Te Māoritanga WELLBEING AND IDENTITY Kapa Haka as a Vehicle

2.5. Māori models of health
Māori models of health are forming an increasingly important foundation
of a developing Māori health discourse. This discourse is being supported and
nutured by Māori health practitioners and leaders (Ellis, 2006). At a national
meeting of Māori leaders, where the state of Māori health and education were
discussed (Te Hui Whakaoranga, 1984) two significant Māori health models
were presented; Te Whare Tapa Whā as presented by Mason Durie, and Te
Wheke as presented by Rose Pere. Te Whare Tapa Whā (Durie, 1984) can be
argued to draw on traditional concepts of Māori health, and can be
metaphorically compared to the four walls of a house (all essential to maintain
equilibrium, balance and strength). The four walls or dimensions of health
identified are; Taha Tinana (physical health), Taha Hinengaro (thoughts and
feelings), Taha Wairua (spirituality) and Taha Whanau (family). These help to
form the necessary components of a holistic model of Māori health. Te Wheke
(Pere, 1984) is based on the concept of an Octopus, and is largely focused on
health from a whanau perspective. The body of the Octopus is the family unit,
and each tentacle represents a different dimension of health.
Reflections and discourse concerning ‘Hauora’ in its meaning of
wellbeing, and of holisim, are in line with Māori peoples’ desires to advance
such holistic cultural models (Ellis, 2006) such as those previously described.
However, Ellis (2006) contends that there are limited references which reinforce
Te Wheke in particular, as part of Māori health practice. She contends that the
notion that Māori health is holistic without due consideration of the way in which
this holisim is practiced emerges as an issue of contention. A way to do this
may be to critically reflect and analyse the deeper meanings of the Māori words
from a Māori worldview, and from a lexigramical 16 position as described by
Rose Pere (1999);
16 Lexigram = lexigram (psychology) A symbol that represents a word but is not
necessarily indicative of the object referenced by the word, used in studies of
communication. A lexigram or ideograph is a graphical depiction of a single word. The
term lexigram has been used to describe a mystical property of words, similar to
numerology. A lexigram decodes hidden messages in words or titles by putting
together full sentences from letters in that word that convey a deeper meaning of the
original word. It is considered a spiritual process (Wikipedia, 2008).
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