Treaty of Waitangi Blog 2

Treaty of Waitangi Blog 2

By Simon Marks

Integrating a Treaty framework and Hauora values into my practice as a massage therapist.

I have used the treaty framework and Hauora values to identify the need for us as massage therapists to look into the different needs of individuals when practicing. I have done this by taking the main points of the Treaty of Waitangi articles and bringing them into our scope as massage therapists.

Article 1: Governance

In terms of governance we as massage therapists have to take into account the preferences of the Māori community in terms of cultural beliefs and practices, also what they believe to be Tapu (associated with risk) and Noa (associated with safety). Our practice as it stands has no formal set of guide lines to follow when working with the Māori community, so we individually need to make an effort to understand there needs as best we can. We can do this by learning about Maori history and understanding our cultural differences and incorporating it into our policies and practice.

Article 2: Authority

In our policies and practice we need to include grounds on which our relationship with the client allows them to maintain an authority to speak openly and to help in the direction of the massage process. This is not to say we as practitioners should not have an influence, but that there should be a partnership to provide the best possible outcome for the client.

Article 3 Equity

We need to insure that every client gets the best quality and most suited treatment for them as an individual. This means that we need to work with and respect each person and their intricacies to understand their issues and problems as an individual, to provide them with the best service we can. This means being aware not to just treat a symptom but the person themselves, as everyone is different, mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually. Ethnicity can play a large part in treatment as certain social practices can be quite different. For instance in Maori culture it is not polite or is not acceptable to touch someone around the head as it is Tapu, sitting leaning on tables and using pillow as pollsters is also frowned upon because they are associated with the head that is Tapu.

Article 4 Respect

Respect of the clients’ ideas, wants and needs has to be a top priority in and around your interaction with them. This needs to be across the board no matter what the reasons for them are (cultural, mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually). It is not our job to decide whether there reasoning is just or not. We should take them on board and work with and around them. The three P’s can be used for this partnership, protection, and participation.

Partnership – Refers to the respect of the client’s beliefs and authority of their wants, needs and ideas, in relation to treatment so that you work as a partnership that works to provide the best service and care for the client.

Protection – Is of the client themselves physically as well as there individual needs, wants and ideas

Participation – It is their right that they get the treatment they want or need and that they are not mis treated due to their wants, needs or ideas.

When looking into the four articles and how they refer to the massage scope, it really brings up points that need to be looked at in any kind of human interaction, Not just when working with different cultures, it could be just different personalities. There are also no limits to the scope it can relate to; it really can just be used as a way to give people fair and equal treatment. The downfall when used in the treaty of Waitangi was that it was not used correctly, as it did not create fair and equal treatment in terms of – access to tea o Maori
- Environmental protection
- Healthy lifestyles
- Leadership
- Participation in society
- Autonomy (Durie, 1998).

References

Bachelor of Midwifery/Diploma in Massage Therapy; Treaty Workshop. May 18th 2009
Durie, M (1998). Whaiora; Maori health development (pp.69-74). Auckland, New Zealand; Oxford University Press.

My own thoughts