The Christchurch Heart Institute is committed to the values and principles of Te Tiriti and the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Māori are particularly vulnerable to cardiovascular disease (CVD), with an age adjusted rate of death three to four times higher that of the general population in NZ1. Because of this, the Christchurch Heart Institute has an interest and passion to engage with more Māori in their research to identify why and to look at solutions.
In 2021-2022, Dr Karaitiana Taiuru (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Rārua) worked within the Christchurch Heart Institute as Pou Tikanga, primarily to ensure that our internationally recognised experts and other leading edge scientists and cardiovascular experts offer Māori a culturally safe environment and best outcomes for Māori, using innovative new cultural responsiveness techniques in our labs, clinical research area and in the community.
The Christchurch Heart Institute has committed to a Māori Engagement Strategy to guide our engagements with a number of planned studies involving kaumātua, patients, whānau, rōpū Māori and others, with whakawhanaungatanga, mana and your rangatiratanga at the forefront of our interactions.
Our aim is to form meaningful relationships with Māori, whanau, hapū, Rūnaka and Iwi, to work together and share our results so that Māori can be better informed and healthier.
- Te Tiriti and the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (PDF)
- Māori Engagement Strategy (PDF)
- Māori Data Sovereignty Statement and Commitment (PDF)
- Tikanga Values and Philosophy (PDF)
References
- Gu Y, Warren J, Kennelly J, Neuwelt P, Harwood M. Cardiovascular disease risk management for Maori in New Zealand general practice. J Prim Health Care 2014;6:286-94.