Te Whare Tapa Whā
Aotearoa Māori Netball promotes healthy lifestyles using netball as the vehicle. By participating in Māori Netball, we aim to encourage and support you as whānau to navigate the lifestyle choices that will best support your kotiro in her journey.
One model for understanding Māori health is the concept of ‘te whare tapa whā’ – the four cornerstones (or sides) of Māori health. With its strong foundations and four equal sides, the symbol of the wharenui illustrates the four dimensions of Māori well-being.
Should one of the four dimensions be missing or in some way damaged, a person, or a collective may become ‘unbalanced’ and subsequently unwell.
For many Māori modern health services lack recognition of taha wairua (the spiritual dimension). In a traditional Māori approach, the inclusion of the wairua, the role of the whānau (family) and the balance of the hinengaro (mind) are as important as the physical manifestations of illness.
Taha Tinana
Physical Well-Being
How your body is doing, how to care for and look after it. Your growth, development, nutrition and activity levels. When tended to and taken care of, our physical well-being ensures we are protected against external factors.
Taha Hinengaro
Emotional & Mental Well-Being
Sharing and expressing your thoughts and feelings and being able to work through them constructively. How we see ourselves in the universe, interactions with the world and the outside world's perception of us.
Taha Whānau
Family Social Well-Being
Feeling like you belong among your family and friends, and having their support. Whānau provides us with the strength and support to be well. They are our link to our ancestors and hold our ties to the past, the present and the future.
Pepeha is a great place to start. All kotiro are expected to know or learn their pepeha as a way of being able to connect.
Taha Wairua
Spiritual Well-Being
The values and beliefs that we hold that give our lives meaning. Connectivity to te ao Atua. We are tethered through our ancestry to the spiritual world. Spiritual essence is what lends a person to their life force or mauri. It defines us as individuals and as part of a group.
Waiata (coming soon)