Socio-cultural and Historical Factors Influencing Health and Wellbeing

Socio-cultural and
Historical Factors
Influencing Health
and Wellbeing
ABSTRACT
When considering own culture we also capture
the history of NZ Culture and the impact this has
had on health and wellbeing. As a critical part of
this learning module we have Links for you to
access and a thought provoking video called
‘Nga Tohu signatures’. The video is set within a
fictional community of Onehora, New Zealand
during the period 1839-1840. The historic story
looks at why the Treaty of Waitangi was signed
and what it meant to both Crown and Māori.

Socio-cultural and Historical
Factors Influencing Health
Learning Outcomes:
1. Demonstrate awareness of own culture and life experience and its impact when
working with people, whānau and/or families
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the meaning and relevance of Te Tiriti o
Waitangi in community service work including the impacts of colonisation on
health outcomes for Māori
3. Demonstrate an awareness of the socio-cultural and historical factors impacting
on health outcomes for people, whānau and/or families in Aotearoa New
Zealand, including for Pacific peoples and migrants
4. State your references
The Treaty of Waitangi – Te Tiriti o Waitangi
Ngā Tohu
"Ngā Tohu: Signatures" is one of a series of three stories from Journeys: Ngā Tapuae about
the Treaty of Waitangi, the law relating to it and the settlement processes. The video is 51
minutes in duration set within a fictional community of Onehora, New Zealand during the
period 1839-1840. The historic story looks at why the Treaty of Waitangi was signed and
what it meant to both Crown and Māori. The contemporary story looks at the current legal
status of the Treaty of Waitangi and how a land claim can arise from a breach of the Treaty.
1) Watch the Ngā Tohu video by clicking on the link provided
2) Read the 8 page comprehensive overview of the Treaty of Waitangi on Te Ara:
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/treaty-of-waitangi/page-1
Socio-cultural influences on health

1) With your knowledge of the Treaty of Waitangi and the legislation that followed,
identify 6 historical factors that have had an impact on Māori health e.g. Native Lands
Acts:
1. The signing of the Treaty in two different languages – Drafting the
Treaty in the Maori and English language create confusion and
hence, long-running conflicts.
2. The English version of Article 2 of the Treaty states that the
Crown has the exclusive right to deal over land transactions with
Maori. This factor contributed to the conflicts over lands and thus
affected Maori health
3. The exclusion of Maoris from the decision-making process at the
1854 sitting of the first Parliament further weakened their position,
which had both direct and indirect affect on their health
4. Confiscation of Maori lands in places like Waikato, Hawke’s Bay,
the Bay of Plenty and Taranaki during the 1860s meant direct
violation of the Treaty
5. The formation of the Native Land Court that transformed tribally
owned land rights of the Maoris into Crown granted titles that
made it easier to sell lands.
6. The Public Works Acts of 1864 and 1874 allowed the Crown to
forcibly acquire Maori lands
References
used:
Teara.govt.nz. (2018). 4. – Treaty of Waitangi – Te Ara
Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 26
February 2018, from
https://teara.govt.nz/en/treaty-of-waitangi/page-4
2) Now consider Pacific Peoples’ and identify 4 social and historical factors that have
had an impact on Pacific health in New Zealand e.g. Changes to diet (you may wish to
look at the following links, though not limited too):
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/samoans
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/tongans/page-1
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/south-pacific-peoples/page-1
1. The contact of the Pacific Peoples with outsiders and exposure to Christianity that led to the creation
of Congregationalism
2. The conflict of identities for New Zealand-born Samoans and the formation of the Pacific Identity
3. Lack of education and employment owing to strict gender roles of the Pacific Peoples
4. Pacific peoples are more liable to survive in regions of high neighbourhood deprivation, which means
that most of the Pacific peoples have to live in severe hardship like overcrowded houses
References used: Pacific Peoples’ Health New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine Policy