The Impact of Colonisation on the Maori community: An exploration of the attitudes and perspectives held by Maori in relation to the active reclamation of Maori sovereignty/tino rangatiratanga.

Abstract

Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei Seek the treasure you value most dearly: If you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain The purpose of my research was twofold. I first sort to explore the attitudes and perspectives held by Māori in relation to the active reclamation of Māori sovereignty, tino rangatiratanga. I further wanted to know how Māori sovereignty, tino rangatiratanga could lead to the improvement of Māori health. My research collected information pertinent to these two inquiries from current literature and from interviews I conducted with five Māori individuals from different iwi, hapu groups. All whom were actively engaged with the Māori community in some form. My research data found that colonisalism has and continues to negatively impact the Māori community. This negative impact manifests in a variety of behaviours that effect Māori health and leads to poor outcomes for Māori. Māori sovereignty, tino rangatiratanga was thought of as the solution to overcome and neutralise the negative effects of colonialism experienced by Māori. Māori sovereignty, tino rangatiratanga was found to be related with Māori idenity and instrumental in all things pertinent to the Māori communities. My research found that Māori sovereignty, tino rangatiratanga can be identified as existing on a philosophical level, governance-structural level, and on a day-to-day basis. This research found that the reclamation of Māori sovereignty, tino rangatiratanga is a process that is currently in motion. Finally, the exercising of Māori sovereignty, tino rangatiratanga in relation to Māori health provides a well-established argument that it can produce positive health benefits to the Māori community, because it is responsive to Māori and better meets the needs of our Māori community simply because it is a Māori way of being, doing and knowing.