A popular model for understanding Māori health is the concept of ‘Te whare tapa whā’

The Māori holistic model of health, reminds you to take care of all the different aspects of your life to support your wellbeing. It was developed by Sir Mason Durie in 1984 to provide a Māori perspective on health. The 4 dimensions are:

• taha tinana (physical health)
• taha hinengaro (mental health)
• taha wairua (spiritual health)
• taha whānau (family health)

Should one of the four pillars be missing or in some way damaged, a person, or a collective may become ‘unbalanced’ and subsequently unwell. This is becoming a popular model for organisations to incorporate into their wellbeing strategy.

Listen to the discussion below with Trina Tamati and Theresa Grainger exploring Te whare tapa whā, Kawa (values), Tikanga (practices and protocols) that can make a difference to an individuals and organisations workplace wellbeing.