Bicultural praxis: the relevance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi to health promotion internationally

Abstract

The transformation of health inequities between indigneous and non-indigneous people is necessary to any just society. Health promotion that addresses these injustices thus must be inherently political work particularly in colonial contexts with systemic inequities. Aotearoa New Zealand is one such context. We take as our starting point a commitment to implement bicultural praxis informed by interpretations of the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (1840). This treaty sets in place governance arrangements between the indigenous people (Māori) and the Crown of Great Britain. This paper explores the application of this praxis within health promotion from a settler standpoint. Firstly, it revisits the timeline leading to the signing of Te Tiriti, reviews the significance of Te Tiriti to health promotion practice in Aotearoa New Zealand and proposes four propositions to inform a bicultural praxis which, the authors argue, has an application internationally where indigenous and settler values must come into a just relationship.