1st Edition
Ngā Kūaha Voices and Visions in Māori Healing and Psychiatry
Ngā Kūaha: Voices and Visions in Māori Healing and Psychiatry explores what it means to hear voices and see visions from the perspectives of Māori healer Wiremu NiaNia and psychiatrist Allister Bush. Wiremu explains Ngā Kūaha as referring to doorways and offers entranceways into Māori knowledge about wairua (spirituality) handed down by his forebears and other Māori sources.
The authors provide historical examples of Western mystical experiences and contrasting Western psychiatric and psychological explanations of voices and visions as hallucinations. Further chapters focus on narratives and perspectives from people who have experienced voices and visions, and have had interactions with mental health services, told from multiple viewpoints; individual, whānau (family), Māori healing and psychiatry. The benefits of joint Māori healing and psychiatry approaches on wellbeing are examined. Drawing on their 18-year partnership Wiremu and Allister highlight the harmful colonial impact of psychiatry in suppressing Māori views of voices and visions. They describe ways of working together in clinical practice to address this history of injustice and how to identify whether distressing perceptual experiences may represent Māori cultural experiences, psychiatric or psychological symptoms or all of these.
This book advocates for practices that enable genuine partnerships between Māori healers, other wairua practitioners, and mental health clinicians in order to improve the mental health and spiritual care of Māori and perhaps other peoples.
1. Introduction
Wiremu NiaNia, Allister Bush, David Epston
2. Tirohanga
Wiremu NiaNia, Allister Bush
3. Ngā Tōpito o te Ao
Wiremu NiaNia, Allister Bush, David Epston
4. Voices and Visions in Psychiatry
Allister Bush, Wiremu NiaNia
5. Egan
Egan Bidois, Wiremu NiaNia, Allister Bush
6. Tohu
Wiremu NiaNia, Tohu, Tai Elkington, Peter Cowley, Allister Bush, David Epston
7. Grace
Wiremu NiaNia, Hazel, Allister Bush, David Epston
8. Jake
Wiremu NiaNia, Jake, Allister Bush, David Epston
9. Ngā Kūaha
Wiremu NiaNia, Allister Bush
10. Huakina
Allister Bush, Wiremu NiaNia, Caleb
Epilogue
Wiremu NiaNia, Allister Bush
Biography
Wiremu NiaNia, Tohunga, Turuki Health Care, Auckland, New Zealand.
Allister Bush, Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Te Whare Mārie, Māori Mental Health Service and Pasifika CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental health Service), Te Whatu Ora, Porirua, New Zealand).
David Epston, Co-Originator of Narrative Therapy, Auckland, New Zealand.
"Ngā Kūaha is an essential read for those seeking to enhance the integration of Māori and Western knowledge within metal health. The collaboration of Wiremu, Allister, and David is evident in their emphasis on placing people at the forefront. Their latest work opens the kūaha (Doorway) to a profound exploration of mental health from a Māori perspective. Wiremu's personal narrative invites readers to delve into the Māori worldview, while Allister and David contribute a wealth of experiences from the mental health field, blending Māori wisdom with Western knowledge seamlessly. This book offers a captivating journey that bridges cultural perspectives, showcasing the beauty of matauranga Māori alongside modern insights." -- Rikki Solomon, Tohunga, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa, Rangitāne o Tāmaki-nui-o-rua.
"With a moving narrative and insightful reflections, Ngā Kūaha provides an invaluable view into Te Ao Māori, Māori mental health, and wairua. Allister and Wiremu's collaboration offers a profound exploration into the experiences of Māori grappling with hallucinations and other mental phenomena, showcasing a partnership that illuminates their unique journeys and perspectives. This book confronts broader societal and historical factors influencing psychiatric practice, adding layers of depth that invites meaningful discourse. I wholeheartedly endorse and recommend Ngā Kūaha to anyone involved in psychiatry, mental health, and wellness. I also believe this text holds immense value for those seeking a broader comprehension of mental health and the holistic approaches deeply rooted in Te Ao Māori." -- Professor Joanne Baxter, Poutini Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Professor of Māori Health; Dean, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo, New Zealand
