Di Grennell of Whānau Ora discusses suicide prevention for Māori in the second of three online seminars.

1. Keeping whānau
in the centre
Supporting culturally grounded
responses to suicide prevention
February 2013

2. He aha te waiata?
Tangohia mai te taura i tāku kakī kia waiata
au i tāku waiata ...
Take the rope from my throat that I may
sing my song ...
Mokomoko, Mt Eden Prison, 22 May 1866
Nehe Dewes ‘The Past Before Us’ in Te Ao Mārama:
Regaining Aotearoa, Witi Ihimaera ed, 1993
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3. Keeping whānau in the centre
How do we create the sort of structures
and experiences that bring whānau
together to identify their own strengths,
issues, solutions, pathways?
How do we develop and realise the
protective potential of whānau?
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4. Keeping whānau in the centre
Whānau resilience is about the ability of the
whānau to provide a protective environment for
members from adverse influences of both personal
and collective risk factors. However, the absence of
material and social resources counts against caring
for others, which in turn undermines the very
purpose of whānau (Durie, 2005, p200) ... it is
enormously difficult for whānau to protect members
from personal and collective risk factors.
‘Whānau Taketake Māori – Recessions & Māori Resilience’, Families
Commission, 2010, p 65
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5. Spectrum of prevention
Strengthening knowledge & skills of
individual whānau members
Promoting education for whānau and
hapori Māori
Educating providers
Fostering networks & collaboration
Changing organizational practices
Influencing policy & legislation
www.preventioninstitute.org
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6. Models of practice or models for living?
Taha tinana – physical & body dimension,
exercise, nutrition, prevention & management of
limiting conditions
Taha wairua – spiritual dimension, spiritual
practice linked to place
Taha hinengaro – language, education, stress
management, disciplined & unclouded mind
Taha whānau – connection, genealogy, inclusion,
contribution, communication
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7. Culturally grounded approaches…
Key influencers within the whānau will be those in a relationship of trust.
Connections that matter take
time and consistent, culturally
appropriate engagement.
Suicide prevention measures
should incorporate both
spiritual and cultural
responses and solutions and
can incorporate traditional
ways of assessing and
engaging.
Identity is derived from a
strong cultural base: marae,
whakapapa, kaumātua,
whanaungatanga.
Cultural and clinical
approaches can be
complementary.
Whānau planning – seeding
www.whanauoraresearch.co.nz
hope and aspiration.
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8. He aha te waiata?
E kore au i ngaro, he kākano i ruia mai i
Rangiātea.
I will never be lost, for I am a seed sown in
Rangiātea.
Traditional
www.tpk.govt.nz
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