Oranga tonutanga : sustained Māori wellbeing

Abstract

RESEARCH QUESTION: How can a wellbeing facility promote urban Māori Identity and wellbeing?

Sub questions: How has colonisation and urbanisation impacted Māori Wellbeing and architecture? What are the determinants of Māori wellbeing? How can a wellbeing facility reflect Māori health approaches, and facilitate the sustained wellbeing of urban Māori?

ABSTRACT: Colonisation has left devastating effects on the Indigenous people of Aotearoa, and although much time has passed, the effects and systems of colonisation still remain. Justified by the colonisers ‘noble’ intentions, Māori have been discriminated against and forced to assimilate into a foreign system that does not take into account their unique history, cultural beliefs, or practices. This has resulted in the overall suppression of Māori culture, language and identity; which has seen a further decline due to the effects of urbanisation. Statistical analysis and research have highlighted the negative impact of this on Māori wellbeing and identity, the health sector being a significant contributor.

Research has identified a secure cultural identity as a necessary pre-requisite in improving Māori wellbeing. Despite this, healthcare approaches remain predominantly western driven. Operating on a ‘one size fits all’ basis, these approaches deny Māori identity, worldviews and voices, and as a result, perpetuate the continued disempowerment of Māori communities. This growing realisation has seen the establishment of Kaupapa Māori driven health services and units. However, these continue to be housed in western building typologies that do not reflect, and often times conflict with Māori tikanga, identity, and practices.

This research acknowledges the colonial history of NZ, and the detrimental effects this has had, and continues to have on Māori wellbeing today. This approach seeks to analyse and validate traditional and modern Māori health approaches, in correlation to Māori identity. Due to the significant effects of urbanisation, and high concentration of Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau, there will be a specific focus on urban Māori.

Utilising a Kaupapa Māori approach, this research examines the two fields of Māori architecture and wellbeing to answer the question: How can a Wellbeing facility promote Urban Māori Identity and Wellbeing? The solution is a purpose-built Māori wellbeing facility centred on Māori health approaches, that supports the sustained wellbeing of Māori, and reflects the community and place it is designed for. Based at the marae, the wellbeing facility will reconnect urban Māori to Te Ao Māori, empower the autonomy of Māori communities, and support marae in providing their community programmes.

Site: Manurewa Marae, Auckland.