Lecture 16: Hauora Maori and ecological wellbeing Flashcards
what is the current relationship humans have with the environment?
- there is a dominant (western) relationship with the environment
- it looks as humans as consumers, removed from and superior to the natural order
- human development is carried out as domination/exploitation of the natural word, colonisation and white supremacy
- environment is seen a source of hazard but it isn’t recognised that the harmful effects are facilitated by humans
what makes up global environmental health?
these earth systems should be in equilibrium for humans to survive:
- climate change
- ozone depletion
- atmospheric aerosol loading
- ocean acidification
- nitrogen and phosphorus flows
- fresh water use
- land-system change
- biosphere integrity
- genetic diversity
how do the sustainable development goals reflect human development?
many of the goals take biodiversity and the environment into account. you cant think of human development without thinking of biodiversity and environment
what is environmental justice?
The fundamental building blocks that make up global environmental health are evenly distributed around the world. there are several environmental injustices
e.g. polluted water
what are Maori world views of the environment?
- traditionally holistic and cyclic. every person is linked to every living thing and to the atua (deities)
- for many maori, whakapapa extends beyond human relations to connections between humans and the more than human
- many maori interpret landscapes differently from other groups and bestow importance on places and geographical features in a different way
- as shown by historical colonisation and land loss etc, whenua is the determinant of health
how does land link to maori health promotion?
- Te Pae Mahutonga links the importance of land and health
- Maori health models include environmental well-being and aims to shift the ideas of the western models.
what is the resource management act?
it shifts the westernised attitude of the environment to one which incorporates te ao maori.
Recognise and provide for matters of national importance:
- the relationship of Maori and their cultures and traditions with their ancestral lands, water, sites, wahi tapu and other taonga
Have particular regard to Kaitiakitanga:
- the exercise of guardianship by the tangata whenua of an area in accordance with tikanga Maori in relationship to natural and physical resources; and includes the ethic of stewardship based on the nature of the resource itself
Anyone exercising RMA functions and powers under the RMA must take into account the principles of Treaty of Waitangi. (this needs to be strengthened as it says ‘take into account’ instead of needing to be included’
what is the national policy statement on freshwater management 2020?
- shows a stronger relationship with te tiriti
- include reorienting our understanding about fresh water to conceptualise te mana o te wai
te mana o te wai:
- protects the health of freshwater, protects the well-being of the wider environment, protects the mauri of the way
- it creates a hierarchy of obligation which puts health of the water first, then health of the people, then providing for the economic well-being is last
- it provides stronger requirements to partner with tangata whenua to make decisions about fresh water
what is legal personhood?
- policies help personify the importance of nature and human health
- it allows land/environment to be legally considered as a person
- it enables a western perspective to work with a maori perspective
- allows nature to be experienced from a Maori world view
- maori legislation helps us shift our relationship between people and seeing nature as more than human
example: whanganui iwi and whanganui river being recognised as a person
how does urbanisation link to hauora maori?
- 85% of Maori live in cities
- so they way we shape cities and the relationship between maori and urban land, hauora maori, and what we do with it is important
- hauora, whakapapa, kaitiakitanga and whenua don’t only hold importance in rural spaces. there needs to be room for it in urban spaces.
- maori living in urban spaces feel separated from their whakapapa, whenua and kaitiakitanga
- this is implications on how hauora maori is thought about in cities and maori health inequities e.g. home ownership
how does transport link to whanau ora?
the way we plan cities and transport systems has important inequalities for Maori health
- it effects physical health e.g. road traffic crashes, air pollution from cars
- transport needs to enable maori to access culture needs, te reo, te ao maori and kaitiakitanga
what is an example of using transport to change health equity?
the impact of shifting 5% of vehicle kilometers to cycling in NZ:
- can lead to 117 fewer deaths annually
- potential benefits for Maori are almost double those of the overall population
- also improves access to jobs, education and other goods and services to improve health
what is Te Aranga?
Principles for shaping urban planning and making it more equitable for Maori health.
Includes:
- partnerships with mana whenua
- give them authority of the choices about the way urban planning happens
- naming places and streets
- bring back natural biodiversity to urban environment
- lower pollution
- bring back creative expression and artwork
- preserve mauri
how does climate change affect hauora Maori?
- Maori have inequities in direct health impacts. e.g. extreme heat
- maori are more vulnerable to extreme weather. e.g. poor housing. coastal maori communities will be affected by rising sea levels rising and coastal erosion
- food insecurity
- economic base. farming, fishing and forestry are vulnerable to the effects of climate change. a lot of maori are working in these industries which makes up a strong maori economic base
- these factors combined with Maori right to health is a strong argument for urgent action.
how do colonial solutions impact climate change and health?
- westernised solutions continue to exploit nature and people
-for example, electric and autonomous vehicles dominate transport system response to emissions, but they will exacerbate existing social and health inequities, and perpetuate neo-colonial, neo-liberal relationships and wealth injustices - this is because electric vehicle motor vehicles require lithium which invades indigenous environments
- we need to shift our narrative and relationship with nature instead of continuing with westernised solutions
- enabling indigenous solutions help improve our relationship with nature and our health
