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Title / Demonstrate knowledge of traditional and contemporaryMāoriperceptions of impairment
Level / 5 / Credits / 6
Purpose / People credited with this unit standard are able to demonstrate knowledge of traditional and contemporary Māori perceptions of impairment.
Classification / Health, Disability, and Aged Support > Health and Disability Principles in Practice
Available grade / Achieved
Explanatory notes
1Support should aim to maintain, improve, or restore a consumer’s independence and/or interdependence; utilise the consumer’s existing strengths; and, where possible, utilise the resources of the local community.
2Legislation and codes relevant to this unit standard include:
Health and Disability Commissioner (Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights) Regulations 1996;
Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001;
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992;
Human Rights Act 1993;
Privacy Act 1993.
3New Zealand Standards relevant to this unit standard include:
NZS 8134.0:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability services (general) Standard;
NZS 8134.1:2008 Health and disability services Standards – Health and disability services (core) Standards.
4Definitions
Contemporary Māori perceptions of impairment refers, in general, to views of impairment held by Māori following European settlement from the late eighteenth century onwards. In the context of this unit standard these views refer, in particular, to post-World War II attitudes towards disability and its causesand effects, shaped by factors such as: socio-economic circumstances, advances in scientific and medical research, changing concepts of family/whānau,the concept of mana, attitudinal shifts, and availability of rehabilitation services.
Holistic model of hauora refers to models that utilise traditional Māori values, and which can be utilised in contemporary contexts for holistic health support and intervention. These models may include but are not limited to – Te Whare Tapa Whā, Te Wheke, Takarangi, Pōwhiri Poutama.
Impairment includes but is not limited to the following terms – hauā, hape hape, kopa, kohapa.
Traditional Māori perceptions of impairment refers to views of impairment held by Māori before European settlersintroduced Western-based concepts of health, wellness, and disability. These views derive principally from spiritual and social ideologies, including indigenous narratives that portrayed impairment variously as a sign of distinction from the gods and as a punishment or retribution for breaking tapu (the ‘sacred’ or the ‘forbidden’).
5References
Barlow, C. (2001). Tikanga whakaaro: Key concepts in Māori culture. South Melbourne, Vic.: OxfordUniversity Press;
Best, E. (2005). Māori religion and mythology. Wellington: Te Papa Press;
Grey, G. (c. 1997). Nga mahi a nga tupuna. Christchurch: Kiwi Publishers;
Karetu, Sam. (1978). Kawa in crisis. In King, M. (Ed.), Tihe mauri ora: Aspects of Māoritanga. Wellington: Methuen;
Marsden, M. (1992). God, man, and universe: A Māori view. In King, M. (Ed.), Te ao hurihuri: Aspects of Māoritanga. Auckland: Reed Publishers;
Ministry of Health. (2004). Māori and disability. In Living with disability in New Zealand: A descriptive analysis of results from the 2001 Household Disability Survey and the 2001 Disability Survey of Residential Facilities (pp. 331-364). Wellington: Author, available at
Ratima, K., & Ratima, M. (2004). In L. W. Nikora, R. Karapu, H. Hickey, & N. Te Awekotuku. (Eds.).Disabled Māori and disability support options: A report prepared for the Ministry of Health Hamilton Office (pp. 189-198). Hamilton: Māori & Psychology Research Unit, University of Waikato and the Ministry of Health, available at
Office for Disability Issues, & Statistics New Zealand. (2010). Disability and Māori in New Zealand in 2006: Results from the New Zealand Disability Survey. Wellington: Statistics New Zealand, available at (search for Disability and Māori);
Orbell, M. R. (1992). Traditional Māori stories: He kōrero Māori. Auckland: Reed;
Orbell, M. R. (1998). A concise encyclopediaof Māori myth and legend. Christchurch: CanterburyUniversity Press;
Robson, B., & Harris, R. (Eds.). (2007). Māori experience of disability and disability support services. In Hauora: Māori standards of health IV. A study of the years 2000–2005.Wellington: Te Rōpū Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pōmare;
Shirres, M. P. W. (1994). Tapu: Te mana o nga atua – The mana of the spiritual powers: A Māori theological understanding of tapu. Ponsonby: Te Rūnanga o te Hāhi Katorika ki Aotearoa;
Taskforce on Whānau-Centred Initiatives. (2010). Whānau Ora: Report of the Taskforce on Whānau-Centred Initiatives to Hon Tariana Turia, Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector. Wellington: Author, available at
Tauroa, H. (1984). Māoritanga in practice. Auckland: Office of the Race Relations Conciliator;
Te Rangi Hiroa (Sir Peter Buck). (1982). The coming of the Māori. (Reprint of 2nd ed. published 1950). Wellington: Māori Purposes Fund Board; Christchurch: Whitcoulls;
White, J. (2001). The ancient history of the Māori, his mythology and traditions. Hamilton: University of Waikato Library.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate knowledge of traditional Māori perceptions of impairment.
Rangeincludes consideration of one holistic model of hauora and its impact on traditional Māori perceptions of impairment.
Evidence requirements
1.1Traditional iwi, hapū, or whānau perceptions of impairment are explained in terms of the impairment type and a specific rohe.
Rangeevidence is required for four types of impairment, from a minimum of one specific rohe.
1.2The ways in which people were traditionally cared for or not cared for, by iwi, hapū, or whānau are explained in terms of the description provided in evidence requirement 1.1.
Outcome 2
Demonstrate knowledge of contemporary Māori perceptions of impairment.
Rangeincludes consideration of one holistic model of hauora and its impact on contemporary Māori perceptions of impairment.
Evidence requirements
2.1Contemporary iwi, hapū, or whānau perceptions of impairment are explained in terms of the impairment type and a specific rohe.
Rangeevidence is required for four types of impairment, from a minimum of one specific rohe.
2.2The ways in which people in contemporary Māori societyare cared for or not cared for, by iwi, hapū, or whānau are explained in terms of the description provided in evidence requirement 2.1.
2.3Contemporary practices of caring for impaired people are compared with traditional practices.
Rangeevidence is required for – four practices, four differences, four similarities.
Planned review date / 31December2016Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 17 December 2001 / 31 December 2011
Review / 2 / 19 November 2010 / N/A
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0024
This AMAP can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Consent requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Community Support Services ITO Limited if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Community Support Services ITO LimitedSSB Code 101814 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018