In Aotearoa New Zealand we have a model of health that is indigenous to our land. Te Whare Tapa Whā is a Māori framework of health developed by Psychiatrist, Sir Mason Durie in 1982. It was developed for Māori Mental Health but was soon used in other fields of health. Durie’s framework expressed what Māori had long understood about health – it is holistic and multifaceted. He pictured the tangata, person as being comprised of these four aspects (pictured above):
- Taha Wairua – The spiritual aspect
- Taha Hinengaro – The mental/emotional aspect
- Taha Tinana – The physical aspect
- Taha Whānau – The family and social aspect
In this framework these four aspects of health form four strong walls of a whare or house which symbolise the person. The whare is built on the whenua, land (a Māori worldview considers the connection to ancestral land is important for hauora).
Durie’s model recognises that good health depends on all four aspects being strong for the tangata, to be strong and well. If one aspect of the tangata is weak, it affects the other three sides. Each aspect is distinct from the other yet cannot be divided from another aspect. Importantly physical and mental health cannot be separated. In Durie’s work, we find an integrated model that highly values balance across all four dynamic components.
For Māori the most essential or deep-rooted requirement for health is found in the spiritual dimension. Durie stresses that even the spiritual must be in balance for the person to be well. An overactive mind (hinengaro aspect) makes for an imbalance and dysfunction such as a manic episode. An over-emphasis on any one element over another is going to cause the person to become unwell.
Some of my thoughts: A person can be overly invested in wairua, the spiritual, while neglecting the care of their body. An example would be a person who prays fervently asking God to improve their mood while being physically inactive. A person praying for feelings of loneliness to leave, while not strengthening relationships with whānau and friends may need support in making connections. For a believer part of this journey to wellness may involve such things as; joining a church, making friendships, joining a small group, or finding new supports. A person experiencing mental illness may need resources and support they wouldn’t need at other times in their life.
I’ve found it is all too easy to get out of balance in how to approach getting and staying well. Some of us probably naturally maintain some aspects of ourselves more than others.
Durie’s lens can help us navigate our way through mental illness. I have found it very helpful in guiding the personal work I need to do to get well. It has also helped me ask myself some questions that highlight those aspects of my life that need strengthening. Here are some questions you might like to ask yourself.
1. a.What is one aspect of your well-being or health that is strong?
b.What activities do you do to maintain this?
2. a.What is one aspect of your whare that is weaker than others?
b. What is one activity you could do to strengthen it?
We are wonderfully made spiritual, physical, mental, emotional and social beings. Te Whare Tapa Whā highlights the need for us to address all four aspects of what it means to be human. This is a model of health that we can refer to when evaluating our well-being. It is also a helpful model for Christian ministry.
Thanks for your support.
Bronnie
Reading
Durie, Mason. Mauri Ora: The Dynamics of Māori Health. Victoria Australia: Oxford Press, 2001.
Durie, Mason. Whaiora: Māori Health Development. Victoria Australia: Oxford Press, 2nd Edition, 1998.
Kingi, Te K. R. et al. Maea Te Toi Ora: Māori Health Transformations. Wellington, Aotearoa, New Zealand, Huia Publishers, 2018.
Reviving Hope 