whare Tapa Whā serves as a framework for promoting healthier lifestyles and community resilience among Māori populations.
Te Whare Tapa Whā
Te whare tapa whā (the wh is pronounced like an English f sound) is a concept of health held by the Māori people of New Zealand. It describes the four cornerstones, or sides, of one's health. If these sides are unwell or absent, the person or society could become unbalanced, which may lead to poor health. Te whare tapa whā is one of several models of Māori health.
The four cornerstones are taha tinana, or physical health; taha wairua, or spiritual health; taha whanau, or family health; and taha hinengaro, or mental health. Advocates of health services for Māori say medical health concerns and the other elements of te whare tapa whā must be considered. Members of Māori communities are often coping with serious health issues, including diabetes, smoking, mental health concerns, domestic violence, and substance abuse. Integrated health programs may encourage individuals to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
Background
The Māori are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. They arrived on the islands before 1300 CE and established a warrior culture based on Eastern Polynesian traditions. After the arrival of Europeans during the seventeenth century, the traditional life of Māori people changed. Over time, disputes arose, and the Māori population shrank due to conflict and disease. Although their situation improved somewhat during the twentieth century, many Māori experienced economic, health, and social stresses. From the 1930s onward, increasing numbers moved from rural areas to towns and cities, especially when wartime industries offered employment opportunities. During the 1950s and 1960s, Māori formed organizations to develop their people's voices in issues and foster a cultural revival. Among these groups was the Māori Women's Welfare League, which was founded in 1951, at which time the urban Māori population had more than doubled to 19 percent.
The Māori Women's Welfare League recognized that many Māori were living away from traditional society groups. They lacked social and cultural support in urban settings. The league organized small, local working groups to support people, especially women and children. The Māori Women's Welfare League examined Māori health issues and barriers in a study from 1978 to 1980. The New Zealand government responded to Māori efforts, working with groups to establish health programs that served medical and cultural needs. A Māori health planning workshop, Te Hui Whakaoranga, was held in 1984. What followed was a commitment to end disparities between Māori and non-Māori health and to provide medical care by Māori, for Māori. The national health care system accepted traditional Māori practices and ideas about wellness as complementary to Western medicine.
The people of New Zealand began to see health programs developed for the Māori people during the 1980s. A Māori health expert developed the te whare tapa whā health model in 1982. Professor Mason Durie, a member of the Ngati Kauwhata and Rangitane tribes, created the model with four sides or portions, taha, representing the parts of a wharenui, or meeting house. This representation indicates the interdependence of the four elements of wellness.
Overview
In the Māori language, whare means both a house or dwelling and the people who live there. Whā means four. Durie's model uses the wharenui to represent the elements necessary to wellness. Taha tinana, or physical health, is the back wall of a whare. Taha whanau, or family health, is the front wall. Taha wairua, or spiritual health, is the right wall (when facing the front), and taha hinengaro, or mental health, is the left wall. The walls are of equal sizes because they are equally important in the integrity of the structure. A damaged or destroyed wall would make the house unstable, as a shortcoming in any element causes one's health to be out of balance.
The Māori see spirituality as the most necessary element for health. Wairua includes one's connections with other people, the environment, and one's cultural heritage. A Māori examines a problem in terms of its context, including the past and future. One's wairua helps one fend off illness.
The Māori view the body, or tinana, as sacred, or tapu. Cultural life separates the sacred and the common in everyday life. One does not touch another's head, for example, because it is sacred. Items associated with the head, such as a comb or hat, should not be placed on tables. Māori also have a strong affinity for personal space, for example, avoiding prolonged eye contact and taking care in proximity to another; to step over another person is demeaning.
The family is the primary support system. The Māori culture regards whanau as an extended series of connections, beyond the parent/child relationship. The cultural identity of a family is tied to an ancestral landmark, such as a mountain or body of water, or an important ancestor.
Because Māori approach health holistically, actions, thoughts, and feelings carry weight. Much as one's familial and spiritual connections are important to well-being, one's communication through emotions is integral. Showing how one feels is more important than talking about it. This mental element of health, hinengaro, refers to awareness, consciousness, and thought.
Achieving wellness involves attention to all four aspects of the health model. Māori communities face many physical health challenges, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and smoking-related diseases. Suggested taha tinana care may include activities such as regular exercise or a sport club, smoking cessation programs, better nutrition, social support for healthier lifestyle choices, and medical care such as medications. Mental health concerns include anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Suggestions to improve hinengaro include volunteering, seeking support groups, strengthening relationships, learning or trying something new, enjoying nature, getting a massage, exploring one's ancestry and family origin, and seeking mental health help when needed. Family relationships can be strengthened by sharing time together, mentorship, exploring ancestry with family, sharing activities and interests, and treating one another with respect and careful listening and speech. Spirituality may or may not include religious belief, but refers to faith and connectedness with nature. One can foster wairua wellness by connecting with one's tūrangawaewae (place of belonging), spending time in the public area or marae (courtyard) of one's home to be with members of the community, volunteering, exploring one's roots, meditating, praying or reflecting, connecting with nature, or tracing one's lineage to better understand the past.
Bibliography
Durie, Mason. "Māori Health Models—Te Whare Tapa Whā." New Zealand Ministry of Health, 18 May 2017, www.health.govt.nz/our-work/populations/maori-health/maori-health-models/maori-health-models-te-whare-tapa-wha. Accessed 23 Jan. 2018.
"History." Maori Women's Welfare League, mwwl.org.nz/who-we-are/history/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2018.
Pollock, Kerryn. "Public Health—Social and Ethnic Inequalities." Te Ara—The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, 5 May 2011, teara.govt.nz/en/diagram/31387/maori-health-te-whare-tapa-wha-model. Accessed 23 Jan. 2018.
"Taha Hinengaro—Mental Health." Tāne Ora Alliance, www.maorimenshealth.co.nz/te-whare-tapa-wha-health-whare/taha-hinengaro-mental-health/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2018.
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"Taha Wairua—Spiritual Health." Tāne Ora Alliance, www.maorimenshealth.co.nz/te-whare-tapa-wha-health-whare/taha-wairua-spiritual-health/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2018.
"Taha Whānau—Family Health." Tāne Ora Alliance, www.maorimenshealth.co.nz/te-whare-tapa-wha-health-whare/taha-whanau-family-health/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2018.
"Taking Action." Common Ground/Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, www.commonground.org.nz/common-support/taking-action/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2018.
"Te Whare Tapa Whā—Health as a Whare." Maori Men's Health, www.maorimenshealth.co.nz/te-whare-tapa-wha-health-whare/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2018.
"Whare Tapa Wha." Rangatahi Tu Rangatira, www.r2r.org.nz/maori-health/whare-tapa-wha.html. Accessed 23 Jan. 2018.