Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua: engaging Māori rural communities in health and social service care

Abstract

Research on collaboration between health and social service organisations and professions often views collaboration from the narrow perspective of being between practitioners from different professions at a set point in time. This is often also focused on issues of efficacy and does not address the role of identity, values, and practices, or “culture” within collaboration, an important aspect when engaging with indigenous populations. This study presents a Kaupapa Māori qualitative case study in a small rural community, which highlights how western culture has permeated within and across a health care system. Recommendations are made to guide Crown and other western health and social service organisations and practitioners in first understanding the ongoing history of people and place, and its impact on health and social practice, and how to engage with Māori in a way that affirms, enables, and where requested supports a for Māori by Māori approach to wellbeing.