FAQ

Who are Indigenous Peoples?

It is estimated that there are more than 370 million indigenous people spread across 70 countries worldwide. Practicing unique traditions, they retain social, cultural, economic and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live. Among the indigenous peoples are those of the Americas (for example, the Lakota in the USA, the Mayas in Guatemala or the Aymaras in Bolivia), the Inuit and Aleutians of the circumpolar region, the Saami of northern Europe, the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders of Australia and the Māori of New Zealand. These and most other indigenous peoples have retained distinct characteristics which are clearly different from those of other segments of the national populations.

The Wharerātā Group has chosen to use this definition of Indigeneity, which encompasses the diversity of indigenous groups and cultures and the similarities:

• A longstanding and enduring relationship with the natural environment
• A distinctive language
• A world view that is derived from ecological associations
• Experiences that threaten language, land, custom, and social organisation
• A determination to survive and prosper as indigenous peoples – and as global citizens
• An aspiration that indigenous families and communities should have optimal health and wellbeing
 

Where can I find more information about Indigenous Peoples in my country?

Check out the Indigenous Peoples, Issues and Resources site which has a global map and information of indigenous peoples around the world.

How do you define mental health?

"For indigenous peoples, health is equivalent to the “harmonious coexistence of human beings with nature, with themselves, and with others, aimed at integral well-being, in spiritual, individual, and social wholeness and tranquillity”.  The indigenous concept of health articulates physical, mental, spiritual and emotional elements, from both individual and communal points of view, and involves political, economic, social and cultural aspects. It is shaped by indigenous peoples’ historical experiences and worldviews, and is expressed in the rules and norms that are applied in the community and practised by its members. To promote health and prevent illness, an indigenous community seeks to recuperate and maintain its interior and exterior equilibrium,including the harmony between community members who are sick and the world around them" (State of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2010 by the Secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues). 

Every indigenous group will have their own ways of describing mental health, but definitions will share the values of holistic health, culture, and the importance of community. Most will describe mental health or mental wellness without reference to illness, as mental health is much more than the absence of illness. The following is an example of a definition of mental health used in Canada:

"A lifelong journey to achieve wellness and balance of body, mind and spirit. Mental wellness includes self-esteem, personal dignity, cultural identity and connectedness in the presence of a harmonious physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellness. Mental wellness must be defined in terms of the values and beliefs of Inuit and First Nations people." (Mental Wellness Framework, Mental Wellness Advisory Committee, 2002).

There are numerous ways to describe mental wellness. Here is an example from the Maori in New Zealand:

"The Māori philosophy towards health is based on a wellness or holistic health model. Māori see health as a four-sided concept representing four basic beliefs of life: Te Taha Hinengaro (psychological health), Te Taha Wairua (spiritual health), Te Taha Tinana (physical health) and Te Taha Whanau (family health). This is known as Te Whare Tapa Wha" (Headspace New Zealand).

Why is mental health an issue for Indigenous peoples?

Indigenous peoples have experienced institutional abuses ranging from assimilationist policies, forced residential schooling of children, systemic and subtle racism, loss of traditional lands, loss of language, all of which can contribute to mental illness and trauma. Indigenous people today suffer from the many effects of unresolved trauma, including but not limited to: suicide, depression, poverty, alcoholism and substance abuse, lack of parenting skills, weakening or destruction of cultures and languages, and lack of capacity to build and sustain healthy families and communities. Indigenous peoples do not all suffer mental illness, many are highly successful and resilient. But the rate of mental illness in indigneous populations is still higher than their non-indigenous neighbors within their country. To complicate the issue, indigneous individuals looking for help may not always find culturally competent service providers in the mainstream mental health system who know enough about the impacts of colonisation and resiliency of culture. Finally, there are few indigenous leaders in mental health who can provide services, advocate for indigenous clients, and support the development of culturally competent non-indigenous providers.

Our vision is of a future when these effects have been meaningfully resolved and indigenous people have restored their wellbeing for themselves and for their descendants seven generations ahead. The Wharerātā Group wrote the Wharerātā Declaration as a framework to address these issues.

What does Wharerātā mean?

Wharerātā is a Māori Word.

Whare is "house", and Rātā is a tree with bright flowers and a large canopy. Wharerātā translates to "House of wisdom and understanding, a house of shelter and protection".

Rātā trees, along with the pohutukawa, are one of the best known native trees in New Zealand. Northern rata usually begins life as an epiphyte or plant perched on a host tree. Its roots grow down to the ground, finally enclosing the host tree and producing a huge tree up to 25 metres high with a trunk of 2.5 metres through. Southern rata grows from a seed in the ground to become a tree up to 15 metres high with a trunk 1 metre through. Rātā trees have glossy dark green leaves and trunks that are often gnarled and twisted. However they are best known for their brilliant red flowers that appear in profusion from November to January, depending on location, and can be seen from some distance away.