Wairua in Care: Reflections from Today’s Hui
- Wāhi Āwhina
- Aug 26
- 1 min read
This morning we had the privilege of welcoming Professor Moana Waitoki and Dr Raima Hippolite, who shared their mahi and research into the role of spiritual care within Aotearoa New Zealand’s healthcare system.
Their kōrero reminded us that wellbeing is never just physical or mental—it is also profoundly spiritual. The place of wairua in the lives of tangata whenua, and indeed all people in this land, is central to how we understand health and healing. Yet, as both Moana and Raima highlighted, wairua is often overlooked, undervalued, or excluded from mainstream health systems.
For us as a Mission in our everyday mahi with tangata whaiora, we know that the challenges people carry are not only material or psychological but often deeply spiritual—connected to identity, whakapapa, whenua, and belonging. Recognising and holding space for this dimension of wellbeing can feel difficult in a world that often prioritises what can be measured or clinically observed. But today’s hui reaffirmed that we are not alone in this struggle; researchers, practitioners, and communities across the motu are working to ensure that wairua is not lost but honoured as essential to holistic care.
The kōrero also challenged us to reflect on our own practices. How do we, as kaimahi and as an organisation, make space for spiritual care in ways that are authentic and grounded in tikanga? How do we walk alongside tangata whaiora with compassion and integrity when the systems around us may not yet fully recognise the spiritual aspects of healing?
Comments