Maori Wellbeing - Sir Mason Durie on Concepts of Maori Wellbeing

Sir Mason speaks with a freshness and clarity of understanding, if you have been fortunate enough to hear him speak before you will know that this is an opportunity not to be missed. Regardless of whether your professional focus is on prevention, promotion, treatment, education, rehabilitation or development, well-being is ultimately dependent upon the dynamic interaction of people with each other and with the wider cultural, social, economic, political and physical environments in which people live. Sir Mason unwraps how Maori wellbeing is the product of these combined forces acting on the past and present experiences of the people with whom we work.

Some of the key areas he discusses include:

- The back story of the Treaty of Waitangi and its relevance to practice in Aotearoa

- Current and future cultural demographics in New Zealand and the implications for a changing society

- Contemporary Maori development initiatives and what can be learnt from them

- Maori practice and therapeutic intervention models, key considerations in their implementation and how they differ from Western approaches

- The key practice dimensions for effective interventions

- The importance of Whanau and Whanau development to treatment and well being

Sir Mason will be speaking about issues that are relevant to all professionals working in health, welfare, education and community settings.

Sir Mason Durie is from Rangitane, Ngäti Kauwhata and Ngäti Raukawa. 

He is a medical practitioner and specialist psychiatrist and has held the positions of Professor of Maori Studies and Deputy Vice-Chancellor atMasseyUniversity.  He has particular interests in health, education, indigenous advancement, mental health care and Maori development.  He has served on a number of Boards and Trusts, including the Families Commission, Secondary Futures, Te Papa Tongarewa, the Foundation for Research Science and Technology, the National Health Committee, the Mental Health Foundation, the Alcohol & Liquor Advisory Council, the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Maori Health, the Whanau Ora Governance Group and the Mental Health Foundation.  He was knighted in 2010 for his contributions to Public Health and especially to Maori Health.