Embracing Mātauranga Māori in Physical Wellness
Deborah Heke (Ngā Puhi, Te Arawa, from West Auckland, opens up about her upbringing in Rānui—a place she remembers for its tree-climbing adventures and childhood fun.
“I came up through the West Auckland education system. I was a good student at school, but as I got older, I’d prefer to play basketball.”
Her love for sports set her on a path that led to basketball in the United States. However, several injuries prompted her to return to New Zealand, where she restarted her education journey, leading to a psychology and mental health degree.
This trajectory took her from community health work to personal training, leading to a deep interest in Māori wellness.
In her postgraduate studies, from a Master’s to a PhD, Deborah has challenged conventional research boundaries by exploring how the physical activity of Māori women interweaves with their connection to the atua wāhine and Te Taiao.
Her research emphasises the importance of embodied knowledge (residing in the tinana) and the relationship between Māori women, their surroundings, and the healing that exists in that space.
A web of metaphors is unfurled in Deborah’s research, unveiling profound themes. These are the connection between self and environment, the ancestral exchange of wisdom, the art of balance in multiple roles, the strategic and tactical approaches to success, and the recognition of the potential for growth and achievement.
She shares the key findings of her research, narrating stories of Māori women who embody physical activity as an extension of their cultural identity. These women carry the characteristics of conscientiousness, adaptability, strategic thinking, and recognition of their potential—qualities that mirror those of atua wāhine.
For Deborah, it’s about the connection between Māori women and the atua wāhine. She highlights how these traits interplay and offers insights into navigating both the physical and spiritual worlds.
Ko Au te Taiao, te Taiao ko Au:
I am the environment; the environment is me. Women see themselves in the taiao.
The atua wahine Parawhenuamea depends on her environment. The elements she comes into contact with calm her waters, speed her up, make her angry and flood the place. Similarly, our surroundings impact how we move in this world.
Taonga Tuku Iho:
How we move knowledge as wāhine teachers, learners and sharers of wisdom.
The whare tangata is a transitional space where everything moves through us in the past, present and future through the physical and metaphysical.
Rakanga Waewae:
Dextrous footwork. Being nimble in movement and balance.
Able to move between different worlds, wāhine carry many ways of being, roles such as being a māmā, sportsperson, academic.
Ahwhenua:
Connect ourselves to the earth by working the ground.
Working the land as a metaphor, we have strategic, conscientious, and tactical ways to achieve a successful outcome.
Poipoia te Kākano, Kia Puāwai:
Acknowledging yourself as a place of potential, a seed, and the manifestation of something beautiful, a flower.
Being able to say affirmations such as I look good, I am good at this, I can achieve my potential, and my tūpuna are proud of me.
Standing in our mana as wāhine.
Unpacking the unique relationship between atua wāhine and the physical movements of Māori women, Deborah illustrates how they serve as guiding principles and embodiments of specific characteristics. She draws parallels between wāhine and atua wāhine and shows how Māori women can draw inspiration from them to enhance their well-being.
Deborah reflected on her own wellness practices in the final part of the interview. From her sports background and personal training to being a mother and academic, she finds balance through exercise, nature walks, and interacting with the environment.
"Going to the gym, playing with my four-year-old daughter, being outside, taking the dog or walking with a friend. I make sure I get movement, taiao and kōrero.”
Deborah's advice for Māori women starting their wellness journey is to embrace activities that bring joy and fulfilment.
‘Find something you enjoy doing and build it into your life or make it something you do more of.’
Rejecting a one-size-fits-all approach, she emphasises the importance of personal connection and autonomy, encouraging individuals to cultivate practices that resonate with their experiences. It’s about making your wellness journey a celebration of your unique self.
Her research highlights the connection between physical activity and whakapapa, demonstrating that the path to wellness can be a journey of self-discovery and whakapapa connection.
Research by Deborah Heke can be found at https://academics.aut.ac.nz/deborah.heke/publications
