DISCUSIÓN DE RESULTADOS

All participants had some Christian connections but also strongly aligned themselves to atua Māori. This was practiced through karakia or waiata connecting to Io matua kore and atua. One of the participants felt that spirituality came from their inner self and the connection came from respecting herself. While there was not a strong alignment to Christianity, there was still an association in caring for their wairua. While the identified Christian religion was Catholic from most of the participants, they also acknowledged their Māori beliefs, for example, tapu and noa or the importance of karakia were still significant principles the participants believed in. Christianity was something that was passed down through the generations from their whānau members who practiced the religion within their extended whānau and the influences of the missionaries in the early 1900s.

The literature stated that when Christianity arrived it also brought patriarchal beliefs where men were the privileged within the household while women and children were subservient (Awatere, 1995:35; Irwin, 1988; 1992; Jenkins, 1986; Mikaere, 2003). Christianity also impacted on Māori spirituality which altered the way Māori practiced their own beliefs (Lee, 2007:43; Mikaere, 2003). Māori women were guardians of Māori spirituality (Jenkins, 1986) and spirituality was practiced within the child birthing processes,

they held roles as tohunga or matakite,32and were able to connect the physical world with the spiritual world through karanga. It is evident in Māori cosmology where the narratives tell of female deities possessing spiritual powers, for example the kuia of Māui (Mahuika) who was able to ignite her fingers to produce fire (Alpers, 2001). All three whanau did not reveal any tohunga or matakite amongst them however they did acknowledge their beliefs around their spirituality and their alliance was more strongly with atua Māori. Some of the participants were aware of the processes within and around their religious connections to the Catholic Church and did respect that belief regardless. Other participants found that they did not align themselves to any religion but did believe in a higher being.

Māori spirituality and Christianity, contrary to each still cares for a person’s wairua and faith and acknowledges there is a higher being that is not visible in the physical world. Māori spirituality is evident in their worldviews and their value base. Christianity was brought to Aotearoa by the missionaries in the nineteenth century giving Māori an alternative approach to religious beliefs based on English values (Walker, 1990). The participants have been affected by this within their whānau but also remain true to te ao Māori principles and as part of their involvement within the realm of te ao Māori, the wider Māori society and their worldview base within their own whānau.

Healing Interventions

This section revealed differences between generations where the kuia and two of the whāea were able to discuss rongoā and their views on alternative healing, while all of the kōtiro either had limited knowledge of rongoā or preferred to access mainstream medical advice. All kuia lived rurally when they were younger, where resources from the whenua were utilized for various reasons such as healing physical ailments. Urbanisation impacted on the health of Māori who struggled to maintain a healthy lifestyle given the many illnesses that were unfamiliar to them (Durie, M., 1994). Their tūpuna had been faced with major influenza epidemics which had wiped out much of their population and land wars in various parts of the country that had also impacted on their population. Within the generations of the kuia, whāea and kōtiro they were also introduced to many other ailments which dramatically impacted on Māori. The kuia all found it hard to adjust to mainstream medicines and continue to use rongoā where they can.

One kuia talked about the impact of the Māori Women’s Welfare League and this groups attempt to help Māori whanau address health and other related issues for Māori living in the city. Māori Women’s Welfare League were able to address some of the issues within

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Matakite is a term used to identify Māori can foresee the future, seers, clairvoyant, or posses special abilities (Williams, 2005).

Māori communities and later utilize the marae (Durie, M., 1994; Ratima, Paul, Skegg, 1993; Taiapa, 2008; Te Puni Kokiri, 1993) to promote Māori health. While the participants did not discuss their views on Māori health, it was apparent that the attitudes in healing had changed throughout the generations where the kuia have an abundant knowledge about using natural remedies as an alternative to healing. The whāea were able to relate to some of the traditional rongoā however the kōtiro had limited to no knowledge or did not access any form of natural healing. The health issues throughout the generations had also changed and although the Māori Women’s Health League were actively involved in earlier years (Szaszy, 1993), there are now other health providers that are available to address a different set of health issues. All participants are either involved in working in the health sector or have accessed their assistance.