The role of whānau in the lives of māori with physical disabilities

This research sought to discover the capabilities of whānau to adapt to their circumstances and maintain their wellbeing when one or more of its members lived with a disability. The whānau has traditionally been seen as the primary social and economic unit for Māori. However, recent research has concluded that the whānau is the secondary unit for Ma-ori with disabilities, with the household being the primary unit:

The household tends to be the social and economic unit that, in the first instance, must respond to the disability and find a configuration that optimises the potential of all household members. The different understandings, assertions and manifestations of being Māori will cut across the household unit and will be influenced by the nature of the disability that the household lives with, and the presence of other cultural orientations within the household. While some will view this positioning of the household as being over and above that of whānau we prefer to view the household as a significant unit within and in interaction with the broader wha - nau and community context rather than a replacement of it (Nikora, Karapu, Hickey and Te Awekotuku 2004:65).

Their conclusion that the whānau is second to the household is a significant departure from commonly held beliefs and one that we wished to explore further as it could be a key factor that distinguishes Māori with disabilities within Māori society. Of particular interest were the factors that determined the household as the primary unit and the contribution that whānau made in this context. As indicated in the above quote, positioning the household over the whānau could also be viewed as including the household as a significant unit within the whānau.

The objectives of this research were to identify:

• whether the whānau is the primary or secondary social and economic unit in the lives of Māori with disabilities
• the part that whānau play in the lives of Māori with disabilities
• the factors that help and hinder the wellbeing of whānau when a member has a disability

Kaupapa Māori principles underpinned the research, which comprised a review of literature, development of a model on whānau wellbeing, and in-depth interviews with whānau in the Gisborne/East Coast and Waikato regions