The biopolitics of Māori biomass

Towards a new epistemology for Māori health in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Bibliographic Data

ID15295482
AuthorsIsaac Warbrick (0000-0002-0281-2542, Auckland University of Technology), Andrew Dickson (0000-0002-5488-0459, Massey University, corresponding author), R Prince (0000-0002-9671-7414, Massey University), Ihirangi Heke (0000-0001-9590-0164)
Year2015
Volume26
Issue4
Pages394-404
Publication date2015-10-15
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCritical Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0958-1596 • E-ISSN: 1469-3682
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09581596.2015.1096013
OpenAlexW2215810173
LanguageEN
Citations received17
References cited40

In this paper we consider what impact a biopolitics that creates a compliant self-governing weight-focused population has had on Māori health in Aotearoa/New Zealand. We frame this discussion with three vignettes that in different ways demonstrate the deleterious effects of the individualisation of health on Māori. We argue that the current biopolitics is best explained as ‘the health of Maoris’ not ‘Māori Health’. To counter this current biopolitics we put forward an alternative epistemology, the ‘Atua Matua’ framework. This epistemology pays respect to a Māori view of health that is holistic, encompassing physical, emotional, spiritual, cultural and familial well-being and does not give ground to the requirement for individualism so prevalent in neoliberalism. Finally, we consider what this new epistemology might offer to the public health agendas in Aotearoa and other countries where indigenous populations suffer ill health disproportionately. Thus, our implications have potential not only for Māori health but human health in general

Aotearoa · Articulation (sociology · Biopower · Environmental ethics · Health equity · Indigenous · Neoliberalism (international relations · Political science · Politics · Population · Population health · Public health · Social science · Sociology · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Gender Studies · Law · Medicine · Obesity and Health Practices · Philosophy · Ecology